Ian McGeechan’s plaudits for the Premiership
The way the reigning champions have evolved is a shining example to others, while coach Dean Richards has slowly but surely turned the Falcons into a force to be feared
Team of the season Exeter Chiefs
You knew Saracens would be there or thereabouts. They have set the standard for eight years now. Sale Sharks have introduced plenty of youngsters. Gloucester have made obvious strides under Johan Ackermann. The re-emergence of those clubs has been significant as well. But it would have been easy for Exeter to fall away somewhat after winning the Premiership last year.
The fact that they have kicked on just demonstrates the healthy state of the club. They have shown that they can handle being genuine frontrunners and have developed such a strong identity in the South West. The way they have evolved is a shining example to others.
When they lost against Gloucester in round one, you might have said they were slow getting back into it. But they have comfortably finished top of the league going into the play-offs. You would definitely pair them with Saracens as one of the two most consistent teams in England. Twelve months ago, you might not have done. In the Champions Cup, their two matches against Leinster were both excellent. Tactically, Leinster had to play very well to beat Exeter. I know Rob Baxter will target European performance next year because that is the next level again. I expect Exeter to lead the way tactically, especially at the breakdowns, from lessons learnt during the Leinster games.
Players of the season Don Armand and Sam Simmonds
Ultimately, these two could have an impact on where England go next year. I think Eddie Jones will have to try players in these key positions, and the back row is one place where he really has to have the balance right. Simmonds’s speed sets him apart. Even in that defeat by Gloucester way back in September, he stood out with two tries.
Coaches of the season Ali Hepher and Dave Walder
Rob Baxter has done a brilliant job at Sandy Park, and moving Hepher to the role of head coach is another mark of the work Exeter are doing with their internal structures. I coached Hepher at Northampton and he really understood the game. It is great to see how he has matured. Good clubs take coach development very seriously. Look at how Mark McCall has already contributed one coach to England – Paul Gustard – and has others such as Alex Sanderson doing well below him at Saracens. In the same way, you can see the influence of Walder on Newcastle’s campaign.
I also coached Dave at London Wasps, so I know the way he thinks about the game as well. Dean Richards has been fantastic in the way he has brought him on, and Dean’s experience will have helped Dave. I would want either Ali or Dave, maybe both of them, to be involved with an England tour or an England Saxons team. That joined-up process has not been there for a while.
Surprise of the season Newcastle Falcons
Beating Worcester 35-8 on the first night of the season was an important statement for Newcastle. At that point, many would have grouped them with London Irish and Worcester as a club who would have been scrapping in the bottom three. That win was them saying: No, we are 30 points better than that.
The next week they beat Sale Sharks away from home. A fortnight later, they won at the Rec against Bath. Both of those victories came by a single point, so not only were they winning, they were doing so under pressure.
Those results, especially on the road, highlight that collective will to get things right.
Dean Richards is very good at recruiting players to buy into the culture of his teams. He has been very careful and very clever. Take fly-half Joel Hodgson. Things did not quite work out for him at Northampton, but he has developed.
You can see the impact of Dave Walder on his performances, actually. He has kicked his goals, he has managed the team well.
Actors say an “overnight success” on the stage takes 10 years. Behind these success stories such as Exeter and Newcastle have been four or five seasons of putting things in place. Beating Falcons up at Kingston Park now is a really tough ask, but they also win away from home and they win the close ones… which brings us onto my game of the season. Match of the season Leicester Tigers 23 Newcastle Falcons 25 Here were Leicester, the established top-four club used to success, playing at Welford Road. Newcastle had to beat them, and in weather conditions that favoured the Tigers pack against two England half-backs – Ben Youngs and George Ford – who you would have expected to control the game.
Newcastle stayed in touch and then produced their best 10 minutes of rugby at the end to win it. It was a game that had everything.
Vereniki Goneva took responsibility, not only because he was back at Leicester and probably wanted to do well but because he was an experienced player who had the potential to bring Newcastle on the front foot. With three early injuries, Falcons had all the excuses not to do well.
That was not in their psyche at all. Ally Hogg, who is retiring, has been a tremendous player for them. He came through with Newcastle from the Championship. For him to score the try that won it in the 81st minute epitomised the attitude and stability of his team.
Hope for next season
I wrote right at the beginning of the season that Marcus Smith would play only 16-20 games if Harlequins managed him properly. He has played 28 matches in all competitions, and I think he has dropped off.
He has a great mentor at Harlequins in Nick Evans, but the Premiership is a very demanding place for an 18-year-old. In fairness to Harlequins, he was thrust into it because of a nasty injury to Demetri Catrakilis.
What they did well was keep experience around him – Danny Care at scrum-half, Mike Brown at full-back and Jamie Roberts in midfield. In a way, that was the perfect triangle. However, I do think he has played five or six games too many. My hope would be that they keep managing him well, because he is such a talented player. To get the best performance, you have to make sure you take the right steps in development. At 19-years-old now, he is still growing physically.
They have to accept that next year is still a development year, even if his impact might be more significant. In general, there are a significant number of very good younger players in the Premiership. I look forward to seeing them come through. I am sure Eddie Jones will, too.
I would want Hepher or Walder, maybe both, to be involved with an England or Saxons tour