Magners League Dream Team 2009/2010

TheTMO

Dream Team

LEINSTER’S BRIAN O’Driscoll, Leo Cullen and Jamie Heaslip have been named in the Magners League Team of the Season along with four Ospreys players, Tommy Bowe, James Hook, Adam Jones and Jerry Collins.

Scrumhalf Tomás O’Leary was the only Munster player to make it into the 15-man team selected by 16 media pundits. Bowe polled the highest of all the players with 12 votes as a winger and one at centre, writes Johnny Watterson.

15 Ben Blair (Cardiff Blues)

14 Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)

13 Brian ODriscoll (Leinster)

12 James Hook (Ospreys)

11 Tim Visser (Edinburgh)

10 Dan Parks (Glasgow Warriors)

9 Tomas OLeary (Munster)

1 Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues)

2 Ken Owens (Scarlets)

3 Adam Jones (Ospreys)

4 Leo Cullen (Leinster)

5 Ali Kellock (Glasgow Warriors)

6 Jerry Collins (Ospreys)

7 John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors)

8 Jamie Heaslip (Leinster)


Can't really argue with most of the selections though I'd probably have Biggar in at 10 and wouldn't have O'Leary anywhere near the team. I also think McLaughlin on his ML appearances this season has been the most in form 6. Wright deserves a spot as well actually...

durkadurka

There's too many of these things....

Sangre

Thought Nacewa was the most impressive ML player for Leinster.

Biggar should definitely be at 10. Such an impressive season, and he's got years and years left to improve too.

Not much argument elsewhere, Visser and O'Leary probably the most marginal choices imo.

sock puppet

Parks ffs! I can't for the life of me understand the media infatuation with him this season.

Podge_irl

sock puppet wrote: »

Parks ffs! I can't for the life of me understand the media infatuation with him this season.

There weren't a lot of options though. Biggar maybe. Sexton actually played more games than I had realised (9+2) so he would have been worth a shout as well I guess. Parks is the leading points scorer this season though I think and Glasgow did fairly well.

thomond2006

There should be a few Dragons in there, they've played some brilliant rugby.

15. Ben Blair (Cardiff Blues)
14. Aled Brew (Dragons)
13. Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster)
12. James Hook (Ospreys)
11. Tim Visser (Edinburgh)
10. Dan Biggar (Ospreys)
9. Chris Cusiter (Glasgow)

1. Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues)
2. Ross Ford (Edinburgh)
3. Stan Wright (Leinster)
4. Leo Cullen (Leinster)
5. Ali Kellock (Glasgow)
6. Jerry Collins (Ospreys)
7. Gavin Thomas (Dragons)
8. Jamie Heaslip (Leinster)

That's 7 Welsh, 4 Irish and 4 Scots.

sock puppet

Podge_irl wrote: »

There weren't a lot of options though. Biggar maybe. Sexton actually played more games than I had realised (9+2) so he would have been worth a shout as well I guess. Parks is the leading points scorer this season though I think and Glasgow did fairly well.

Hmm yeah thought Sexton had played less as well myself. I think Biggar is better than him in almost every aspect of his game and if it weren't for him I don't think the Ospreys would have gotten the home semi-final. I'll admit that he has been one of the best outhalves in the league the past few years which is depressing considering that the Magners League does have some quality 10s.

CatFromHue

i think they should have a magners team of the season as opposed to a dream team.

o driscoll only played 7 times in the magners league, that includes the semi against munster too. so he actually only played 6 of the 18 games during the season.

there is one thing picking the best players in a league, another thing to actually pick the players who played the best in the league.

maybe they should think about a minimum amount of games a player has to play to get on the team

thomond, you've dropped Bowe for Brew though!

Bowe's been on fire for months!

Visser could be shifted to accomodate Brew, but wrong wing..

durkadurka

Deleted User wrote: »

thomond, you've dropped Bowe for Brew though!

Bowe's been on fire for months!

Visser could be shifted to accomodate Brew, but wrong wing..

To be honest, bod doesnt deserve it based on his ml performances. nacewa, wright, cullen, heaslip were the standout performers for leinster this year in the league. they played most games for a start. Well heaslip didnt but he was class anyway. That hand off against ulster lives in my memory still.

Jdv was xlnt for minster after slow start.

how about shifting Bowe to 13 to make room for Brew then?

I agree about BOD, thought McFadden had a better ML than him.

profitius

Parks was the main reason an average Glasgow team made the playoffs. He was the difference in many wins.

irishbucsfan

My own team:

15. Ben Blair (Cardiff) - Quality player for them this year and a reliable goalkicking option. Alternatively - Paul Warwick
14. Tommy Bowe (Ospreys) - Scored an incredible 18 tries for the Ospreys in 21 games in all compeitions this season. One of the best players in the league, easilly. Alternatively - Thom Evans
13. Casey Laulala (Cardiff) - Very underrated in my opinion. Alternatively - Max Evans
12. Jonathan Davies (Scarlets) - Was impressive throughout the year, even when others around him were playing terribly. Alternatively - Gordon D'Arcy
11. Isa Nacewa (Leinster) - Leinster's best player IMO. Extremely important player for them. Alternatively - Tim Visser
10. Dan Biggar (Ospreys) - Matured into the consistent, gamewinning 10 he always promised to become. Alternatively - Jonny Sexton
9. Isaac Boss (Ulster) - Was a huge part of Ulster's excellent form before christmas. The team seemed to lose momentum and fall apart when he announced he was leaving and I don't think those two things are unconnected. Alternatively - Mike Blair

8. Jamie Heaslip (Leinster) - On form is arguably Ireland's best player and the best number 8 in the world (given that Parisse is injured, and Harinordoquy is playing 6 at the moment). Alternatively - Johnnie Beattie
7. John Barclay (Glasgow) - Both a threat on the ground and with the ball in hand. Alternatively - Shane Jennings
6. Kevin McLaughlin (Leinster) - A constant workhorse in the mould of Simon Easterby, except with extra ball-carrying power. Breakthrough player of the year. Alternatively - Alan Quinlan
5. Alistar Kellock (Glasgow) - Solid worker, excellent leader, as well as an athletic threat in the lineout. Alternatively - Nathan Hines
4. Leo Cullen (Leinster) - Ditto. Alternatively - Donncha O'Callaghan
3. Stan Wright (Leinster) - Constantly solid in the scrum, as well as discovering some form carrying the ball. Alternatively - Adam Jones
2. Sean Cronin (Connacht) - Athletic in the loose, solid in the scrum and accurate at the lineout. He was a complete package on an incomplete team. Alternatively - Ross Ford
1. Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff) - Is by far the best LH in the competition, even when carrying the injuries he had to put up with this season. Alternatively - Allan Jacobsen