"Borthwick must pick Tom Willis" - Team of the Week: Gallagher Premiership Round 10

It was a nine-try classic up at cinch Stadium, as the Saints secured a dramatic win in the dying stages of the match, thanks to the sharpshooting of their talisman Fin Smith. Following what was a stunning encounter between the Premiership heavy hitters, a few of the green, black and gold stand outs have made their way into RUCK's Team of the Week, for the 10th round of the Gallagher Premiership.

Watching on at Kingsholm Stadium, for Gloucester's impressive win over Sale Sharks was Ruck Reporter Charlie Elliott. He handed Santiago Carreras an 8.5/10 in his Player Ratings and had the following to say about the Argentina fullback: "Involved in almost everything for his team from deep. Didn’t let an early conversion miss affect him too much with some very good kicking both from the tee and his hands.

"An audacious 50/22 kick that led to a dangerous attack was his defining moment, but he also got on the try scoring list with a tidy finish in the opening five minutes. Ran the show and despite a couple of minor blemishes deserved the Player of the Match award."

Whilst Newcastle were handed quite the resounding defeat for their first match of 2025, Adam Radwan was a standout performer for the Kingston Park faithful. The former England wing added his regular dose of high octane attacking pace to the fixture, and caused problems for the Quins from the get go. Radwan worked his way through the gain-line for a try, in what was a brief moment of celebration for the disappointed Newcastle crowd.

Another player who stood out for their side, despite coming away from the fixture on the losing end of the score-line. Henry Slade is gearing up for an important run in Steve Borthwick's team for the 2025 Six Nations, with the England centre expected to be the first choice man to run the midfield channels. Slade shone with some moments of brilliance as Exeter forged a first half comeback against Leicester Tigers, with Slade providing two try assists, as Tommy Wyatt crossed for a brace.

A re-occuring face in RUCK's Premiership Team of the Week, Solomone Kata was outstanding for the Tigers in their impressive win against his former club. There was certainly no love lost between Kata and his former Exeter teammates, with the centre beating five Chiefs defenders on the attacking foot. Kata was a steamroller with ball in hand, and showcased some neat interplay as the Tigers stretched their legs on breaks against the run of play.

The first try of the nine-score spectacular went to James Ramm, as the Saints wing set the tempo for an exhillerating afternoon in their Sunday battle with Bath. The flyer crossed over for the opening score in some impressive style, as he carved a run through the blue, black and white wall, that had only shone the slightest of cracks. Watching the match at Franklin's Gardens was RUCK's Midlands Reporter Tom Harrington, who said; "Great score cutting open Bath’s line and going all the way, good coverage in the backfield after being moved to fullback."

If there was ever a match for Fin Smith to shine as a match-winning fly half, it was this one as the 2025 Guinness Six Nations creeps ever closer. Steve Borthwick would have certainly of been impressed by the heroics of the young halfback, as Smith mainatined his composure to strike the decisive penalty, and snatch a win from the grasps of Finn Russell and Bath. Borthwick often encourages his players to embody a 'Test match animal' mindset, with Smith showcasing his nerves of steel in this cinch Stadium showcase.

RUCK's Midlands Rugby Reporter Tom Harrington handed Smith a 9/10 in his Player Ratings: "Brilliant from the fly-half, assisting Hendy with his variation of play and winning the game for Northampton with his last-minute penalty."

It was another strong performance from Tomos Williams, who will be eyeing up a return to the Wales squad for the 2025 Guinness Six Nations. Warren Gatland could go far wrong than to select the Gloucester halfback to lead the back-line, as Williams has been one of the league's most consistent scrum halves this season. Watching the match was Ruck Reporter Charlie Elliott, who reported;

"Ran the show as he usually does and capped off the performance with a try at the end. A brilliantly improvised assist for the opener put Gloucester well on their way for the big win. Is always impressive but this time showed a bit of extra class that was needed on the day."

The Welsh international ran out an enduring effort on the Tigers loose-head, with his 73 minute shift showcasing how he has plenty of gas in the tank to battle for the hard yards and excel at scrum-time. Warren Gatland will likely utilize the Leicester prop throughout his upcoming Six Nations campaign, with Smith presenting a powerful option for the number one Welsh jersey.

The twice capped England hooker will be hoping that his efforts on Sunday, has put him in good stead for a call-up into Steve Borthwick's wider training camp. The England head coach has previously added Langdon into the wider ranks of the training squad, yet the hooker has not yet played for his country in the Borthwick era. Langdon was praised as 'immense in attack' by RUCK reporter Tom Harrington, with the front rower's gain-line strengths on full display at Franklin's Gardens.

Wrapping up our front row of Six Nations hopefuls is Marco Riccioni, with the Italian prop proving why he should continue his run as the Azzurri's resident tight-head. Riccioni was on excellent form against Bristol Bears, as he powered on for a solid 64 minute outing in a physically enduring contest. Riccioni held his own against England loose-head Ellis Genge, with the Italian at times getting the upper hand over the Baby Rhino at the scrum.

An impressive outing from Leicester's resident Scotsman, as the lock was all over Exeter on both the attacking and defensive foot. The second row grabbed the Tigers second try, as he battled his way through the Devonshire defences shortly past the half hour mark. The lock lifted the tackling intensity after the Chiefs forged a first half comeback, which helped bring the hammer down for Leicester's second half triumph.

Hot off signing a new contract with the Cherry and Whites, Welsh lock Freddie Steward had a starring role in his side's win over Sale Sharks. Ruck Reporter Charlie Elliott said; "Steward was very physical and his ball carrying skills were shown with a beautiful line break that ended up leading to a third try for the hosts. Did enough to keep out the opposition well and came off to a standing ovation, he has thus far justified the faith put into him by Gloucester after getting a new deal recently."

Whilst the main England focus of Harlequins' win over Newcastle was on Marcus Smith's move to fullback, there was no denying Jack Kenningham's efforts. The blindside flanker has been knocking on the door for an England debut for the past two seasons, and this well-timed barnstormer can not be overlooked by Steve Borthwick. Swift ball reception in the air and a warrior at the breakdown battle, Kenningham was brilliant as Harlequins ended their run of consecutive defeats.

The one-man wrecking crew was unleashed off the bench, as Bath battled hammer and tongs with Northampton Saints in yesterday's classic encounter. Underhill was as influential as ever, and turned the afternoon on it's head with his customary impact carries and bruising hits high off the line. Underhill was sporadically used by Borthwick throughout 2024, with some glaring Autumn omissions raising some eyebrows after his Enhanced EPS contract snub. However, a strong Six Nations could well result with Underhill taking on a new challenge with the 2025 British & Irish Lions.

We round off the Team of the Week with a man who's name is being called from the rafters of the Allianz Stadium. Saracens back row Tom Willis has been in mesmeric form this season, and once again was at his best for the Londoners impressive win over Bristol. The best player on the pitch as Saracens dispatched their West Country visitors, Willis grabbed a try for his impressive efforts and has firmly planted himself in contention for a return to the England squad when the Six Nations come around.