Fantasy Aviva Premiership season 4

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Welcome to the Aviva Premiership Season 4

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Teams

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

Who has George Ford?

Hes in Saints academy but on loan to Driver

Anybody seen the Green Lantern?

Don't bother.....

It's pretty Poopie lol , Space Jam on Sky demand

Sheridan out of World Cup. Not entirely surprising news

What's he done now Steve?

If he calls up Brett Sturgess i'm going to be so peeved

Shoulder, made of glass that boy. No great loss with Stevens coming through and Corbs an option.

Marler 3 week ban Steve

Think you'll be safe Driver lol

AB side:

1. Tony Woodcock (77)
2. Keven Mealamu (86)
3. Owen Franks (25)
4. Brad Thorn (53)
5. Sam Whitelock (19)
6. Jerome Kaino (42)
7. Richie McCaw - captain (99)
8. Adam Thomson (22)
9. Andy Ellis (21)
10. Daniel Carter (84)
11. Richard Kahui (13)
12. Ma'a Nonu (61)
13. Conrad Smith (49)
14. Cory Jane (27)
15. Mils Muliaina (98)

Reserves:

16. Andrew Hore (56)
17. John Afoa (34)
18. Ali Williams (67)
19. Victor Vito (9)
20. Piri Weepu (50)
21. Colin Slade (6)
22. Sonny Bill Williams

I'd call that the NZ 1st team (injury excluding Read and Cowan) and perhaps maybe Kahui

Got the injury in the game apparently. Didn't see it. Don't know if we'll call up another prop you know. Might go for another position

Yea, prob right there.

Richie McCaw first AB to 100 caps

looking forward to Oz v Ireland on Saturday. Hopefully SOB is fit so we see Ferris, SOB and Heaslip v Elsom, Pocock and Samo

Good to see the RFU disciplinary panel reduced Will James ban due to good disciplinary record. Like that idea

Hasn't that always happened Steve? At our level if you go to a disciplinary you get 2 weeks off for dressing smartly lol escaped a 2 week ban for wearing a shirt and tie!

its the first time I've heard of it being said that its been reduced for good behaviour. They might do it but this is the first time I've seen it acknowledged

I thought Lawes was supposed to get a 3 week ban but the committee decided due to his good behaviour in the past it was only a 2 week ban? See it all the time players getting the ban shortened due to their records (or added to if you have a record like Bakkies)

I've never seen it before.

Last season can think POC and possibly Manu too. Think Attwood did too. It's pretty common practise if no major priors they get ban reduced. Surprised you've never heard of it Steve, talked about it a fair bit on here.

Some big carries from Georgians early on! 10 pulling strings nicely

Anyone watch Canada beat Tonga? Great game, their 6 and 8 were just brilliant - and Cudmore lasted a whole 80minutes without getting a red card! That never happens!

I know Tonga made 11 changes or soemthing, but that was a really gutsy, impresive perforamance from the Canadians!

Shame about Sheridan - not really sure I'd want Doran Jones or Payne called up in his place - could they call up a back instead? Would bring Flutey out...

Apparently they can call anyone up - maybe Johnno is smarter than he looks....5 props named, safe i the knowledge Sheridan would crumble...

No need for another prop, I'd look at a Fourie or Sharples

I don't think he will call anyone up yet.

I think he will leave it as a safety option. if a important player gets a niggle which keeps him out for 3 weeks but we don't want to send him home then we can bring in a replacement.

Most important playewr in our squad atm is Ashton for my money. We lose the pace if he goes. banahan and armitage as wingers would make me cry

See Carter is injured...

Robshaw maybe?
Fourie is still injured.


See what your saying Steven but Ashton hasn't looked the same player for me since the 6N. I think Sharples has been better and looked more dangerous, would like to see him called in

He isn't playing at the top of his game but he isn't playing badly. Still offers far more than Sharples in my book.

Carter out of the Japan game. Back injury apparently. Could be pesky to shake off.

Not seen anything from Ashton since Italy game

If we drop everyone who hasn't been playing well then we haven't got a team. probably going in with a side of Stevens, Tuilagi, Foden

Not saying he should be dropped, but he's hardly our most important player. Personally think Youngs helps make us tick.

Wont see any backs shine under Martin Johnson - they coach out attacking flair...

I am getting increasingly worried about how we dont have ANY backs moves that use our backthree at all. How many times does Foden come into the line, when do we ever use Ashton in a called move? Brian Smith has done nothing for England at all.

