Simmonds tops OPTA charts

By Mark Stevens
6/6/18

Three Exeter Chiefs players have been named in the Premiership Rugby Team of the Season compiled by Opta.

Sam Simmonds, Nic White and Olly Woodburn were all included in the 15-man team, which has been put together based on individual performances from players across the course of the season.

The Opta team have selected the players after completing detailed video analysis of every player after each round in the competition. Each action is then awarded a points balue depending on it's relative importance.

The player is then given a score for all his actions and this is tallied up over the tournament. Scores are averaged out over 80 minutes with 880+ minutes required to be eligible.

In the detailed breakdown of every player, it was judged Chiefs and England forward Simmonds was the pick of the bunch using the ‘unique index system’. He scored 12 tries, five more than any other forwrad, whilst he also ranked in the top three forwards for metres (647), clean breaks (17) and defenders beaten (44).

Woodburn's seasonal stats were equally impressive as he topped the charts for clean break (40) and was in the top three for metres made (1,813), carries (278) and defenders beaten (61).

Aussie scrum-half White enjoyed an impressive first year at Sandy Park and among his highlights were him finishing top in the passes made (1,515) and second in the standings with kicks in play (203) 

Opta Premiership Team Of The Season:

15. Jason Woodward (Gloucester)
14. Jonny May (Leicester Tigers)
13. Joe Marchant (Harlequins)
12. Jimmy Gopperth (Wasps)
11. Olly Woodburn (Exeter Chiefs)
10. AJ MacGinty (Sale Sharks)
9. Nic White (Exeter Chiefs)
1. Mako Vunipola (Saracens)
2. Kyle Cooper (Newcastle Falcons)
3. Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins)
4. Joe Launchbury (Wasps)
5. Will Spencer (Worcester Warriors)
6. Zach Mercer (Bath)
7. Thomas Young (Wasps)
8. Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs)