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Bath RFC	InTheFastLane
Exeter Chiefs	Driver - RIP 606
Gloucester	Anonmattyt
Harlequins	Steven_Sharks
Leicester Tigers	LukeLovesLuka
London Irish	stnick88
London Wasps	Arry
Newcastle Falcons	Sgt_Pooly
Northampton Saints	Dammit_Chris
Sale Sharks	SirJohnnyEnglish
Saracens	LDCPete
Worcester Warriors	prop_lyd

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Waiting List
1. Sam
2. pullthestrings
3. Bathite

We're all in the same boat Chris, just got to roll with it. We do have pretty big squads to cope with it

We all had 5 of our best players injured Chris, and most people also suffered with one or two of their players being out long term in real life and therefore marked down.

I know what you are suggesting, but it's not feasible. Bear in mind the differences in NH/Sh seasons. You also say only have 1 EQ player injured, but how is that workable when for parts of the season none of your SH players are playing and therefore can't be injured in real life so you couldn't use them as injuries in the game.

It would get too complicated and unmanageable. The way injuries are done means that people get hit reasonably the same and is the simplest way of doing it for whoever runs the league.

Ireland team:

Felix Jones, Andrew Trimble, Brian O'Driscoll (captain), Gordon D'Arcy, Keith Earls, Jonathan Sexton, Tomas O'Leary, Cian Healy, Rory Best, Mike Ross, Donncha O'Callaghan, Paul O'Connell, Sean O'Brien, David Wallace, Jamie Heaslip.

Replacements: Jerry Flannery, Tom Court, Mike McCarthy, Stephen Ferris, Eoin Reddan, Ronan O'Gara, Luke Fitzgerald.

Great to see Ferris back, should be a cracking match and I'm going to miss it

Do you reckon that is Ireland's best team? Can see Ferris and Kearney starting, but that looks pretty strong.

England will need to improve a lot to beat them, which I think we must do if we are to improve and advance in the WC. Looks like it will be France in qf, then Australia in sf, then SA or NZ - if we win our group its certainly a lot easier to progress as we seem to have the edge on both France and Australia...opposite with SA and Ireland!

I'd start Flannery and Ferris for sure

I think Tommy Bowe might sneak in that team too...

Didnt even see Bowe out of that team - they've got some really good players. Be interesting to see whether England have learnt anything from the last time they played in Ireland - hopefully Wilko will be starting again!

World Cup Squad - how close will this be?

Props:Cole,Stevens,Corbisierio,Sheridan, Doran Jones
Locks:Palmer,Deacon,Lawes,Shaw
Backrow:Moody,Croft,Wood,Haskell,Easter, Fourie
Scrum Halves:Youngs,Wigglesworth, Simpson
Fly halves:Wilkinson,Flood
Centres:Tindall,Flutey,Hape,Tuilagi
Wingers:Banahan,Cueto,Ashton, Sharples
Full Backs:Armitage,Foden

Think Reddan is the out and out 1st choice scrumie, No Bowe and the fulback shirt isnt decided. Flannery if fit might be considered 1st choice at hooker as well due to his better lineout throwing. But apart from them that is pretty much a 1st choice Ireland! Cracking game in prospect.

On the injuries and "in game form" can't see how it realistically works. We all get caught with long term injuries or might get lucky with injuries during internationals. Cant see how it would be fair to mark a player down because he has missed roughly 8 weeks of rugby by missing the world cup when you wouldnt do it the rest of the season. Its completly different when the player hasnt been fit for the last year or more

Take our Fourie and add Hodgson and I think that's about right

Take out Moody and Sheridan who will clearly be named in the squad on Monday and then go off injured 20 minutes into the Ireland game and never be seen in an international jersey again.

Same as Steve for me

Just waiting on a Saints side and we can get predictions open early this week to give everyone plenty of time to get them in.

Trimble was fantastic against france and Rory Best was simply shocking with his throwing.

Anyone see that Rocky Elsom has been stripped of the aussie captaincy??

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16024_7108822,00.html

Ab's side http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16024_7108825,00.html

Best thing really, he's not a great captain. Might help with his form.

AB side:

Israel Dagg, Isaia Toeava, Richard Kahui, Sonny Bill Williams, Hosea Gear, Colin Slade, Jimmy Cowan, Liam Messam, Adam Thomson, Jerome Kaino, Ali Williams, Sam Whitelock, John Afoa, Keven Mealamu (captain), Tony Woodcock
Reserves: Andrew Hore, Ben Franks, Jarrad Hoeata, Victor Vito, Andy Ellis, Piri Weepu, Cory Jane

Beat me to it Matt!

Juan Smith out of world cup. Big loss for Boks but Burger fits in nice at BS, I love watching Smith too he just oozes class.

Generally a bit quicker than you pooly!!!

has smith done himself in again? I really think he may struggle to come back. he has had more serious injuries than ferris. Blindisde is a killer. Juan SMith is one of the best players to play the game at 6 and is a loss to the WC as a whole not just saffers.

Surely Smith holds a similar rating at the minute to Jenkins on here in terms of time out?

Not suprised Horwill taken over from Elsom - obvious choice.
Am suprised Horne got the nod. Hasn't played all year, no combo's there at all.

