Now then, let's crack on with the XV of the year shall we?! I would like to thank all the people that took part in the poll - it was very exciting for me to do and to see how everyone voted.
Loose-head prop of 2014: Alex Waller
One of the most
improved players in his position over recent years, Alex Waller has
become a staple ingredient in making the Saints' scrum one of the most
dominant in the Premiership. He has been sorely underrated during his
career, but his last minute try in the 2013/2014 Premiership Final,
as well as his performances in the first half of this current season,
have cemented his name as a top player that gives it all for his club
and led to his inclusion in the EPS. As Helen Mainprize says – he
is a warrior that never gives in, he is passionate, and he is a
Championship try scorer. Well done Alex!
Hooker of 2014: Dylan Hartley
It would be a massive
understatement to say that Hartley's career has been shrouded in
disciplinary problems – I as a Saints fan myself cannot deny that.
But what people tend to forget sometimes is that he is a quality
player – he has the most caps in the current England squad (at 61),
he is pivotal for the success of the Saints front row and scrum, and
he has one the highest line-out success rates. Add to that the fact
that he is one of the better players to have around for moral
(opinion courtesy of Sam Rice), he is full of community spirit
(opinion courtesy of Helen Mainprize), he is a nice guy who is happy
to talk to anyone (opinion courtesy of Dany Grimwood), and he is a
good leader all round (opinion courtesy of Chris Simpson), and you are presented with a
damn fine person and a player. As Jim Mallinder said, he does indeed
play on the edge, but that is what makes Dylan, well, Dylan, and
allows him to be one of the best players around. Well done Dylan!
Tight-head Prop of 2014: David Wilson
Wilson
is a name that we hear constantly whenever Bath take to the field,
and for good reason. He is a shining example of why the team have
been on stunning form so far this season, and he puts in a huge
effort every time he dons the jersey and makes an appearance. The
Bath front row is a huge success because of his presence, and he
carried this on with England when he stepped up off the bench and in
to a starting position after Cole's injury. Mike Ford described him
as one of the top tight-heads, and it would be hard to disagree. Well
done David!
Lock of 2014: Courtney Lawes
Big hitter. I feel like
I don't need to say any more than that, but of course I will. In my
opinion Courtney is absolutely world-class, and when he steps out on
to the rugby pitch you better watch out because he is gunning for you
and the rest of your team. His tackles are akin to perfection and,
considering he used to be a very reckless tackler (Luke Pickles), he has come on leaps and bounds. Not only that, but he is no stranger to a good
line-out steal, something that he learned after being given the
line-out calling duties at international level, and he is helped by
the fact that he is insanely tall (I mean, seriously, that is one
massive guy). He exudes physicality and strength, making him a force
to be reckoned with – something that he also carries over in to his
England career. Players are, and rightly should be, terrified of the
man, and the fact that he is only 25 and is this good is scary. As
Chris Simpson says, he is growing with maturity every season, which
leads me to believe that he will go down as one of the greatest
players to ever play the game once his career finishes (which is
hopefully not for a long while yet!). Well done Courtney!
Lock of 2014: Dave Attwood
Attwood is a really, really great player to watch. His
dedication is absolutely second to none, and I believe that that is
an intrinsic quality for players to have in order to be successful in
the sport. He is a superb line-out practitioner, and his performances
for England recently have done justice to the idea that is an
all-round great player. He is incredibly reliable which, even though
may not sound like an amazing compliment, is actually vital to a
teams success – you can count on him to be well-disciplined and to
give his all. In the words of Luke Pickles, he is an intelligent
player, a proper gent and a strong leader of his team. He is
definitely one to watch. Well done Dave!
Blind-side Flanker of 2014: Calum Clark
Clark is another player
who has had his issues with discipline throughout his career and,
although he has now refocused his energy into being a better player
(comment by Mrs Saintsman), again unfortunately this has dampened how
fantastic a player he is. When he plays, he makes himself a nuisance
all over the pitch – and I mean that in a positive way. He'll be at
the breakdown trying to overturn the ball (something that he is
incredibly successful at doing) or he'll be involved in rucks and
mauls attempting to push his team on or disrupt the progress of the
opposition. When Saints win breakdown penalties, 9 times out of 10
who is the guy being credited for it? Calum. Vicki Crowston rightly
says that he is an absolute team player and a hard worker who makes
some serious plays and is an unsung hero on the pitch. Also, Helen
Mainprize says that he is the epitome of a professional, and plays
through negativity like you've never seen. Not only that but the man
is some serious eye candy, am I right?! Well done Calum!