Ashton played very well for Saints until he picked up his niggling injury, then had surgery and hasnt played - give him the Georgia and Romania games and he'll cause the Scots all sorts of bother - his game is all about timing and running lines - all comes from game time.

We should have dropped Hape for Flutey, who has been on top form for Wasps and Banahan isnt an international - Sharples would have been better, as would JSD, as would anyone of us!

Youngs is an important player but has played 30 good mins in an England shirt in the last 12 months. He was nothing short of poor during the 6N.

I think Ashton is so important as he is so hard to stop. Very difficult to stop a good winger getting involved. a good pack could take all the spark out of any 9 except perhaps Genia but he becoming the exception to the rule at scrum half.

Perhaps I should have said Ashton is our most important weapon rather than player.

I think Youngs or Simpson has to play if Wilko is at 10. Wigglesworth and Wilkinson is a little bit pedestrian when we are on the playing badly or on the back foot. When we are on the front foot it's not so much of a problem.

Agree with you completely on the Steven - reckon Simpson has to come onto the bench.

Would imagine that for the Romania game Youngs could start with Wiggles on bench, but if Simpson played he would absolutely terr orise the Romania defence - is the perfecet game for his debut.

Johnson is to conservative, averse to risk, no attacking flair and thinks games are won by the forwards and having a good defence. They are, until you play one of the Southern Hem teams!

Our pack is great, maybe the Sheridan injury is a blessing in disguise as Matt Stevens means we will be more mobile and Corbs on the bench offers the same sort of thing...

Steven_Sharks wrote:Youngs is an important player but has played 30 good mins in an England shirt in the last 12 months. He was nothing short of poor during the 6N.

Both Youngs and Flood were excellent in a lot of the 6 Nations games. Got worse as it went on though obviously.

Seems weird how some people generalise in these ways.

Flood and Youngs played well against Wales and Italy but went downhill from there. Flood hasnt really played decently for club or country since then yet.

Talking about Youngs though, and how he has "played 30 good mins in an England shirt in the last 12 months"....

Flood went right down hill after Italy game for club and country. Youngs was a bit more up and down I thought, played some decent games for Leicester

Thougth both played well against France, the game after the Italy game.

I've had a little look back at match articles and it seems he played well against Italy and Australia.

The Telegraph describes him against Wales as 'so so' in the 6N, He was given a 6 against Scotland and France and a 3 against Ireland.

In the AI's he was described as 'Not as explosive at hoped' but not playing badly as such whereas he got a 5 for the SA game and a 6 against Samoa.

I apologise for my 30 good mins in 12 months and retract it as I've got it wrong but by the looks of it he has two particularly good games since his breakthrough down under tour as well as a couple of okay games.

Well if the Telegraph says it then....

Telegraphs rugby is pretty spot on. Ackford, James et al do a good job.

I only ever get the Sunday Times so couldn't comment to be honest, but prefer to make my own judgements really.

I have just used these to back my points up.

Which you retracted....

Only messing with ya Stevey.

Does Greenwood still write for Telegraph?

Normally get the Times, but each time I read it I just feel like punching Stephen Jones, who is easily the worst pundit going. Apparently he is no4 in a recent poll of people the NZ public hate the most, no1 Quade Cooper.

I get the feeling a lot of players keep playing when they pick up slight knocks and dont play fully fit - Youngs had surgery at the end of the season, how many games would he have played injured? Think he's our best no9, but would have Simpson on the bench. England no9 is one of the most important positions as its the one area we can inject some speed and potency!

The fact NZ hate Cooper shows what a threat they see him to Super Dan. The fact his is a kiwi has nothing to do with it

Em the fact that Cooper is a bit of a gobby git who thinks hes a hard man might have something to do with it as well Steve...

I don't think it's because they see him as a threat Steve (although they prob think he's pretty good). Think it's more to do with he's a Kiwi and is a bit of a prat

Think its also to do with the fact he kneed McCaw in the head in the last game of the Tri-Nations and got away with it! Can't believe he didnt get banned and Lawes did.

Think the game is so biased towards southern hem teams these days, citing commissions are awful and have been far too lenient to SA (Burger eye gouging!) and NZ (BOD incident/cover up) and now Aus (Cooper). England do it once, and instantly banned.

Obviously arent using the best lawyers!

McCaw had it coming.