Horne is a huge favourite of Deans so i am unsurprised. Juan Smith is a different bracket to Jenkins but i would mark him down as no one knows when he will be back.

I would not be surprised to see Horne start at 13 if they can squeeze a match in for him.

For me he is class thats why i wanted him in my team so badly. He is massively injury prone although they think his wrist problem is finally fixed.

Another of my WC options down the drain.

"Generally a bit quicker than you pooly!!!"

You're not wrong!

Smith has generally had different injuries, think the WC has came a month early in terms of being fully fit. He's likely to play for Cheetahs in the coming weeks and been out since Feb.

Different to Ferris who's had the same knee issues over and over, Smith is just general injuries

Didn't see Horne was selected, very odd call as he's hardly showed anything when given the opportunity, don't really see it myself.

I think the different injuries will take there toll. he has done 2 ACL's i think, Achilles and a shoulder.

i used to like it when he played 8. thought he was cracking there and probably better on the injury front

Rumours Smith will be made Bok captain post WC. All players get injured, don't think Smith has had more than most.

he has in the last couple of years

Has he? Any more than say Schalk Burger?

He has barely played in the last few years. he has only 40 caps in his career which is a lot of missed games. he is 30 and made his debut in 2003. that is a lot of missed games due to injury.

Compare that to habana debut over a year later has 68 caps. habana has missed a fair few games but still has nearly 30 more caps.

Great example pooly. Burger has played 74 tests compared to Smiths 42. Schalk had almost a whole year out with a neck injury and still has more than 3 seasons worth of international caps than smith.

Don't mess with Matt the Stat Pooly!!

Never knew Burger had so many caps, he's not played that much Int over the last 3 years so must have racked up loads 2003-8.

Smith played the AI gone, missed the 2010 TN due to his fathers death playing the last game or 2. Not sure how Smith has hardly played...

"Great example pooly. Burger has played 74 tests compared to Smiths 42. Schalk had almost a whole year out with a neck injury and still has more than 3 seasons worth of international caps than smith"

Prob shouldn't use wiki as your source on rugby Matt.

Juan Smith - 69 caps : http://www.espnscrum.com/southafrica/rugby/player/14225.html

Schalk Burger - 63 caps : http://www.espnscrum.com/southafrica/rugby/player/14355.html

"Don't mess with Matt the Stat Pooly!!."

oo it'll all be kicking off now

And the season hasn't even started yet

Very true Pooly. Cant believe Smith has 69 caps thats the same as Habana who has 69 according to SA rugby.

He has been injured lots though. wonder how many games for the Cheetahs he has played

You can cut the tension with a knife in here what with Pooly vs Matt and SirJ resigned to his defeat at the hands of the mighty Warriors.

It's pretty funny though when you take the mic out of somebody for having poor knowledge and it backfires massivley lol.

It's happened to me a few times too

Lesson for Matt: NEVER USE WIKI!!!!!

Back to my original point.....I don't think he's been any more injury prone than Burger over the years which is kind of proved with the Int stats.

2 great players anyway, let's hope Burger makes the WC as he's not likey to play a match till the first game.

Sorry for rubbing it in there Matt, I didn't realise you'd post in between comments. I often check Wiki and use it to ref players but it's hardly ever right, been burnt a few times myself.

Dont think i took the mic. just said he is injury prone and has had some nasty injuries which he has.

ACL and AChilles are the 2 worst in the game. Achilles probably the worst over all. not many people can have both and come back well.

Dallaglio did though

Prop,

Do not worry we are more then ready for you! Hope your planning for the opening weekend because Sale have a few things up our sleeve for you! Cant wait for the season to actually start!

So long as they're not blood capsules

"Great example pooly. Burger has played 74 tests compared to Smiths 42. Schalk had almost a whole year out with a neck injury and still has more than 3 seasons worth of international caps than smith."

That's kind of having a pop lol...maybe I read it wrong. No probs though

i will be happy to get a team out in the WC. Barnes and Horne now lost to the WC.

Tuitopu and AN Other will be in the centres for me.

Hope May gets off to a flyer for Gloucester this year.

If i lose sharples to the squad i am even more threadbare. Looking good post WC though

Am waiting on Crockett, Hoeata and Jane mostly.

Would love it in none of them went

Don't think Crockett will make it Luke, Jane is pretty much nailed on though I imagine.

Tight between Crockett and Afoa, Hoeata and Broic (was hoping Boric would play this week), and then the back three is anyone's guess. Could do with Dagg and Toeava getting a hattie each...

Mumm not going is a bonus for me. Hopefully Botha wont go either gives me good lock options. Could do with Kirchner or Basson not going either!

I suspect it'll be Woodcock/Franks pair/Afoa in the props and Hoeata prob getting the nod over Boric who's not been great and is a little lightwight.

I think Dagg/Mils Gear/Jane/Sivi/Guildford for the back 3

DAgg will definitley go. He is a real favourite in NZ.

Cant see Botha going nick. Think i will be mid to bottom half come the end of WC.

Can't see them taking 6, can you pooly?

Mils 100%
Sivi and Gear pretty certain.
Toeava well liked
Dagg and Guildford exciting.
Jane best under high ball.