Open-side Flanker of 2014: Tom Wood
Wood is one of those
players that always has this look of intensity and deep
concentration, whilst also being able to look very attractive. Sonia
Benney even described him at the Christian Grey of the Saints. But,
in all seriousness, Wood is one epic player. A club man to his very
core, he puts it all out there on the pitch, so much so that he
appears drained of energy at the end of every match, and always seems
to be covered in a lot of blood. You will never get anything less
than 100% of out Tom, and his elation in the semi-final of last
season proves that – he had next to nothing left in the tank, yet
he still managed to crash over the whitewash. I don't think I will
ever forget Nick Mullins' commentary when he shouted 'Wood. WOOOOOD.'
Nicki Bradley desricbes him as a warrior on the pitch, a game changer
and a gent as well. She rightly points out that Tom's joy at being
able to meet Luis Ghaut and have him as a mascot at the premiership
final demonstrates his kind nature as well as his dedication to the fans, and I wholeheartedly agree. Well
done Tom!
No. 8 of 2014: Samu Manoa
No. 8 of 2014: Samu Manoa
Monster. Machine.
Magnificent. I could go on and on listing superlatives to describe
the big American, but I feel that none of these words get close to
describing how sensational a player he is. Many people believe that
he is the best player in the world right now, and I can absolutely
see why. His tackling is absolutely second-to-none, and you will see
at least one phenomenally huge hit each game. I can't even imagine
what must go through a player's head when they see him coming towards
them and realise that there is nothing for them to do except brace for
it. His tackling is not all he has going for him though – his work
rate around the pitch in pretty much all areas is staggering. He
rucks, he mauls, he powers through tackles, he makes metres, and he
has even scored some exceptional tries. As Saffron Jarvis points out,
he is the main power-base for the Saints, and his presence is
absolutely crucial to the success of the Saints.
One thing that is also important to highlight is that he is a true
role model to anyone wanting to chase their dreams - it is no secret
that Samu lived in an area in America that was rife with gang
culture, but he stayed on the straight and narrow and chose to go after his dream of playing rugby, allowing himself to cement his place as one the greatest players of this generation.
The whole world should be grateful for that because rugby is a much better sport with the spectacle that is Samu Manoa showing
us his natural talent week in and week out. It is also no secret that
Manoa is leaving for France, and I think I speak for the whole of the
Saints Nation, and even the country, when I wish him, and his family,
all the best. France won't know what has hit them! Because of this, I
have asked people for any messages they might have for the big man,
and here they are:-
Luke Pickles: Samu is
one of the greatest players to have played the game. He is also one
of the most gentlest and modest, despite his reputation for smashing
everything in sight. He will be sorely missed, but we wish him well.
Good luck Samu.
Helen Mainprize: We
give him all the love, support and prayers in the world, but
his inner strength and
belief will get him through.
Chris Simpson: He went
from a complete unknown to a superstar. He's an all-rounder.
Al Henderson: He's been
an absolute star for us, seems like he's been here forever and not
just for two seasons! We are going to miss him.
Steve: What a privilege it's been watching Samu smash it in Black, Green and Gold #alwaysasaint
Sharon Newick: Thank you for the commitment, effort, hits and memories. Good luck for the future #familyfirst
Darren Carson: If you ever play against us in Europe, could you pick up a nasty cold the night before the game as we don't want to be on the wrong side!
Thank you Samu, and well done!
Scrum-half of 2014: Kahn Fotuali'i
The man of many
hairstyles. One of the best half-backs in the world, Fotuali'i
instinctively knows exactly what to do in any match, whether that would be
to slow the play down or speed it up. He has good delivery and pace around the field (Chris Simpson) and, not only that, but he is almost
always right with his tactics (Saffron Jarvis), and this allows the Saints to play
intelligently. His box-kicking is predominantly spot-on, pushing the
opposition back and keeping the Saints on the attack. Whenever he
comes on from the bench his impact is immediate, and he is an
integral part of, not only what has made the Saints a champion side,
but of a side that continues to be at the top this season. Well done
Kahn!
