but going forward he is an absolute nightmare. Only Cordero has beaten more defenders this season – many of them were flattened in the Australia international’s case – and the 27-year-old is finishing the season strongly. The fleet-footed trio of Ollie Thorley, Jonny May and Josh Adams were not far behind.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Taqele Naiyaravoro had a tremendous season. Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images

10 Danny Cipriani (Gloucester)

The best signing of the season? Cipriani must be up there and the respective league positions of Gloucester and his former side, Wasps, tell their own story. In terms of manipulating defences there is no one better in the English game and one or two of the passes he threw this season would not look out of place in an art gallery. Couldthere yet be a twist in the tale of his England exile?

9 Cobus Reinach (Northampton)

It is a sign of the times when the league’s two best scrum-halves are South Africans. Faf de Klerk has been at the heart of Sale’s continuing improvement but Reinach has been just as vital for Saints. He has scored 11 tries and helped set up almost as many, breathing fresh life into Northampton and underlining just how much Springbok talent is now operating in the northern hemisphere.

1 Joe Marler (Harlequins)

If ever there was an advert for retiring from Test rugby it is Marler. Quins have been the undoubted beneficiaries of his decision to step aside from England consideration and he has missed three league games all season. Tough, defensively strong and quick-witted, his