5: Ben sMIth

The influence of Ben Smith will probably be better realised this year now that he has moved on and for the first time in a decade the Highlanders will have to get through a campaign without him.

Arguably the world’s best fullback for much of the last six years, Smith through a combination of footwork, agility, speed, deceptive power and sheer will power, found a way to lead the least fancied team of all to the 2015 title when many were predicting they would come somewhere near the bottom.