Premiership 'Ones to Watch' XV 2017/18

[Doorzetbornandbred]

Might be a season too early but Joe Snow is a prospect at 9 for Chiefs. He may well make an appearance in some of the lesser games if Baxter is rotating or injuries hit Chiefs.

[Puja]

Might be a season too early but Joe Snow is a prospect at 9 for Chiefs. He may well make an appearance in some of the lesser games if Baxter is rotating or injuries hit Chiefs.

Would've thought that's a long shot this year with White, Chudley, Maunder, and Townsend ahead of him. Do you think he's got the quality to break through that log-jam in the next few years?

Puja

[twitchy]

Exeter should pioneer the new tactic of playing two nines.

[Doorzetbornandbred]

Might be a season too early but Joe Snow is a prospect at 9 for Chiefs. He may well make an appearance in some of the lesser games if Baxter is rotating or injuries hit Chiefs.

Would've thought that's a long shot this year with White, Chudley, Maunder, and Townsend ahead of him. Do you think he's got the quality to break through that log-jam in the next few years?

Puja

Possibly but theres the other Maunder and James Tait coming through as well. Ricky Pellow does like a 9... Snow's pretty bloody good by all accounts.

[Hucks]

Might be a season too early but Joe Snow is a prospect at 9 for Chiefs. He may well make an appearance in some of the lesser games if Baxter is rotating or injuries hit Chiefs.

Would've thought that's a long shot this year with White, Chudley, Maunder, and Townsend ahead of him. Do you think he's got the quality to break through that log-jam in the next few years?

Puja

Possibly but theres the other Maunder and James Tait coming through as well. Ricky Pellow does like a 9... Snow's pretty bloody good by all accounts.

He knows nothing.

[Scrumhead]

Just looking back over this thread and Worcester really need some credit for the players they're developing. They can almost field a full team of young, promising EQPs under 23 (most younger) now.

1. ???
2. Singleton
3. Alo / Kerrod
4. Kitchener
5. Clegg
6. Taylor
7. Xiouruouppa
8. Hill (mainly a lock)
9. ???
10. Olver
11. Howe
12. Butler
13. ???
14. Humphreys
15. Shillcock

Obviously not all of those are going to be future England contenders, but most are capped at age grade level and it's still to be applauded.

Butler, Shillcock and Humphreys stand out as the pick of the bunch now but Hill is supposed to be the nuts.

Before anyone says so, I know not all of these are Worcester academy products, but they still deserve credit for putting their faith in young players.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Hill played U20's at the age of 17, which for a lock is almost unheard of.

[anders_limpar]

Worcs signed Ethan Waller this season so that's a good young eqp loosehead as well

[Scrumhead]

Who are you looking forward to seeing in action this season and why? This doesn't have to be young English players, but that's the flavour I'm going with ...

1. Lewis Boyce - Harlequins: Has made the Championship 'team of the season' twice on the bounce so I'm keen to see if he can establish himself as Marler's understudy.

2. Jack Walker - Bath: Last season should have been a breakthrough for him but for injury. I'm looking forward to seeing if he can back up his fast-track development through the age grades.

3. Simon Kerrod - Worcester: The best tighthead in the Championship. Should be a good understudy to Schonert and is EQ.

4. David Ribbans - Northampton: Looked very good after signing at the end of last season. Another EQ South African and IMO, he could play his way onto Eddie Jones' radar if he keeps it up.

5. Nick Isiekwe - Saracens: 'The next Itoje' looked accomplished on his senior England debut. Hard to say how much game time he'll get but an obvious one to watch.

6. Lewis Ludlam - Northampton: I'm going to go with Ludlam one last time ... he has to move if he spends another season wasting away in the reserves.

7. Sam Underhill - Bath: Obviously ... of course I'll be keeping a close eye on the Currys but this season will be our first extended look at whether Underhill can live up to the hype.

8. Sam Simmonds - Exeter: Looked excellent last season and I'm looking forward to seeing him continue his development this time out. Mercer is obviously another to keep a close eye on.

9. Jack Maunder - Exeter: Another obvious choice TBH.

10. Max Malins - Saracens: How much game time he'll get is highly debatable but looks a massive talent and must break through at some point soon.

11. Joe Cokanasiga - London Irish: Raw but has the potential to be a one man highlight reel.

12. Johnny Williams - London Irish: Almost a forgotten man. If he can recover fitness and form, he's definitely one to watch.

