England Rugby's Top Five Players from 2014

England had the definition of a mixed 2014. Excellent in the Six Nations, where they were runners-up on points difference, a much-depleted side performed worthily in the first Test in New Zealand, before being undone in the other two. In the Autumn Internationals, they were nearly men again—losing to the All Blacks and South Africa, before rounding off with wins against Samoa and Australia.

In considering England’s five best players of 2014, excluded are several players because of a lack of game time. Consistency across the year is rewarded here.

That means that Ben Morgan, England’s QBE Player of the Series in the autumn, does not feature, and neither does Luther Burrell, who broke onto the international scene with a strong Six Nations but was overlooked for the November tests.

Jonny May repaid Stuart Lancaster’s faith with a stunning try minutes into the autumn campaign, but his pedestrian displays before that count against him. Sadly, injury and selection policy mean that neither Manu Tuilagi nor George Ford had sufficient game time to stake a claim.

Chris Robshaw, captain of England and heartbeat of the side is Mr. Consistent. His work-rate is exemplary, and his fitness has been noteworthy. Such is his physical condition, it came as a shock to learn that Robshaw would miss Harlequins matches in December and January with a shoulder injury.

However, although Robshaw is almost always one of England’s best players, he does still lack the ability to stamp his authority on international matches. Perhaps this is positional: he is a six, or at best a six-and-a-half, being asked to play as a seven.

In the autumn, when England lost to New Zealand and South Africa it is apt to note which visiting players won the Man of the Match awards. They were both Robshaw’s opposite numbers: Richie McCaw and Schalk Burger.

VIDEO: Watch interviews with Richie McCaw and Chris Robshaw after England 21 New Zealand 24 http://t.co/FA7mt8l5Ys pic.twitter.com/TRZkIBlOpG

— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) November 8, 2014

I have devoted many column inches this autumn to Dylan Hartley, but suffice to say, he had a fine year for England. In the absence of Tom Youngs through injury, he made the No. 2 shirt his own, although indiscipline remains a serious concern.

The ascent of Rob Webber has been pleasing. From a good performer for Wasps and Bath in the Premiership, Webber had solid games against New Zealand in the summer and offers greater mobility than Hartley. The key, though, for an English hooker will almost always be the scrum and line-out, and there Hartley excelled in 2014.

Mike Brown, in the 2014 Six Nations, was almost peerless. As such, being named Player of the Championship was no surprise. His catching of the aerial ball was immaculate, his running and support lines were incisive, his kicking was lengthy and his tackling impervious. Since then his level has dropped, both in the summer tour to New Zealand and the autumn series. Nonetheless, Brown was still one of the top English players of 2014.

He even showed off his goalkeeping skills (see video above).

England's Mike Brown says former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel inspired him in the Six Nations... http://t.co/q9PExQ3VDs

— Shop Rugby (@ShopRugbyUK) February 24, 2014

On the loosehead side of the scrum, Joe Marler has made the most of Alex Corbisiero’s longstanding fitness problems.

It used to be said that the team was built around the No. 3, but with the law changes perhaps the No. 1, the loosehead, has taken centre stage.

Marler’s strength in the scrum, and work-rate around the field have ensured England have coped with Corbisiero’s absence.

That said; a fully-fit Corbisiero, a British Lion who scrummages and tackles with the best in the world, would be hard to keep out of the side. For now, though, England can rely on big Joe Marler. 

David Wilson has emerged as a superb tighthead prop over the past year. He has profited from the injuries sustained by the previous incumbent, Dan Cole, and become a cornerstone of the English pack: a pack which in the set piece at least, could claim to be the best in the world in 2014. For a front-rower, Cole, who has recently returned to the fore, is a fine breakdown operator, but Wilson has shown himself to be a runner difficult to bring down.

Wilson does not receive the plaudits he deserves, and the unheralded Bath prop has been England’s most consistently excellent player of 2014.