20 Marcus Smith (Harlequins/England)
They wrote: “A trickier year for Smith after he barely put a foot wrong in 2021 winning the league title with Harlequins. Perhaps a change in the England coaching staff will get him back to his best.”
19 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter/England)
18 Nick Tompkins (Saracens/Wales)
17 Will Rowlands (Dragons/Wales)
16 Owen Farrell (Saracens/England)
They wrote : “Still a players’ favourite and had a better autumn than Smith (not that everyone will listen to that opinion). Been around long enough to have played alongside Steve Borthwick when Saracens won the league in 2011.”
15 Chris Harris (Gloucester/Scotland)
14 Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins/South Africa)
13 Juan Martín González (London Irish/Argentina)
12 Maro Itoje (Saracens/England)
11 Tom Curry (Sale/England)