The Gallagher PREM Rugby season has witnessed the eighteenth and final round of the regular season, with the battle lines drawn ahead of the incoming play-off semi-finals.
Northampton Saints, Bath, Leicester Tigers and Exeter Chiefs are the quartet that will progress this year, in the hopes of being crowned champions of England before the season is out. We are set for a double header of knock-out derby matches, as Bath host Exeter for a West Country classic, before Leicester travel to Northampton to renew their age-old East Midlands rivalry.
There was also plenty to play for the individual hopefuls, that are pushing for their inclusion in the upcoming Nations Championship. There was then of course the winner-takes-all clash between Exeter Chiefs and Saracens, which saw the men from Devon progress on to the top four and end the Mark McCall era at the North London club. Once again, we’ve pieced together the RUCK Team of the Week, for the latest round of PREM Rugby action.
TEAM OF THE WEEK: GALLAGHER PREM RUGBY – ROUND 18
15. BEN REDSHAW (GLOUCESTER)
Gloucester full-back Ben Redhsaw took home his personal bragging rights this week, as the former Newcastle man ran in a hat-trick against the Red Bulls. Redshaw gets the nod for our Team of the Week just ahead of Olly Woodburn, with the Chiefs man worth an honourable mention. Redshaw was electric for the Cherry and Whites upon their big win, which ended the season on a high for the Kingsholm side.
14. JOE COKANASIGA (BATH)
We shuffle across the West Country for our next entrant, with England and Bath wing Joe Cokanasiga pulling on the number 14 jersey in our Team of the Week. The power-house flexed his muscles in the impressive victory over Leicester Tigers, with a well-taken try helping Johaan van Graan’s men secure the home semi-final for this weekend’s knock-out round of fixtures. Cokanasiga has not featured for England since the 2023 Rugby World Cup warm-up defeat to Wales, and he’ll be hoping that back-to-back PREM Rugby titles could put him in favour with Steve Borthwick.
13. HENRY SLADE (EXETER CHIEFS)
Next up is another man who will be hoping that his recently stellar club form will roll onwards into a re-calling to the international level. Having once been the first-choice midfielder alongside Ollie Lawrence in the eyes of England coach Steve Borthwick, Henry Slade has recently drifted to the wayside of England selections. However, Slade put in a masterful performance this past weekend, as he pulled the strings and grabbed a try, to lead Exeter towards their dramatic victory over Saracens, and secure their fourth-placed finish and semi-final spot.
12. REKEITI MA’ASI-WHITE (SALE SHARKS)
From a man who is hoping to return to the international stage, to another who continues to fight for his long awaited England inclusion, Rekeiti Ma’asi-White has yet again torn up trees for Sale Sharks upon PREM duties. England could well end their search for a game-breaking 12 with the man from Manchester, with another solid try-scoring performance laying down Ma’asi-White’s intentions for the Summer. The centre was in tremendous form against Bristol, with some seismic carries and stepping around tackles.
11. ARRON REED (SALE SHARKS)
Whilst there are plenty of plaudits to hand to Tom O’Flaherty of Sale Sharks as an honourable mention upon the opposite wing, Aaron Reed was at his clinical finishing best in the round 18 win over Bristol. Reed crossed the whitewash upon two occassions across both halves, with the winger hoping that he will be making his mark for Scotland this Summer. Reed has ended his PREM campaign with a bang, with five tries in his past three appearances for Alex Sanderson’s side.
10. GEORGE FORD (SALE SHARKS)
It’s a third straight entrant from Sale Sharks to our Team of the Week, with George Ford getting the upper hand over Harlequins’ hot-stepper Marcus Smith and Harvey Skinner of Exeter Chiefs in our eyes. Ford was at his masterful best for the Sharks, as the Salford side closed out their season with a 38-17 win. The England fly-half raced out the blocks for the opening try after just one minute, before he calmly steered Sale to victory with five well struck conversions to boot.
9. STEPHEN VARNEY (EXETER CHIEFS)
Up next is the man who took the headlines from Exeter’s must-win match over Saracens, as scrum half Stephen Varney raced away to collect his own grubber kick, and attack the open grass for the match’s decisive score. Whilst Max Norey’s previous efforts put Exeter into a favourable position, it was Varney that took the game beyond all doubt against Owen Farrell and co. The Italian international has been a stand-out performer from the Chiefs this year, and looks set for another scintillating run with the Azzurri, as he competes with Alessandro Garbisi for the nine jersey.
