Fantasy 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

I know you don't rate him Pooly, but the boy is a good player and has shown that so far this season.

being a ginger he had more time to spend on his kicking growing up as his social life would have taken up zero time.

Lol....got to love the gingers

To be fair Pete, he's a handy AP player. Kicking is sublime though

No wonder hes never progressed his basic skills though, his hands must be blistered up something rotten the amount of self abuse he must go through, poor kid.

I'm not a huge fan of him either Pete, but his goal kicking is probably the best in the AP.

I am very excited about our game v Leicester.

I think we will have a side of

1. Dickinson
2. Ward
3. Buckley/Thomas
4. Leweravu
5. Myall
6. Gaskell
7. Seymour
8. Vernon
9. Peel
10. Macleod
11. Cueto
12. Tuitupou
13. Leota
14. Brady/Addision
15. Miller

I think our scrum will take a beating but we can match them in all other areas. Should be plenty of tries. Watch out for Miller and Seymour if anyone is watching. Both have been unbelievable so far this season.

That's a pretty lightweight backrow Steve

It is lightweight but Seymour has been the form 7. What will happen when Fourie is fit? Surely he cant keep him out.

Gaskell is 6 foot 7 and 104 kg and Vernon is 6 foot 4 and 102 kg. I wouldn't necessarily consider them lightweight although maybe not the most physical. Its the same flankers we've used all season and Vernon and Easter are pretty similar players.

Weather has been good in NW of late so it shouldn't be too muddy so it won't be a case of getting our biggest pack out but we are very mobile upfront. Our scrum has been getting crucified most weeks with Imiolek and Thomas who work when they have a more experienced prop beside them but together they get a battering it seems.

I don't know tbh Nick. Seymour is the captain this season so it could be a reorganisation tbh. Fourie is long term (Xmas I think) so they will cross that bridge when they come to it.

Isn't tuitopu Captain now he is back. he was originally club captain when signed??

They have changed to Seymour. Not entirely sure on the reasonings.

Seymour seems more captain material to me.
Tuitopu be a good player for you though.
Still lacking a 10, Mcleod is decent but could do better.

We desperately need a new 10 but doesn't look like we could attract anyone worth spending the money on. Got a Samoan in Ces Lavea who I suspect will fall short and play most of his rugby at 12.

Miller hopefully is our long term choice.

Poor Wigglesworth...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/8850952/England-injury-blow-as-Saracens-scrum-half-Richard-Wigglesworth-ruled-out-of-Six-Nations-with-knee-injury.html

Sure someone said it on here earlier, but now confirmed as being out for the whole season.

Anyone know how long Youngs will be out for? Need Care back, but hopefully this will give Simpson his chance for England by 6Nations.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/15465481.stm

would be an interesting choice

Needs to nail a shirt first really Pete. Hartley would have been obvious choice but had dropped a fair bit this last 6 months so again not a guarenteed starter.

hard to say Hartley has dropped in the last 6 months. He was excellent for Saints all season and has just been second choice with England (perhaps wrongly in hindsight)

Agree, does need to nail down selection first.

Back row is such a problem for England as there are so many possibles, but nobody who has sewn up a shirt (except Easter which is actually depressing)

I genuinely have no idea what our best back row unit is.

I really rate Wood but don't like the look of him and Croft on the flanks, something had to give

I think because Wood is an excellent lineout operator, people see him and Croft as being similar, but I think he's actually a very different player to Croft. Does far more in the tight than Croft and is also very good at the breakdown, although is definitely not an out and out 7.

Personally Croft has flattered to deceive for me in recent times for England, and I think him not doing some of the traditional 6 jobs at times hampers England and makes it difficult to select a balanced back row, given the other players who are in the mix.

How can you say Hartley has dropped lol - guess its that time for the Saints v Newcastle clash, will tomorrow's post be how Albacete can't catch

If you actually watch Hartley play he has improved a lot on the technical side of things, his lineout throwing and scrum is a lot better than it was 12 months ago, he stays out of trouble and is possibly the best wind up merchant England have. He's also getting very good in popping up in mauls and leading his team.

I think he's worked on that at the expense of his running and carrying game - that's the only aspect of his game that has 'dropped', but then was never the biggest part of his game in the first place.

Wood is excellent, a very talented player - would want him to lead Saints first though before leading England. He's a definite starter for England and would include Hartley, Cole, Lawes in that list - all under 24 - I dont know who should play loosehead, Stevens is a sub, we need Sheridan playing and another second row to push - Attwood could be a bench player by 6Nations. Its 7 and 8 that worry me.

Heard a lot of people say that Easter and Croft might be moved to the second row, as we dont really have that many options there - we seem to get a lot of players with potential in that position but they never develop properly e.g. Nick Kennedy. One of my favourite English locks is George Skivington, really rate him but think he might be the same as Kennedy.

