The Gallagher Premiership is littered with world-class talent, and this season has shown some of them in their best light.
Take the stars like Marcus Smith, Courtney Lawes or Owen Farrell, there are some truly exceptional players in the Premiership.
But away from those household names are a group of emerging talents that have quickly taken the league by storm. Promising academy products, new signings discovering a new level of performance or solid players growing to new heights, there are plenty of examples of players across the league who are improving at a rate of knots.
But which players have improved the most? Here are our top five most improved players in the Gallagher Premiership.
Top five most improved players in the Gallagher Premiership
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso
Who else would head up this list? Exeter Chiefs star Immanuel Feyi-Waboso has come on leaps and bounds this season, and is now one of the best wingers in the Premiership. He has genuine speed and power, but this season he has developed a way to generate momentum for his side in a similar way to Jack Nowell. His form across the Premiership has also seen him thrust into the international spotlight, where he yet again delivered. He’s come a long way this season, but the fact he is still developing is a scary thought for his opponents.
Curtis Langdon
Arguably the form hooker in the Premiership right now, Curtis Langdon has improved so much since his switch to Northampton. He was solid at both Sale and Worcester, but his time in Montpellier has seemingly unlocked his potential in the set-piece, and since arriving at Franklin’s Gardens he has become such a potent attacking threat. He is one of Northampton’s chief ball carriers, and he consistently gets them over the gainline. Is an England recall on the cards?
Benhard Janse van Rensburg
The improvements in van Rensburg’s game have come hand in hand with the attacking improvements at Ashton Gate. The former London Irish man joined the Bears this summer, and has quickly become one of their main attacking threats. The centre ranks top of the charts for carries, try assists and gainline carries for Bristol this year (he also ranks second in the league for the latter two as well), and the second most amount of meters and offloads for Pat Lam’s side too. He has really improved this year, and will likely be a mainstay in the Bristol backline for years to come.
Tyrone Green
The Harlequins fullback has been solid for a number of years, but this season he has taken his game up a notch. He is Harlequins main attacking threat, and has the most meters, carries, line breaks and beaten the most defenders out of anyone at the Stoop, and is quickly being mentioned in international conversations. His form has been so instrumental to Quins ‘swing the bat’ mentality, and without him it probably wouldn’t function at all.
Fin Smith
The Northampton Saints fly-half has become delivered some incredibly mature performances this season. His growth in the Green, Gold and Black has seen him not only cement a spot in their starting team, but he has quickly become one of the best fly-halves in the Gallagher Premiership and also win his first England caps too. He has developed an incredibly strong, well-rounded game this season, which has proved vital to the way Northampton Saints want to play. Will he be able to cement the starting shirt for England soon?
