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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

Looking forward to young Matt Todd giving Granddaddy Williams the run around on the opening day Prop

Who says he's going to start?!

Well with Jones and Higginbottom gone for the world cup its down to him or (the injured) Newby for that 7 shirt... Unless you want to give Todd free reign at the breakdown

For all you know i've got something up my sleeve

Looking forward to seeing it so Prop my boy

So you should!! I'll be fine with an easy win

Didnt you say that last week as well...

Different team out this time

Yeah I know mate. No Ali Williams, Ryan Jones or Scott Higginbottom next time while Bekker and Care will be coming back into my side

But i'll have the Peel-Robinson axis so not too concerned!! Plus Garvey's on fire in pre-season.

Chris, I don't want to make you cry but Tom Rees is out for 6 to 9 months

the poor bloke did his cruciates in France the week before last - cant believe it, he's unluckier than Wilkinson! Gets over his shoulder injuries and then this, have to feel for him.

Such a talented player, and was apparently looking very good in preseason again. Wasps will miss him, though fortunately we have Poff this year, but dont think he joins for another 2 months

Did people know that Shaw is joining Bath, or contemplating immediate retirement after the WC - he's certainly left Wasps!

Do you think thats the end of Rees chris

Any body seen that Nonu is doing the same as Haskell by signing for the Ricoh Rams for a year to play outside Stephen Larkham?

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/sr20110705a1.html

Mat if it was his shoulder then yes it would have been, but he's still 26 and cruciates heal - so think he will play this season

Cheers lads, Harlem sounds canny Matt, if I get reemed by some 7ft rodman look alike you'll be getting losses for 3 months straight!

Missed connection flight, stick in Washington for 12 hours....aaarrgghh!!!

No Fitzy eh, his late 10 mins of form wasn't enough eh. He's available anyway for anybody after a winger during WC.

Looks like my source got the England squad spot on!

What does everyone think?

Washington is a cool place go downtown see the sights etc, go to Washington for conferences every year really like it.

Wow Gear, Siviatu and Messam not in the All Blacks squad - imagine if England could leave players of that standard out!

Looks like my WC team will be:

1. Domingo
2. Webber
3. Hayman
4. Attwood
5. Taylor
6. Kankowski
7. Lapandry
8. Messam
9. Davies
10. Giteau
11. Siviatu
12. Eves
13. Lualala
14. Savea
15. Cipriani

You've had some serious luck with Domingo, Messam and Sivivatu mate. I have had none, every player of mine in training squads has been announced in the World Cup squad so far!

I know mate - don't forget to add Giteau to that list! Can't believe those 4 havent made it, especially after the form of Siviatu in his last few games. He was playing very, very well.

ONly issue i had was with Simpson, this time last week he wasnt going to the WC!

Though am gutted about Rees - another 6 months of him taking up a squad place! Hopefully Liam Gill will come through this year!

My back 3 will be jsd sharples gear. How good is that

Anyone got any scrum halves available?

Not a bad backthree there Mat - I'm going to be putting out Savea, Siviatu and Cipriani I think.

The thing is traditionally the grounds are hard at start of season so could even play jsd @13.

What do people think of fasivalu?? He was majestic after Xmas in the AP and euro for quins. Not sure he gets rated here. He is also an international. I know Chris rates him highly

I think he's quality, started off slowly but then exploded after Xmas - i thought he was the best forward in the AP last year from January onwards, hard hitting, big tackler and very good ball carrier who offloads very well. Wish I bid more than £6m for him last year!

I rate him, but he will have to keep up last seasons form as he has not been around for that long.

I've had Mumm, Botha and Fourie not go which is good, just waiting on the S.A squad to hear about Basson and Kirchner.

Bassoon and kirchner will be nowhere near nick. Basson had good super 15 then died away. Kirchner may go if steyn is injured though.

You will have a great wc side nick. Expect you to be top

Before he went to league fasivalu looked frightening. It used to be players went to league and had to spend 6 months getting fit enough to play. Now the reverse happens

I dono matt, Chris's team is looking pretty tasty as is yours.

will be close.