13. Joe Marchant - Harlequins: Obviously ...

14. Perry Humphreys - Worcester: Looked excellent in flashes last season. I'm looking forward to seeing more of him.

15. Jamie Shillcock - Worcester: Like Humphreys, he looked excellent pre-injury.

Looking back at this, a good chunk of this is pretty accurate. If I were picking it now, I'd go for:

1. Obano (Bath)
2. Walker (Bath)
3. ???
4. Ribbans (Northampton)
5. Isiekwe (Saracens)
6. J. Willis (Wasps)
7. Underhill (Bath)
8. Simmonds (Exeter)
9. Vellacott (Gloucester)
10. Smith (Harlequins)
11. Thorley (Gloucester)
12. Clark (Bath)
13. Marchant (Harelquins)
14. Earle (Saracens)
15. ???

I can't think of a tighthead or a fullback who have really stood out so far.

I was tempted to go for Adam Radwan and move Earle to 15 but I'm not sure he has played in the Premiership yet. He looks electric in the AW Cup though ...

Honourable mentions for Ben Curry and Lewis Ludlow.

[fivepointer]

Johnny Hill is doing well at Exeter. Alas some of my other hopes havent really hit the heights i was hoping.

Tighthead isnt a congested field. Think Alo has done pretty well at Worcester.

I cant think of any FB of note so far.

[Puja]

Johnny Hill is doing well at Exeter. Alas some of my other hopes havent really hit the heights i was hoping.

Tighthead isnt a congested field. Think Alo has done pretty well at Worcester.

I cant think of any FB of note so far.

Alo has... problems with stamina is probably the politest way to put it. Understandable for a bloke that big.

Puja

[Gloskarlos]

Johnny Hill is doing well at Exeter. Alas some of my other hopes havent really hit the heights i was hoping.

Tighthead isnt a congested field. Think Alo has done pretty well at Worcester.

I cant think of any FB of note so far.

Jason Woodward, prior to injury looking class.

EQP but not popular with some on here as being so.

[Banquo]

Johnny Hill is doing well at Exeter. Alas some of my other hopes havent really hit the heights i was hoping.

Tighthead isnt a congested field. Think Alo has done pretty well at Worcester.

I cant think of any FB of note so far.

Jason Woodward, prior to injury looking class.

EQP but not popular with some on here as being so.

agreed, he's a good player

[Mellsblue]

Johnny Hill is doing well at Exeter. Alas some of my other hopes havent really hit the heights i was hoping.

Tighthead isnt a congested field. Think Alo has done pretty well at Worcester.

I cant think of any FB of note so far.

Jason Woodward, prior to injury looking class.

EQP but not popular with some on here as being so.

agreed, he's a good player

Yep. He wanders down a few too many blind alleys for me but he’s talented alright. I’m disappointed Haley has gone right off the boil. Miller is also criminally overlooked.....

[Mikey Brown]

Weird seeing that Ashton is playing mostly fullback for Toulon. Though I think that's where he actually came through initially for Saints?

I mean if Tim Visser and Matt Banahan can do it...

[Banquo]

Weird seeing that Ashton is playing mostly fullback for Toulon. Though I think that's where he actually came through initially for Saints?

I mean if Tim Visser and Matt Banahan can do it...

He first came to prominence as a very good young full back for Wigan in RL; he came to saints, and was tried there, but soon realised the positions are so different, and that in any case he needed to work on his RU skills. Odd to be there in Union without any sort of a decent kicking game tbh, let alone positional skills.

[Scrumhead]

Johnny Hill is doing well at Exeter. Alas some of my other hopes havent really hit the heights i was hoping.

Tighthead isnt a congested field. Think Alo has done pretty well at Worcester.

I cant think of any FB of note so far.

Jason Woodward, prior to injury looking class.

EQP but not popular with some on here as being so.

I like Woodward a lot. It's just that the players I picked have limited or no senior level/AP experience. I don't think Woodward is really in the same category.

[TheNomad]

Have you guys seen Ollie Lawrence at Wuss? Looks a good young player. A bit of a beast with good hands - 12 or 13 I believe

[Scrumhead]

I’ve seen a bit of Ollie Lawrence on YouTube. The hype train for him has definitely started rolling early! 2 tried in 2 sub appearances for Worcester in the LV Cup I think? Definitely 1 anyway.