Fly-half of 2014: George Ford
George Ford is one of
the rising stars in the sport, and I can see him going on to be an
epic player for England in the number 10 jersey. He is calm and
collected under pressure, which is one reason why his kicking success
rate is incredibly high. Another reason is that he is clearly
bursting with natural talent – at the tender age of 21, he is
Bath's first choice flyhalf and has received 6 England caps, which is
a phenomenal achievement. His boot is very reliable, and we will be
seeing him in that England shirt for years to come. Well done George!
Left-wing of 2014: George North
This man is the
definition of 'lightning pace' ; a try scoring machine that is not
afraid of running up the touchline, George North is a giant in the
game. The scary thing about North is that he is this good at the age
of 22 – when you think that players can only get better and mature,
how great is he going to become?! At Franklin's Gardens, there is a D
block saying before every match – George North, two tries, in our
corner, boom. I think this perfectly sums up the power and the pace
of North, and the expectation of the fans to be treated with multiple
tries because, let's face it, he clearly enjoys crossing the
whitewash and he does it very often. To receive 45 caps for his
country at his young age is a crazy achievement, and I am sure that there's
many more to come. Well done George!
Inside Centre of 2014: Luther Burrell
There has been a hefty
debate recently about which player should be wearing that 12 jersey
for England and, of course, Luther's name is constantly mentioned as
one of the potentials, if not THE potential. A strong runner and a
good off-loader (Chris Simpson), it is easy to see why he should be in that England
starting line-up. He is an absolute power-house; he constantly
smashes through three of four tackles before either being taken down
or breaking through and crossing over the line. When he has the ball
in hand, there is no one better to make big runs and to break the
line of defence and, with 7 England caps already to his name, I am
positive that there are many more to come (at least if Lancaster has
any sense!). Well done Luther!
Outside Centre of 2014: Henry Slade
There is a lot of
excitement surrounding Henry Slade, probably because he is one damn
good player. A revolution to the sport, Slade is one of the best
players for the Chiefs, and I have absolutely no doubt that he will
be playing for England in the near future. However, what position
will he be playing? He is a dominating player out on the pitch, but
many believe that he is out of position (as stated by Luke Pickles) and would fare much better at
10. Considering how good he is whilst playing 13, if he is better at
10 then he can become another one of the greats of rugby. He is very exciting to watch, and is a pivotal player for Exeter, having a big impact on making them a dominating team that allows them to hold a top four spot in the Premiership. Well
done Henry!
Right-wing of 2014: Christian Wade
Christian Wade
absolutely lights up the pitch every time that he makes an appearance
for London Wasps. His attacking prowess is astounding, and goes a
long way to explain why he has won a cap for England. There have been
questions and doubts over his defence and whether that would effect
his standing with Lancaster, but I personally find it impossible to
ignore just how electric he is when he gets his hands on the ball. He
loves scoring tries, and he is a very entertaining player to watch.
Well done Christian!
Full-back of 2014: James Wilson
James Wilson is my favourite player and the main main for Saints at the minute. It takes a special and fantastic player to be able to slot in to three different positions in the space of 80 minutes, and Wilson did just that. As mentioned by James Fox - 'he has more positions than the Karma Sutra!' He rightly won the award for Steffans Player of the Month for November and he has continued to be one of Saints' best and brightest stars this season. In the words of Tricia Rae, he is suave, sophisticated, and can score tries as well! James never gives anything less than 100% for the team, and is such a gent off the pitch as well. The fact that he has recently re-signed for the club makes me, and probably all of the Saints fans, very happy indeed. Well done James!
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is your Premiership XV of the year! I hope you all enjoyed taking part, and thank you all again. Let's hope 2015 can be a great year for rugby with the upcoming Six Nations and, of course, the biggie - the Rugby World Cup!
Ruck on!
Jess.
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