SECOND-ROW:
- 4. Jonny Hill (Exeter Chiefs)
- 5. Maro Itoje (Saracens)
BROWN SAID: Itoje would make a World XV without debate
RUCK’S PICKS: 4. Maro Itoje (England), 5. Nick Isiekwe (Northampton Saints)
BACK-ROW:
- 6. Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins)
- 7. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks)
- 8. Billy Vunipola (Saracens)
BROWN SAID: The Tom Curry-Sam Underhill combination is too defensive for me. Dombrandt brings an X-factor in attack and his defence has improved.
RUCK’S PICKS: 6. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), 7. Sam Underhill (Bath RFC), Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs)
EDITORS PICKS:
- Gallagher Premiership team of the week: Round 1
- 5 players who failed to impress on the opening weekend
- Marler gets into feisty scrap after opponent ‘insults his mother’
- Nigel Owens calls for ‘lengthy ban’ after brutal tackle
- Players you definitely forgot played for England under Jones
- Carter and McCaw combine to pick three toughest opponents