Following the conclusion of round four of the 2026/27 PREM Rugby season, here is the latest Planet Rugby Team of the Week.

There were big wins for Gloucester, Newcastle Red Bulls, Leicester Tigers, Bristol Bears and Harlequins across derby weekend, with the picture of the season really starting to come into focus.

Without further ado, here is who made our PREM XV!

PREM Rugby Team of the Week

15 George Barton (Gloucester): Outrageously good stuff from the in-form full-back, who is becoming a proper operator. Looked the absolute business in the backfield for the Cherry and Whites on Friday night, packing a real punch in the carry and showing some nice playmaking flashes. He was also automatic off the tee. Harlequins’ George Furbank pushed him close.

14 Christian Wade (Newcastle Red Bulls): Equalling the try-scoring record will take a lot of the headlines, but Wade backed it up with some lovely work around the park too. Always looked a threat ball-in-hand on a night that was not one for wingers to shine, posing plenty of questions of the Sale defence and playing a key role in their win along the way. Gabriel Hamer-Webb went well for Leicester as well.

13 Will Joseph (Gloucester): His England call-up is just reward for his form, and he was again on the money on Friday night. Just offered something really unique to the Gloucester attack, dancing in and out of tackles like he was in the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom. He always seemed to make things happen for his side as a result. Luke Northmore was not far away after a big game for Harlequins.

12 Bryn Bradley (Harlequins): Lots to like about the way he went about things on Sunday afternoon, and he edges out Leicester’s Solomone Kata in the process. Acted as a lovely counter-balance to the flamboyant Marcus Smith and Furbank with his genuine punch through the middle, which in turn provided his side the platform to play from.

11 Cadan Murley (Harlequins): Bristol’s Gabriel Ibitoye had the shirt until Sunday afternoon, but we couldn’t ignore Murley’s efforts against Saracens. His blend of raw pace and power in the contact saw him becoming an increasingly prominent weapon in Quins’ arsenal as they marched to victory, and he bagged himself a try and assist for his efforts.

10 Marcus Smith (Harlequins): A good weekend for English fly-halves, with both Northampton’s Fin Smith and Gloucester’s Charlie Atkinson impressing, but Smith was simply unplayable on Sunday. It seemed everything he touched turned to gold: scoring with what was his first real touch of the ball and running the show thereafter. His kicking for goal was the icing on the cake to cap off a special display on his 200th appearance.

9 Harry Randall (Bristol Bears): So often the heartbeat of Bristol’s high-powered attack, he was yet again central to their win over Exeter but in a very different way. He had absolute control over his side on Saturday afternoon, much like a French-style nine, and bossed proceedings with the boot and with his distribution in monsoon conditions. Will Porter went well for Harlequins.

The forwards

8 Olly Cracknell (Leicester Tigers): Immense on a day that called for immense performances. Dominated proceedings on both sides of the ball in a brutal effort against Northampton, setting the tone for the rest of his pack to follow in the process. Gloucester’s Jack Clement can feel hard done by to miss out here, though.

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7 Finn Carnduff (Leicester Tigers): Flanker suits him well, with the ex-England U20s skipper putting in an inspired shift in the back-row against Northampton. Like his colleague Cracknell, he brought heaps of physicality to proceedings which drove his side to victory and capped off a big shift with a deserved try for his troubles. Harlequins’ Seb Driscoll and Newcastle’s Tom Christie were close here.

6 Jac Morgan (Gloucester): As good a performance as Kingsholm has seen for some time, as he continues to look right at home in the West Country. Made himself a thorn in Bath’s side all night, bashing through tackles ball-in-hand and hitting attackers as if they’d insulted him. Max Hicks was a close second after another standout effort for Newcastle.

5 Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers): Brought all the needle and bite you’d hope a Tigers leader would in an East Midlands derby, which gets him in ahead of the impressive Bath youngster Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi. He was riled up heading into the half-time break, and he channelled that into a barnstorming display in the tight as he dominated proceedings to get Leicester over the line.

4 Jean Kleyn (Gloucester): In the week he told Planet Rugby he is aiming for a Springbok recall, and he proved his point with his actions against Bath. Saved a couple of certain tries with some immense work in the maul at a point when the game was in the balance, and he backed that up with some real gritty efforts in defence as well. Leicester’s Cameron Henderson was not far off this side, though.

3 Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers): Holy guacamole, he was revved up for the East Midlands derby! That passion was there for all to see in his explosive celebrations, but that’s what outright scrummaging dominance makes a prop feel like as he tore through the Saints pack with ease. Afo Fasogbon’s cameo off the bench for Gloucester was beautiful as well.

2 George McGuigan (Newcastle Red Bulls): A leader’s display in Newcastle’s win over Sale, which gets him in ahead of Bristol’s Tomas Gwilliam. Nailed his efforts in the set-piece and around the park, and capped off his day with a try as the Red Bulls secured their first win of the season.

1 Val Rapava-Ruskin (Gloucester): Possibly the toughest call of the weekend, with Leicester’s Archie van der Flier going really well at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, but the Cherry and Whites ace gets the nod. Caused havoc in the scrum against a strong Bath unit, and his breakdown work was comparable to any quality back-rower.