1. WILL HOBSON (HARLEQUINS)
We move onto the forward pack now, and begin our front row with a loose-head prop that continues to rise through the ranks at Harlequins. Having previously spent the majority of the his Quins-contracted time on loan to London Scottish in the CHAMP, Hosbon has enjoyed a break-out year at the Stoop, and stepped up to fill in for the frequently injury-absent Fin Baxter. Hobson enjoyed a strong finish to the season in the famous quarters, with a strong contribution at scrum-time seeing him front up and get the upper hand over Cleopas Kundiona of the Saints.
2. SEB BLAKE (GLOUCESTER)
Gloucester hooker Seb Blake is the next man on our list, with the 24-year-old enjoying a steady break-out season with the Cherry and Whites. Blake bagged a try in the one-sided win over Newcastle Red Bulls, in which he took the fight to veteran front row operator George McGuigan. Blake has now started his last four caps for George Skivington’s side, with plenty of excitement continuing to grow around a possible England run in the Summer. Blake ran a clean ship at the set-piece, with tight scrummaging and accurate line-out throws laying the foundation for a strong end to the season.
3. THOMAS DU TOIT (BATH)
There was only one option for the tight-head spot this week, with Thomas du Toit reminding Bath fans as to what they are going to miss once the South African titan heads back to his homeland in the Summer. With a moved lined up to join the Sharks, du Toit will form a fearsome Springbok front row with Ox Nche and Bongi Mbonambi for company. The tight-head bull-dozed his way through Leicester for a hat-trick of tries this past Saturday, as the sole contributor across the whitewash in blue, black and white.
4. BEN BAMBER (SALE SHARKS)
Moving onto the engine room now, with Sale lock Ben Bamber taking up the first spot upon our second row. With international experience already under his belt in the England A team, against both the All Blacks XV and Spain, this upcoming Nations Championship could well prove to be the time for Bamber to be unleashed for his full Test debut. Steve Borthwick has kept an eye on the Sale lock, who impressed with a resolved try-scoring performance in attack, and halted Bristol’s momentum with a series of steals too.
5. ARTHUR CLARK (GLOUCESTER)
With an honourable mention in order for Exeter Chiefs lock Daf Jenkins, we hand the second spot in our row to Gloucester’s prospering lock Arthur Clark. The 24-year-old has come on leaps and bounds since he made his England debut last Summer, upon the final stop of the international tour across Argentina and the USA. However, the British & Irish Lions stars will be around for the upcoming Nations Championship, with Clark putting in the extra yards to be considered for a place. The Gloucester man was in tremendous once again in Cherry and White, with a solid try-scoring contribution to the win over Newcastle.
6. TOM HOOPER (EXETER CHIEFS)
Our back row begins with Exeter Chiefs flanker Tom Hooper, who put in what could well be considered as his best performance for the Devon club to date. The Australian international was in barn-storming form against Saracens, as he cleaned house with important turnovers to halt the attacking fortitude of the men down from London. Hooper has emerged into a first choice back row for Joe in Wallabies colours, and a PREM Rugby title with the Chiefs would be the perfect propulsion back into Joe Schmidt’s side for the upcoming Nations Championship upon home soil.
7. WILL EVANS (HARLEQUINS)
Next up is a back row battering ram that Harlequins fans – or many fans of the PREM for that matter – are calling to make his England debut this Summer. Will Evans continues to run out impressive performances for Harlequins, with his latest effort against Northampton Saints showcasing exactly what he brings to the table. Big carries, thunderous chop tackles and a pumping heart-beat that rallies his teammates to rise to the occasion. Whilst it was a ‘dead-rubber’ match on paper for the already qualified Saints, Evans made sure to maximise his final minutes of the season as he pushes for Steve Borthwick’s England camp.
8. ALFIE BARBEARY (BATH)
We close out our Team of the Week with the one and only Alfie Barbeary, who is eyeing up another shot at silverware in the hopes to win back-to-back PREM titles. The blue, back and white bulldozer was at his very best in the win over Leicester, as he chugged up the turf for some lung-bursting hard yards that kept the Tigers on the back-foot. Barbeary is yet to get that consistent run of game-time within the England set-up, as injuries and dips in form have seen him cast to the fringes. This Summer could be the proving ground for his England run, with physicality the order of the day against the Springboks in Johannesburg.
