Just the one Leinster player…
You may or may not have noticed but the Guinness PRO14 have yet to announce their 2017/18 Dream Team.
The ‘Best XV’ of the season is often announced at the tail-end of the season but not this time around.
PRO14 communications manager Adam Redmond told Wales Online, earlier this week, that the Dream Team announcement is being held over until the launch of the 2018/19 season. Whether or not folks will remember, or care, at that stage remains to be seen.
For end-of-season accolade and PRO14 nuts out there, fear not. Opta have released their statistical team of the season and six players involved with Irish clubs are involved.
There are three Irish players in the team – Scarlets’ Munster-bound lock Tadhg Beirne, Connacht tighthead Finlay Bealham and Ulster scrumhalf John Cooney, who racked up a long list of season highs.
Cooney’s form with Ulster, and Connacht before that, has been rewarded with a place in Ireland’s summer tour squad for Australia. Beirne is also included and he will hope to win his Test debut against The Wallabies in the coming weeks.
In the league, Beirne secured 39 turnovers – 17 more than his nearest challenger – was the top try-scoring forward [7] and won the most lineouts [69]. In short, a demon of a season and Munster are getting a gem.
Bealham, who appears to be out of favour with Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt, had a good run of it out west for Connacht. Considering their struggles this season, his inclusion is commendable but he is not the only Connacht representative…
3 – @FinlayBealham scored more tries (4) than any other prop this season as well as making the third most tackles (134); he also helped his side win a league high 52 scrum penalties. Complete. pic.twitter.com/uM64bpCJGV
— OptaJonny (@OptaJonny) June 1, 2018
Yes, Bundee Aki is also in the team. The centre, who played in all five of Ireland’s Grand Slam games, gets named in the XV’s midfield alongside Francois Venter of Cheetahs.
Charles Piutau is the second Ulster name in the stat-topping team of the season. The Bristol-bound back gained over 1,000-metres for his side and ranked highly in terms of offloads, carries and defenders beaten.
The one and only Leinster representative is James Lowe. The Kiwi averaged 87 metres gained per match and was involved in a Leinster try [scoring or assisting] every 61 minutes. Those impressive numbers see Lowe awarded the title of being the player with the biggest statistical impact in the league.
XV – Here is @OptaJonny's 2017/18 PRO14 Team of the Season, which features players from nine different teams and ranks James Lowe as the top performer, it is based on our unique index system which awards players points for their actions in a game. Selection. pic.twitter.com/YvFNT3kkHQ
— OptaJonny (@OptaJonny) June 1, 2018
That is Leinster’s lot and it is in large part down to the fact that they used so many players [55] over the course of the season.
Munster, who reached the semi-final before being knocked out by Leinster, have no players in the team.
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