In Part Four, the last in our 2011-12 season review of Americans overseas (see Part One, Part Two, and Part Three here), we look at Americans playing professionally in the Aviva Premiership.

Chris Wyles (Saracens)

Besides Taku Ngwenya, no American has played more consistently and at a higher level than has Chris Wyles over the last few years. Wyles has been a stalwart for an ever dangerous Saracens side since arriving at the club and he continue that tradition with another stellar year. The Eagles win started 15 of his 17 league matches and 6 of his 7 Heineken Cup matches with his total likely being higher had he not been away for the World Cup. While he only picked up four tries this season, Wyles was very solid defensively and made strong runs when need. He also played all over the pitch, slotting in anywhere in the backs but at #9 or #10.

Still, he and Saracens will have to be a little disappointed they weren’t able to return as champions after losing to rival Leicester in the semi-finals. They did do enough to secure more Heineken Cup rugby though, and should return strong than ever next season. Wyles will almost certainly remain a strong part of the team next season and in the foreseeable future.

Hayden Smith (Saracens)

It was a short season for Smith. Not only did he miss significant action for Saracens while with the Eagles at the World Cup, but later in the year he decided to give up rugby for a shot in the NFL with the New York Jets. His disinterest in rugby (or distraction from) was apparent in retrospect but at the time took a few people by surprise. Even though he did face some injury concerns, Smith only amassed 305 minutes all season. Of those, 111 minutes were in the Anglo-Welsh Cup. There is no doubt that Smith had the talent to succeed at Saracens and would have likely been kept on, but he wanted a different challenge in the NFL. Here’s hoping he succeeds.

Samu Manoa (Northampton)

There was no greater breakout player this last season in rugby than Samu Manoa. Plucked from relative obscurity from San Francisco Golden Gate, Manoa became a star player for the Saints. He provided a big physical presence that made huge tackles and give the Saints a bit of bite. He proved to be better offensively than anticipated and only has upside. Manoa’s contract with the Saints incentivized his missing the World Cup and he made the most of the time given to him with international absences by quickly establishing himself as a player Jim Mallinder could rely on. He easily hit his appearance goal and signed a contract extension with the team at the end of the year.

Northampton had a strong season with Manoa’s help. The team finished fourth in the table and lost a close semi-final to eventual winners Harlequins. There is no question that Manoa will return to Northampton and should be in line for another huge season.

Chris Biller (Bath/Northampton)

The Eagles hooker signed a short-term contract with Bath at Christmas time as the club was dealing with a crisis at the position. While that crisis may not have been as severe as anticipated, leading Biller to only make two appearances for the team, he showed well in the time he had on the pitch. His appearance in the Heineken Cup was especially strong and he showed that he can play at the elite level. After finishing out his contract with Bath, Biller joined Manoa at Northampton. He didn’t play in any Premiership matches with the team but did make appearances in the reserves.

Foreign player restrictions mean that Biller will most likely not remain with the Saints but he is a great candidate for the RFU Championship. He proved that he can be a solid player in England could have the potential to shine in the lower division. The questions is whether a team will take a chance on him and give him an opportunity.

Paul Emerick (London Wasps)

After the World Cup, Emerick talked about how he probably would not have another shot at a professional contract in Europe. With that in mind (plus knee surgery) he took a position at Life where he would do a bit of coaching and playing while earning his Master’s degree. That was until London Wasps were hit by injuries and called upon Emerick for help. Within only a couple of weeks Emerick was in London for his first shot at the Premiership. After getting adjusted to the team, Emerick began coming off the bench and providing an impact for the team. Eventually he made his way into the starting lineup before suffering to a very unfortunate injury. That injury cost him a place on the team and kept him out for the rest of the year. Wasps had a miserable season and only avoided relegation on the last day of the season.

Emerick certainly showed the Premiership the same form he showed during the World Cup, but will Wasps stick with him or will he be headed back to the States? It’s always tough to tell with teams that need to cut their budget like Wasps. Do they go with a cheap overseas players like Emerick, or do they spend their money on a higher priced players? Having the ownership situation at Wasps taken care of will go a long way to telling whether he will get re-signed or not. So far he hasn’t been released from the team.