NH Team of the Season

[Leonormous Boozer]

With the NH season at an end, let's be partisan and fight:

15. Keenan
14. Penaud
13. Fickou
12. Henshaw
11. Villiere
10. Sexton
9. Dupont
8. Aldritt
7. Van der Flier
6. Ritchie
5. Woki
4. Beirne
3. Ehhhh. Fagerson? Maybe it's still Furlong but not his greatest season.
2. Marchand
1. Smellis

Kelleher, Baille, Furlong, Itoje, Doris, Gibson Park, N'Tamack, Jaminet

Very France/Ireland heavy although probably fair enough considering France are unbeaten and Ireland's only losses came in the Stade de France and Eden Park.

 

[BPM]

Only 2 England representatives in the 23 … I can't argue with it, but ouch that hurts.

TBH, I probably wouldn't actually have had Itoje in there either. As good as he is in general, he had a quiet season by his standards.

Genge is the only one with a genuinely strong individual claim.

Zach Mercer possibly should be in the conversation, but his lack of international rugby means others like Doris have a stronger claim.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

7. Van der Flier

Is he even an openside though?
Poor mans James Haskell

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Dupont over Youngs. What are you thinking?

No Welsh even on the bench. Space ought to be found for Capuozzo on the back of one glorious moment.

TBH I'd swap Baille and Genge around.

Steward surely makes a 23?

 

[BPM]

Good shout on Steward. Consistently very good individual performances in a largely crap team should carry a bit more weight than playing well in a good side like Keenan or Jaminet IMO.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Possibly, I think they're the three best 15s in the world currently. But hard not to pick Keenan and Jaminet when they're highly effective in winning teams. As a pure 15 I'd have Steward ahead of Jaminet but the metronome boot does add value.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'd say Steward's highly effective in a winning team: Tigers won the Prem and England a tour down under - that's technically more silverwear than Keenan (though quality of opposition on the summer tour is obv different, and Ireland obv had a better 6N)

 

[big ginger 8]

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

2. Marchand
4. Itoje
5. Woki
6. Cros
7. Van der Flier
8. Alldritt
9. Dupont
10. Garbisi
11. Villiere
12. Danty
13. Fickou
14. Penaud
15. Steward
16. Bourgarit
19. Ryan
20. Mercer
21. Gibson-Park
22. Ntamack
23. Keenan

 

[dullonien]

Probably the only welsh player pushing for a spot would be Rowlands who was excellent throughout for Wales.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

2. Marchand
4. Itoje
5. Woki
6. Cros
7. Van der Flier
8. Alldritt
9. Dupont
10. Garbisi
11. Villiere
12. Danty
13. Fickou
14. Penaud
15. Steward
16. Bourgarit
19. Ryan
20. Mercer
21. Gibson-Park
22. Ntamack
23. Keenan

League selection or just anti prop?

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Steward over Keenan.
Even face to face in a losing team Steward looked more impressive than Keenan

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

League selection or just anti prop?

I'm for prop erasure
seriously though I don't know how to judge prop's scrummaging ability enough and I feel like just judging them on their open play ability isn't right.

 

[BPM]

I'd say Steward's highly effective in a winning team: Tigers won the Prem and England a tour down under - that's technically more silverwear than Keenan (though quality of opposition on the summer tour is obv different, and Ireland obv had a better 6N)

Fair enough. On reflection it wasn't clear that I was referring specifically to Steward's time with England. Goes without saying Tigers were a good side last season.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I think there's a bit of underrated Keenan in here. Him and Henshaw are neck and neck for Leinster's and Ireland's best back this season. Henshaw edges it because he played well in the two losses in France but I'd say by the same metric Keenan outplayed Steward in the two games they faced each other.

Keenan also just made Jordie Barrett look fairly ordinary the last two weeks.

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

Steward's MRI


Keenan's MRI


that's all you need to know folks

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I think there's a bit of underrated Keenan in here. Him and Henshaw are neck and neck for Leinster's and Ireland's best back this season. Henshaw edges it because he played well in the two losses in France but I'd say by the same metric Keenan outplayed Steward in the two games they faced each other.

Foster also just made Jordie Barrett look fairly ordinary the last two weeks.

Keenan didn't outplay Steward in Ireland v England.
Keenan made more meters off more ball, but Steward outperformed him in all the fundamentals.

Even at the European game Keenan made 0 tackles and missed 1.

Keenan plays in a system that uses him in attack, steward is asked to be solid as a rock.
Basically a Gerbil with a ACL injury could do what Keenan does with Ireland and Leinster whereas no one in world rugby has the webbed feet and extra fingers to do what Steward does currently

 

[big ginger 8]

Keenan's glove isn't just a fashion statement. He broke a bone in his hand before the Leicester match and has been playing through it since.

Impressive that Steward outplayed him in the QF with just over half as many metres made with nearly two times as many carries.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Keenan's glove isn't just a fashion statement. He broke a bone in his hand before the Leicester match and has been playing through it since.

Impressive that Steward outplayed him in the QF with just over half as many metres made with nearly two times as many carries.

Bones Steward has broken 0 smells like another win.
TBF I didn't say he outplayed him in the QF did I?


It's a hard one to judge being serious.
For me you put Keenan into the England side would he perform as well as say Steward in the Ireland side? IMO no.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Another argument for me is Lawes over Ritchie