Dream Team: Jack Yeandle – Exeter captain and former Doncaster hooker
2. Schalk Brits – He’s changed the hooker position in recent years. You see our role as an extra back-row but he’s proved you can also return kicks and chill in the back-line, beating players with incredible feet.
3. Carl Hayman – He came on when we played Toulon and me and Mooney looked at each other after the first scrum thinking: “We felt that one.” Technical and sheer strength.
4. Dean Mumm – He was just incredible when he joined the club. He deals with the lock duties very well with his long ‘noodle’ arms. Has a big burst of acceleration with his camel strides, too.
5. Damian Welch – Gets the nod over Bakkies Botha because he’s a wizard in the air and makes my job easier at the lineout because, if my throw goes astray – and it never does! – he can just pluck the ball in the air one-handed and still get it to the scrum-half.
6. Dave Ewers – Unstoppable! Tops all the stats in the league and how he’s not in the England set-up is beyond me.
7. Don Armand – Purely based on his current form.Had a great start to the season. He’s had a huge affect on our back- row.
8. Thomas Waldrom – The Turkey has changed our back- row. Links with Dave Ewers really well.
9. Will Chudley – My roommate on away trips so I wouldn’t hear the end of it if I didn’t pick him. Extremely talented, too, and he should be pushing for international recognition.
10. Jonny Wilkinson – Gareth Steenson never misses but I grew up idolising Jonny. When we played in Toulon he stayed at our table talking to the boys while most of his teammates were long gone.
11. Drew Mitchell – World-class player and proved it again at the World Cup with that break in the semi-final – and in the Champions Cup final.
12. Wesley Fofana – He did what he wanted when he played against us and ran through people as if we weren’t there. Sam Hill will be up there soon.
13. Henry Slade – He did well for England at the World Cup when he played. He’s going great at the Chiefs and to top it all he’s got a huge boot on him.
14. Jack Nowell – Extremely good feet despite his stupid rat’s tail. A star player for the Chiefs.
15. Phil Dollman – We have played against some great full-backs in the recent seasons but Phil competed with all of them. Never has a bad game in a Chiefs shirt and I hope Warren Gatland realises he is actually Welsh.
