8. Jack Maunder
From National One obscurity to England scrum-half, it has certainly been a whirlwind year for the Exeter Chiefs youngster.
Maunder was sent on loan to Plymouth Albion at the beginning of last season but within two months he was an integral part of an Exeter side that would finish as champions, with injuries forcing him back into the set up.
The scrum-half’s rise at Exeter was so sharp he was selected by England head coach Eddie Jones to tour Argentina last summer, making his international debut in the latter stages of the first Test.
DID YOU KNOW: His dad Andy runs a butchers business and was a former Exeter player.
7. Denny Solomona
Despite scoring a spectacular winning try on debut against Argentina, the cross-code star was at fault for two of the Pumas scores.
Another blot on his Test CV was when he and Manu Tuilagi were sent home early from the England pre-season training camp in Teddington for issues which were understood to be alcohol-related.
The 24-year-old nevertheless is doing enough at club level for Sale to suggest he still has a big international future under Eddie Jones ahead of him.