#3. ED SLATER
The 29-year-old lock, who can also play at blindside flanker or number eight, took an unconventional route to the top and developed his craft in Australia before spending seven years at Leicester. He was desperately unlucky not to win a full cap for England during a successful period at Welford Road, where he was called up five times. He’s now still rucking away down at Gloucester after being part of a transfer that saw Jonny May go the other way.
