Fantasy Aviva Premiership season 4

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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

Wow, some really bad news floating about. Sorry to hear that Steve. Like Pooly I could caretake if needed.

I'm sorry to hear that Steve

Condolences to both Pete and Steve, obviously you know where we all are if a heated rugby debate is required then just speak to Pooly/Chris

Good luck Steve, I'm sure he'll come through.

Condolences to both Pete and Steve best of wishes for both of you. Sorry to hear your bad news. Hope it all works out well for both you guys.

http://sport.msn.co.nz/rugbyworldcup/latestnews/8304286/all-black-zac-guildford-admits-drink-problem

Missed this when it happened

Anyone watching Wasps v Dragons - Joe Simpson is showing exactly why England have to pick him now - his game has come on so much, passing has been brilliant.

And damn looks like we've lost with last kick of the ball - stupid Southwell..

Simpson is nowhere near Youngs or Care imo.

Moody retires from Int:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-2052279/Lewis-Moody-calls-time-England-career-World-Cup-shambles.html

Ref didn't even let Dusitoir play the ball there

I bet the NZ public never thought they'd see Donald at 10 in a WC final!

Fair play to france...don't know how they're doing it but they're nullifying NZ.

Morning all, won yesterday but now can't put weight on the front of my foot.

Did anyone see Donald run into touch, he seriously needs a bigger shirt too!

Great match. Both packs have been superb, backrows on show are just pure quality

A world cup final is not a place for debuts

Hari, Dus and FTD immense for France

Kaino and Richie fantastic for the AB's.

Joubert = shocker.

watch replays of donalds penalty, is it just me or does it look like it went wide.

France scrum immense Poux did a number on franks and mas on woodcock. French lineout superb.

Hari and rougerie superb as was kaino and Richie

I thought it went wide Nick when I first watched it.

Dusatoir or Trinh-Duc was MoM for my money. FTD made such a difference to France.

"France scrum immense Poux did a number on franks and mas on woodcock. French lineout superb"

Think you might want to watch that back Matt, was a pretty equal scrum affair. Franks if anything got better of Poux with 2 pens and none against.

Mas def didn't get the upperhand on Woodcock, can recall on pen against him.

NZ scrum held up really well, can recall one massive French push but pretty equal apart from that.

Agree in Hari, Dus, McCaw etc though. Great contest, Richie looked ready to collapse!

I thought France had the AB's number at the scrum. Both French props were in the ascendancy.

Dagg and Rougerie also well worth a mention. Both were sublime at times.

Don't think Poux got one pen against Franks, thought Franks was superb. Team of WC then!

1. Healy
2. Servat
3. Franks
4. Thorn
5. Nallet
6. Kaino
7. McCaw
8. Read

9. Weepu
10. ?!?! Still unsure
11. JOC
12. Nonu
13. Smith
14. Jane
15. Beale

wouldnt put JOC or Beale in there.
fullback definitely Dagg for me.
Clerc over JOC.

Beale/Dagg a close call for def

Franks should have had at least one against him which I remember. When Franks went to his knees and they pinged Poux?!? I remember dallagio being annoyed with it,

Pretty certain that the IRB gave Joubert the mandate of let NZ win at all costs - all the 50-50 calls went to the All Blacks, actually all the 60-40 calls went to the All Blacks, maybe all 75-25 calls...

He's normally such a good ref, but was awful today - France take ball into a ruck, NZ jump all over the ball, dont roll away - no penalty. New Zealand take the ball to deck, France look at the ball and its a bl oody penalty.

It also seemed as though the NZ head high tackle is the norm for future matches, four head high shots and not even a penalty. Shocking, especially when one was in kickable range.

French backrow was awesome today, thought their pack absolutely bossed the All Blacks - scrum and lineout were brilliant. Amazing what difference a real fly half makes to a team as well - playing Parra there for last 4 games was stupidity...

Yea that was an odd one Steve, I'd have personally give that to Poux. Can't remember one more scrum going to Poux after that and thought Franks was on top throughout. Very even scrum battle though.

Think having Joubert as the ref got NZ on top though Pooly, some of the decisions were mind boggling from him today.

Lots of people now saying Donald;s kick has been shown not to go through the posts...havent seen replays but it looked very close to missing!

I wonder if we might not see Richie McCaw on a rugby field for a bit now. He has clearly been playing through the pain barrier and is carrying some serious knocks. Having lead his side to the top now, I can see him not featuring in Super Rugby this season, and possibly also missing the next Tri Nations as the AB's use the opportunity to get him back to full fitness/health and also blood a long term successor for him.

Thought Joubert was pretty consistent myself, both teams infringed and got pinged. That McCaw one on the edge of the 22 was touch and go and France got that decision.

I thought the pack battle was immense, totally nothing in it, just two great units against each other. France had edge come lineout time with a few steals but nothing major. A great final really that could have went either way.

