Gallagher Premiership team of the weekend: Bath battle to victory that could define their season

More away victories and plenty of tries were characteristics of an intriguing round 20. But which players shone?

15. Matteo Minozzi
(Wasps)

Wasps’ inclusions have to come with the caveat that Pat Lam rotated his Bristol Bears side heavily to prioritise the European Challenge Cup campaign. Even so, Minozzi was a menace with ball in hand on Sunday and defended tenaciously before being replaced after 66 minutes. Melani Nanai of Worcester deserves a mention, too.

14. Zach Kibirige
(Wasps)

Rotimi Segun was a try-scorer for Saracens, as were Cadan Murley for Harlequins and Ben Loader for London Irish. All three are lively talents. Kibirige possesses express pace, and used it to slice through Bristol for one try before setting up Dan Robson on the other side of half-time. At 25, following an eye-catching age-group career, he has found his feet in the Premiership.

13. Ollie Lawrence
(Worcester Warriors)

Joe Marchant was tidy and tough in Harlequins’ victory at Kingsholm and Dom Morris went well again for Saracens. Lawrence seems to be developing into one of the competition’s most devastating carriers. In a single half of rugby against London Irish, he scored twice and set up Francois Hougaard. His running lines are so committed and explosive that even decoy angles disrupt defences. Eddie Jones must be tempted.

12. Jimmy Gopperth
(Wasps)

Cameron Redpath’s brief cameo against his old side, Sale Sharks, featured two crucial jackal turnovers that buoyed Bath. But this place goes to another Wasps back. Gopperth’s unfussy creativity in a display punctuated by sharp passing and deft chips, kept Wasps ticking and he kicked 12 points as well.

11. Ruaridh McConnochie
(Bath)

Besides a loping finish that floored Manu Tuilagi, McConnochie also bolted back to scythe down Sale fly-half Aj MacGinty with a jaw-dropping cover tackle. He cannot have done much more since lockdown to earn another chance with England. Nemani Nadolo mucked in with a busy, brawny defensive effort in the East Midlands derby.

10. Zack Henry
(Leicester Tigers)

MacGinty and Max Malins were brilliant in defeat for Sale and Bristol respectively. Each of them posed countless problems with ball in hand and deserved to end up on the winning side. Henry’s composure from the tee eked out a crucial, confidence-boosting win for Tigers and capped a remarkable sequence for the fly-half. He has been involved in the match-day squads for all seven of Leicester’s matches since the Premiership resumption. The summer signing is delivering on his aim to make a positive impact.

9. Ben Spencer
(Bath)

Hougaard shone for Worcester, as he so often does. Ben Youngs and Dan Robson enjoyed decent weekends, the former celebrating his 250th outing for Leicester. Spencer put them both in the shade, though. He added two more tries and bettered World Cup-winner Faf de Klerk, guiding Bath to a triumph that could potentially define their season. An opportunity with England over the next two months would vindicate his move from Saracens.

1. Ben Harris
(Wasps)

Beno Obano’s excellent form continues and Val Rapava Ruskin impressed for Gloucester in a losing causing but Harris did enough in 56 minutes, albeit against an under-strength Bristol pack, to power himself into this selection. The visitors had no answer to Wasps’ muscle in the tight exchanges at the Ricoh Arena.

2. Kapeli Pifeleti
(Saracens)

A 40-7 thrashing of Exeter Chiefs meant a great deal to Saracens, and offered a glimpse into next season’s Championship campaign for onlookers unfamiliar with some of the players on show. We will be hearing a great deal more from Pifeleti, who celebrated his 21st birthday earlier this month and already has three caps for USA. A cousin of the Vunipolas, he trundled through 14 carries to rack up 38 metres and ran an efficient set-piece operation.

3. Josh Ibuanokpe
(Saracens)

Dan Cole bullied a lacklustre Northampton Saints, building a platform for Leicester’s win at Welford Road. Ibuanokpe, a half-time replacement, is rewarded for two mighty shoves that earned Saracens scrums against the head – the first of which led directly to a try for Janco Venter. The 24-year-old tighthead will learn a great deal in the Championship and could emerge as an even more exciting prospect.

4. Stephan Lewies
(Harlequins)

Will Rowlands, growing into an enforcer for Wasps, had this spot sewn up until Monday evening. It was then that Lewies led Harlequins past Gloucester, plucking Danny Cipirani’s clearance in the lead-up to Murley’s try and snaring an interception to score himself. He ended up with 14 tackles as well.

5. Charlie Ewels
(Bath)

Especially without the injured Lood de Jager, Sale’s lineout is a glaring weakness. Ewels identified that and went to work in Salford, stealing two throws and disrupting others. The Bath captain added 13 tackles, putting his hand up to fill the hole left by industrious, intelligent George Kruis in the England side.

6. Tom Ellis
(Bath)

Brad Shields rampaged around Coventry as Wasps’ surge towards the play-offs continued. Lee Blackett’s team has a tough run-in, travelling to Harlequins before hosting Exeter Chiefs, but should feel as though they can finish off the job. Matt Rogerson of London Irish returned 13 tackles and eight carries and James Chisholm is a figurehead for Harlequins. Ellis came off the bench 13 minutes into Bath’s win over Sale, four days after he started against Worcester, and helped derail the hosts’ lineout.

7. Will Evans
(Harlequins)

Appropriately, given Evans’ masterclass in breakdown scavenging, this was another late steal. Sam Underhill looked at his best for Bath, clattering Sale carriers and forcing a couple of important turnovers. Sean Reffell of Saracens underlined his promise. Then, at Kingsholm, Evans was a total pest. An archetypal fetcher, squat and technically sound, he frustrated Gloucester time and again. He also made 16 tackles and linked attacks nicely with neat passing.

8. Tom Curry
(Sale Sharks)

Albert Tuisue did his utmost to spark the Exiles, complementing his try with 15 tackles. Tom Willis reinforced his quality for Wasps once more and Taulupe Faletau was quietly, typically excellent for Bath. Opposite the Wales star, Curry produced a phenomenal display on both sides of the ball. There were breakdown turnovers, tip-on passes and breaks. The 22-year-old appears to have taken his game to another level since lockdown.