TRU's Position Watch - Outside Centre

Our ‘Position Watch’ series creeps ever closer to its finale as we shuffle further out along the back line, this week looking at the Aviva Premiership’s standout outside centres.

In the intervening years between Will Greenwood’s international retirement and the arrival of Manu Tuilagi, it was a real problem position for England, but there is no shortage of English talent at the position currently in the Premiership, many of whom are ready to take an opportunity at test level with the Red Rose.

8. Henry Slade, Exeter Chiefs

A natural fly-half, Slade has been moved to outside centre this season by the Chiefs, but has continued to flourish in his new position. Slade’s career is still in its infancy, but at times this season the 21-year old has resembled Conrad Smith, acting as a second distributor outside of a powerful running threat in the 12 channel. Whilst his future may be back at fly-half and there have been some growing pains, particularly defensively, this season, he has just done enough to edge ahead of the likes of Tom Stephenson and Marcelo Bosch for this final spot.

7. Johnny Leota, Sale Sharks

Leota has become a vital cog in a vastly underrated back line at Sale since his arrival in 2011, offering a powerful carrying threat in the midfield. His understanding with Danny Cipriani has helped him rise to prominence in the Premiership and it’s extremely rare that a half goes by, let alone a game, without Leota exploiting a gaping defensive hole off of a Cipriani miss-pass. The Samoan’s successful partnership with fellow centre Sam Tuitupou has even forced the talented Will Addison out to a spot on the wing and is one of the least-talked about stories of the current Premiership season.

6. Duncan Taylor, Saracens

Another underappreciated centre, Taylor is rarely talked about amongst Saracens’ most important players, but his influence on some of Saracens’ more impressive victories over the last year has been clear to see. The Scot links up excellently with Brad Barritt and when the two are utilised together in Saracens’ midfield, they are at their best defensively. An effective defensive line is the basis for every other game plan Saracens have and if they can disrupt the opposition with their blitz defence, then the rest of their game can feed off the territorial and turnover advantages that it brings. There is arguably no 13 as proficient at executing this strategy in the Premiership as Taylor.   

5. Henry Trinder, Gloucester Rugby

Injury may have derailed the 2014-15 campaign thus far for Trinder, but the Hartpury College product remains one of the more enticing, attacking prospects in the Premiership. Trinder’s silky running lines have been missed outside Billy Twelvetrees this season, as shoulder and hamstring injuries have prevented him from making an impact for the Cherry and Whites. Trinder provides plenty of incision and threat, both running with the ball and distributing, and although he can be exposed defensively from time to time, his injury struggles are not only a blow to the Premiership, but also, potentially, to England.

4. Elliot Daly, Wasps

A remarkable change of pace, the footwork to turn on a sixpence and a boot that can land penalties from well over 50 metres, Daly has a skill set that is rare in the Premiership, not to mention completely lacking in the current England midfield. Although still only 22 years of age, Daly’s lack of an England cap is one of the more surprising facts in English rugby, especially after an impressive outing for the Barbarians against his home nation in 2013. The appearance for the Barbarians seemed to be first step towards an inevitable international career, but Stuart Lancaster has yet to be convinced by Daly, despite the centre’s ability to cover not only the midfield, but also the back three.

3. Jonathan Joseph, Bath Rugby

Joseph has taken his game to a new level in the 2014-15 season, combining very well with both Kyle Eastmond and Sam Burgess for Bath and is certainly the form outside centre currently in the Premiership. A prodigious attacking talent at London Irish, the move to Bath has helped Joseph become a more composed and effective defender and he is now as complete an outside centre as you’re likely to find in the Aviva. Critics will point to the threats of Eastmond and Semesa Rokoduguni either side of Joseph as to why he is currently enjoying such success and whilst that’s a hard point to completely disregard, the danger Joseph poses as a runner should be recognised, irrespective of his teammates.

2. George Pisi, Northampton Saints

Rumours abounded earlier in the season that Pisi was headed for France after the Rugby World Cup, but the announcement of his contract extension with the Saints should be extremely welcome news to Northampton’s fans, as the Samoan has developed into the best balanced outside centre in the Premiership. Pisi can beat defenders with pace on the outside or by powering through a weak inside shoulder, he links up extremely well with Ben Foden and George North on the outside, not to mention an almost telepathic connection with his brother, Ken, and defends as formidably as any of his peers. With Stephenson emerging as budding star at Franklin’s Gardens, Pisi will have to maintain his good form or face a spell on the sidelines, but the Samoan is just the type of player to relish the challenge posed by Stephenson.

1. Manu Tuilagi, Leicester Tigers

It was very tempting to put Pisi in this spot, especially given Tuilagi’s recent struggles with injury, but when fit and firing, there is no more destructive centre in the game. At full speed, Tuilagi is next to impossible to bring down without multiple tacklers and he has the pace to turn broken tackles into breakaway tries, or at least big territorial gains. His defence may not be quite as reliable as Pisi’s, but the threat he offers in attack just about outweighs that, not to mention the bone-shuddering tackles he can deliver when utilised as the spearhead of a blitz defence. Injuries remain the biggest threat to Tuilagi realising his potential as one of the very best players in the world, but if he can find fitness and form ahead of the Rugby World Cup later this year, then he could be a difference-maker for the hosts in a tough pool.