Yea I thought it missed too, Donald looked so awkward it was kinda funny. That break he made his arms and legs were flying all over like a crazy guy!

I think AB's might try and wrap McCaw up in cotton wool myself, can't blame them.

"I wonder if we might not see Richie McCaw on a rugby field for a bit now"

What you on about Pete? He's starting for me against Saints next week! Lol

FTD's contribution in the final has made Lievremont look even more foolish in my eyes. He caused all manner of problems for the AB's, mental decision leaving him out and playing Parra at 10.

Yeah Joubert was consistent Pooly - every time the All Blacks infringed he didnt penalised them, every time France even thought about infringing he penalised them. Certainly helped the All Blacks - there was one moment when McCaw was on the floor, lying on the ground, didnt roll away, make any attempt to move etc and then put his hands on the ball and moved it back to the NZ - was a blatant penalty and he did it straight infront of the ref and absolutely nothing was given.

Joubert missed 4 blatant head high tackles - not a single penalty. Shocking. Some awful calls - really did seem as though he was told to make sure that NZ won the game!

FTD did make Lievremont look like a fool today - said this at the start that Parra is not a 10, even if he played some games there for his club, its absolute stupidity to play him at 10 - two roles are nothing alike, France didnt have a clue with Parra at 10, no fluidity in attack and its no surprise that Mermoz, Rougerie and MEdard have their best games when FTD wears the 10 shirt...

Just annoying that realistcally I can't play FTD this week as there is no way any players involved in the AB or French squads would be abck in time and over the jet lag enough to play this round of games. Ah well, will have to make do with Lambie at 10 for another week! Lol

Mermoz & Rougerie were very good today, outplayed the NZ pair which is some going.

Can't agree on Joubert though, thought he was fair. Seen high tackles and infringements from both if I'm honest.

Joubert had a poor game for me if I'm honest, which is a shame because he has been the standout referee in the tournament. I don't go as far as to agree with those who are claiming that he was bias or that there was some form of conspiracy to enable the AB's to win, but he did miss some obvious infringements, and certainly during the first half dis seem to only be refereeing one side at the breakdown, in the same manner as Bryce Lawrence was in the England vs. Argentina game.

Lambie's stock will have shot up after this WC Pete, I was so tempted to get him but you beat me to it! Where do you think he will end up at 10 or 15?

Joubert was best ref of the tournament, but dont get what happened with him today - thought he missed a heck of a lot, for Dallagio to comment on it so much you know something is up as he normally doesnt spot anything wrong with a decision against the French.

Glad French didnt win as I thought that they were attrocious in every game up until the final - but NZ didnt half win ugly...

What do people make of SBW now? Gone down in my estimation after the WC, thought he was going to be one of the stars.

deliberate?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGzg1heE4k0

Not for me, went in for the ball. As happened to Read in the 2nd, if your on the wrong side of the ruck you get what's coming

15 players involved in this weeks matches that I can't unleash against Chris

Yeah, I got 10 Pooly that I can't use against Mat, although one or two haven't had much gametime at the World Cup so will feature for me the week after for sure.

It's more the travelling back this week why I will mark down anyone who plays members of the NZ/Fra/Aus/Wal squads this week.

I have Toeava for example who has barely played for the AB's so should be in decent shape, but a 30 hour journey back after spending tonight on the p i s s celebrating would mean he might struggle a bit to play this weekend.

Nz scrum penalised Twice second half could have been 9 or 10 sh refs don't value scrum.

Poux surprised me this tournament and would not have thought he would dick franks in the scrum the way he did.

Nallet also superb and what a dumb decision bringing on a scrum half at debut in the 70th minute.

France backrow outplayed nz which again never thought I would say. Two supreme backrows on display and probably best wc final of all time quality wise

I've chartered RAF Typhoons for my 15 Pete, should be back in an hour or so, got a bit of space?!?! Lol

I'm not sure why you're surprised as it didn't happen Matt. Franks conceded 0 pens in scrum and won 2. so to say he got a doing over is very wide of the mark.

although one of those pens was dubious

The ref got the decisions in the scrum wrong - thought the French had close to total dominance in that area. Commentators made a number of points about how the French were getting screwed over by Joubert in that area.

Officiating was very poor - Joubert didnt have a clue.

When did you become scrum expert lol, Joubert nailed the scrum for me except the 1 call on Poux who's an outstanding scrummager, just thought Franks edged him. Mas had a little edge on Woodcock but a equal contest

NZ player ratings:

http://www.rugby365.com/all_news/nbc/nz/news/2813184.htm

Looks like JOC is pushing for the Aus 12 jersey.

10. Barnes
12. JOC

For the 4 nations?!?!

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_7261327,00.html

thought poux and franks was very even tbh.