PREM Rugby Team of the Season: England hopeful edges ‘toughest call of the lot’ as Springbok shows why he’ll be ‘sorely missed’
Tom Willis (left), Tommy Freeman (centre) and Thomas du Toit (right) feature in our PREM Rugby Team of the Season
Following the conclusion of the 2025/26 PREM Rugby campaign, here is the Planet Rugby Team of the Season.
It has once again been a dramatic campaign in the English top flight, with the play-off race and Investec Champions Cup scrap going down to the final day of the regular season, before Northampton Saints ended up lifting the trophy in a showstopping final at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
Without further ado, here is who made our PREM XV!
PREM Rugby Team of the Season
15 Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers): There really was a lot to like about Steward’s performances across the 2025/26 season, with the Leicester man playing a major role in the Tigers getting to the semi-final stages. He has made no secret of his desire to play more of an attacking game, and that was clear to see with him consistently injecting himself into plays and adding a real threat to Leicester’s system out of backfield. Olly Woodburn also impressed after making the move to full-back, while George Furbank showed proper flashes as well.
14 Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints): We could easily have had him anywhere in the backline, given his deployment at both outside centre and full-back, but Freeman was simply excellent in 2025/26 and had to be in this side somewhere. His try-scoring exploits were a huge part in Saints’ top-of-the-table finish and subsequent PREM final victory, and he backed that up with some gorgeous injections ball-in-hand too. Adam Radwan again impressed for Leicester Tigers.
13 Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs): This was a real return to his silky best, with Slade taking on a key role in the Chiefs’ rise back up to the top table. Just seemed to have the bit between his teeth this season, as did many of his teammates, and always came good in the big moments. Will Wand was not far behind here.
12 Rory Hutchinson (Northampton Saints): Potentially not the most headline-grabbing player in the Saints backline, but Hutchinson was quietly brilliant all season and gets in ahead of both Benhard Janse van Rensburg and Seb Atkinson in the process. His ability to both act as the extra playmaker in the backline and inject himself into the attack with some smart running lines just have Saints’ attack that little extra boost.
11 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs): Noah Caluori can certainly feel hard done by here, but the way Feyi-Waboso went about his business gets him in ahead. The Exeter winger again showed himself to be the all-round package in attack, bagging some lovely tries, making some highlight-reel breaks and backing it all up with some proper punch and power in the tight to rival any back-rower.
10 Billy Searle (Leicester Tigers): The toughest call of the lot, with Fin Smith going exceptionally well, but Searle is our man at 10. Considering he was signed likely as a back-up option, to then thrust yourself into the starting role, have the season he had and then get your name into the England discussion is some going. Searle played with a proper smile on his face all year, consistently looking to take the positive option when he could and getting Leicester right into the title picture.
9 Archie McParland (Northampton Saints): Ben Spencer and Alex Mitchell were both very close here, but McParland is our man at scrum-half. The Northampton nine just seemed to get better and better as the weeks went by, with Mitchell’s injury issues giving him consistent game-time in the starting shirt, and that saw him work his way right into the England conversation as a result. A really, really good season for the youngster.
The forwards
8 Tom Willis (Saracens): The PREM Rugby Player of the Season was probably the first name on the teamsheet, even with Greg Fisilau, Olly Cracknell and Callum Chick all enjoying good seasons too. The only way to really describe Willis is that he’s very, very, very good at rugby, with him setting the standard for number eights in the league. An awesome season, and he will be missed next year.
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7 Fitz Harding (Bristol Bears): The back-row is a real area of strength in the PREM right now, but Harding gets the nod at seven. The Bristol man never seemed to have a bad individual game, despite his side’s hot-and-cold season, throwing himself into the tight exchanges with no real regard for his own body. Henry Pollock and Tom Pearson were close here.
6 Tom Hooper (Exeter Chiefs): What a first season for the Wallabies ace, who proved to be even better than many Exeter fans would have imagined. Just played with real intent, physicality and almost anger, and in doing so set the tone for a lot of the Exeter pack to follow. Josh Bayliss warrants a mention for his exploits with Bath.
5 Andrea Zambonin (Exeter Chiefs): Possibly the signing of the season. Zambonin was by no means a flashy player, but goodness me did he have an effect on the Exeter pack, adding proper steel to their work in the tight and adding another layer to their lineout. Ben Bamber was a standout for Sale in a tough campaign.
4 Alex Coles (Northampton Saints): Another really tough call, with Ollie Chessum and Dafydd Jenkins unlucky to miss out, but Coles was quietly massive for Northampton. The Saints backline might get the plaudits for the free-flowing attack, but a lot of it is based on the grunt of their pack and Coles was a real leader in that. He contributed hugely in the lineout and around the breakdown, and he also showed how far his attacking game has come on as well with a healthy try count.
3 Thomas du Toit (Bath): The World Rugby Dream Team inclusion backed up that tag with an outright stellar campaign in the Blue, Black and White. Bossed the scrum, got stuck in around the park and seemed to have a magnet for the try-line too. Will be sorely missed next year when he heads for the Sharks. Joe Heyes had a good season for Leicester as well.
2 Jamie Blamire (Leicester Tigers): Another off-season recruit to hit the ground running at his new employers, with Blamire enjoying an excellent debut season with Leicester. His game seemed to really come on this year across the board, especially in the carry, and that form has catapulted him back into the England picture after a spell out. Gabe Oghre was also travelling well prior to his injury.
1 Nicky Smith (Leicester Tigers): The loosehead’s loosehead completes out Team of the Season, getting in ahead of Ellis Genge in the process. His all-out attacking mindset at the scrum seemed to really become a weapon for the Tigers to play off, and he backed that up with some neat work in the loose as well. Sale have some player heading north next year.