Hope coonie and Strauss don't go then I have a good side. Lack of centres though if tuitopu and may don't start well could be trouble

Jordan crane out for season. Really bad knee injury apparently

Anyone know if the samoa squad has been announced yet?

Damn these world cup squads just seen I've lost Vito as well!

I think Messem played himself out of squad, esp as he's much more a 6 than a 8. Little surprised about Gear but I don't think he showed enough whilst Guildford was in great form all season and deserves his chance.

Guidford/Jane starting wings I guess then

Dagg and Jane IMO.

I think it will be Dagg and Guildford. I am amazed Gear did not go. looked great in the warm up games. Henry likes guildfords work rate and the fact he does the ashton tracking role.

did you see how many times dagg broke the line on saturday?? the kid is dynamite so think they cannot leave him out.

cant see them dropping mils so it could be the gloucester back 3 of guildford, mils and Dagg

Daggs much better at FB than wing, he's very similar to Mils and thrives attacking from deep. I just can't see past Jane/Mils/Guildford or perhaps Dagg instead of Mils.

No chance Mils will be dropped. Think Jane offers more solidity at the back but Dagg is better in attack so whatever Henry prefers.

lots of Ab fans are perplexed about Vito going on essentially half a game. personally i see the back row depth of NZ a real issue.

if they have an injury none of the rest are international players at the standard you would expect of NZ.

who does everyone think will win the WC.

For me if Carter is fit they will win however i worry over their front row depth, backrow depth and half back depth.

France have a real chance as do South Africa

To be fair when NZ were at full strength a while ago it was Jane, Mils and Dagg.

Then Dagg got injured. Still remember that solo effort off the bench the other year from him. So exciting ball in hand. I may have a cheeky bet on him or guildford being top scorer at the WC

South Africa could be dark horses
At full strength they are a very powerful and organised team, just lacks the ability to score tries a bit.

Got to be New Zealand though if their core players stay fit.

Good story on Vito getting in:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/5495451/Victor-Vito-goes-from-despair-to-disbelief

Was always tight between Messam abd Vito but VIto has been the form backrower in teh ITM this year while Messam has been anonynmous when called upon for the All blacks. reading Stuff.co.nz alot of all black fans are for Vito's call up Matt!

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/opinion/5486007/All-Blacks-Barometer-Whos-in-the-30

This was posted day before the team was picked. Quite interesting. They had guildford out

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/14629274.stm

not a good week for saxons backrowers

Imagine if we could be speaking about losing some of that quality for the England squad...frightening how many world class players the AB's have.

I think they are beatable, their front row isnt great, and not 100% convinced with their second row. Think they have the worst set of no9s in top class rugby e.g. compared to SA, Aus, France etc and can be got at there.

But if Carter stays fit then they will win.

Be interesting to see if England can click, if they have and they win their group then they could go all the way to the final - assume France in QF's, Aus in SF's - then NZ. We can beat both France and Aus.

Which English players do you think other teams really rate? I can see Lawes, Foden and Ashton emerging as world class by end of the tournament - hoping Dan Cole, Matt Stevens and Tom Croft come strong again too.

Hope Simpson and Tuilagi get game time too!

I'm not convinced in this 'Carter stays fit' stuff.

If he stays fit they have a great chance of winning it obviously, but if he gets injured they are truly screwed. Slade is really a very average 10 at the international level when I've seen him.

I can't believe Gear isn't in the AB squad. He is the most dangerous wing in the world along with Ioane, Clerc and Habana for my money

I'd have JOC above them steve

Technically JOC is better, but as a dangerous runner Gear is up there. Don't think Habana is anymore but he is still very good.

Not convinced Foden or Ashton will be world class, Lawes could be though.

JOC isn't a dangerous winger for my money. A good winger but I don't see him as dangerous.

I already think Foden is world class.

Think Foden is already world class. Lawes could be eventually as well but not to sure on Ashton. Hes very good for tracking the ball but take that away and what else has he got. Hes a very good international winger who suits England to a tee but can't see him being truly world class (i.e top 5 winger in the world)