Dream Team: Tom Johnson – Exeter and England flanker

1. Brett Sturgess – He would kill me if I didn’t put him! He’s a great scrummager and also very good around the park.
2. Sam Blythe – One of my teammates when I arrived at Exeter, he was a hugely talented guy. Fantastic in the lineout but also a very good scrummager.
3. Hoani Tui – He has been outstanding for us since we came up from the Championship. A tough scrummager with great skills for a big guy.
4. Jamie Cudmore – Just an absolute beast of a man. Really stood out when we played Clermont this season – he’s that tough lock you need who hits rucks so hard it leaves dents in people.
5. Geoff Parling – You need someone to call the lineout and Geoff does a great job at that. Although he doesn’t necessarily look it, he is seriously powerful and carries well and makes a lot of tackles.
6. Akapusi Qera – He’s probably been the standout back row in the Premiership for the last four or five years. He’s great at turning the ball over but also has a good carrying game and he hits very hard in the tackle.
7. Andy Miller – Another guy I played with at Exeter, I’ve never seen anyone better over the ball. Once he got in there he was impossible to move and great at securing turnovers.
8. Joe Bearman – I used to play against him for Coventry when he was at Pirates in the Championship and have watched his progress at the Dragons and Ospreys. Great carrier and always involved.
9. Haydn Thomas – I’ve picked Haydn because he’s great at pushing the forwards around and getting us on the front foot. He’s got a great break as well.
10. Nick Evans – When we play Harlequins he’s the guy we know we have to stop if we are going to beat them. His goalkicking and great pace really stand out.
11. Christian Wade – I’m putting him in for his sheer pace and ability to beat people one on one. He’s so dangerous and developing into a great player.
12. Wesley Fofana – He opened a few eyes when we played Clermont. His pace, power and ability to offload was just a sight to behold. He stood out as a special player in a very good team.
13. Phil Dollman – One of those players who always seems to have a lot of time and space on the ball. He doesn’t look like he’s a physical specimen but he’s a very intelligent footballer and great for us at Exeter.
14. James Simpson-Daniel – As a Gloucester fan growing up he was the player you would look for. It’s a shame he’s been injured as much as he has but he is still fantastic. It was a funny feeling playing against him but he’s just as impressive up close.
15. Sean Marsden – He played for Exeter and Bristol and was a bit like Phil Dollman in that despite not being the most physically gifted player, he was a great reader of the game, had good pace and was pretty tough.