Pete, I think the trouble with Croft is that he's trying to be too much like a tradtional 6 and not playing the rugby that made him the star of the Lions tour a few years ago. England dont play him right at all, he's awesome for Leicester and a real threat for 80 minutes, for England they dont give him the ball to do damage like he can.

I'd bet most of my money Sheridan won't appear in an England shirt again.

Fill the gaps...England team for 6Nations

1. ?
2. Hartley
3. Cole
4. ?
5. Lawes
6. Wood/Croft
7. ?
8. ?
9. Youngs/Care/Simpson
10. Flood
11. Ashton
12. ?
13. Tuilagi
14. ?
15. Foden

1. Corbs
4. Deacon (Shouldn't be though)
7. Fourie??
8. Easter (Should be Fearns if he plays there)
12. Farrell
14. Sharples

1. Corbs
4. Attwood
7. Rees! Only kidding, Haskell
8. Easter
12. Farrell
14. Sharples

"How can you say Hartley has dropped lol - guess its that time for the Saints v Newcastle clash, will tomorrow's post be how Albacete can't catch "

More to do with him losing his England spot to Tommo and not playing well when he did play.

Farrell is not the answer to England's 12 problem imo. A possible future 10 yes

Farrell has been the form 12 in the AP so far this season, albeit the internationals have been away.

Really don't like him at 12 Pete, think he's a much better 10. Just my opinion on him and have always said this.

I think Farrell will play at both 10 and 12 for England, and I think it's probably best for him to play at 12 if he is used immediately. Can't think of anyone I'd rather have there atm.

Think captain will either be Croft or Easter as a short term option. As Chris has said, England don't use croft enough. Scandalous really. Although for me he needs an out and out 7 to compliment him.

And therein lies the problem luke, we don't have an out and out 7 so the balance is not right in our back row, and hasn't been for a while.

Absolutely.

Shocking really that we have nine who can come in. A few maybe in several years time, but nothing for now.

I think we need a big ball carrying/ruck hitting flanker to partner either Woods or Croft. Somebody like Alberts would be a good foil I think, nobody English jumps to mind though.

Farrell's a 12 who can play very well at 10, he never played 10 when he was coming through the youth ranks and to slot in like he did do last season speaks volumes for the lads talent. He's pushed Barritt into the 13 shirt at Sarries, which takes some doing for a 20 year old. You can tell he's not an instinctive 10 though, just a very good player.

The best young 10 is George Ford, just turned 18 won Junior IRB u20 player of the year (can win the next two...) and kept Farrell out of the 10 shirt for England. The guy is special and will have Flood out the Tigers 10 shirt by his 20th birthday.

Would love to see Twelvetrees come through, but I just dont see it happening now - think Johnson might go with Flutey and bring Farrell onto the bench - Flood, Flutey, Tuilagi - not bad and means no freaking Banahan

The closest player we have to Alberts is Haskell and he just hasnt got the brains to be top level international.

The only guy that springs to mind who could develop that way is Billy Vunipola at Wasps, reminds me of Falateua but I'm not so sure about him, the other is Steve Uren at Bristol but he's only 17, both a bit too young to judge though.

I just hope whoever manages England decides to play a player if he's good enough and not worry about age - look at how good North and Falateau were for Wales. Sharples, May and a few others should be in the squad come 6Nations

1 Corbisiero
2 Hartley
3 Cole
4 Deacon
5 Lawes
6 Wood
7 Fourie
8 Haskell
9 Care
10 Flood
11 Ashton
12 Tuilagi
13 Armitage
14 Sharples
15 Foden

No-one stands out for me to play at 12 so stuck Tuilagi there which then leaves a gap at 13! Armitage deserves a spot in the side for me. Although I dont agree with someone playing in a position they dont play for at their club. so dont know why I've put him there really. no-one else!

Always forget about Flutey as a 12 option, just don't think Farrell is ready myself but could be wrong.

Ford is 19 in March. If Flood is still at Tigers in 2013 I bet you 10m Ford is not 1st choice ahead of him.

I forgot that we had Fourie - I think its got to the case where he has to play for England now - we have to have an out and out 7.

I really dont want Deacon in the team, but not sure who else there is, think Skivington and Lawes could compliment each other, but Skivs probably isnt intenrational level (though neither is Deacon!).

I'd partner Flutey with Tuilagi as Tuilagi needs to learn to play 13 for England as that's his most dangerous position by some distance, he's got that great ability to beat people on the outside and you wouldnt want to lose that. Flutey's defence is good and he has a kicking game to take pressure off Flood.

The Ashton, Sharples and Foden back three looks pretty potent - should have been the WC backthree.

How many times have you seen Ford play Pooly? I honestly havent seen someone that young so good, he'll push Flood to the 12 shirt at Tigers.

He's special, think he made his full team Tigers debut at 16, which is just unheard of in the professional age.

There's some cracking plyers in this year's England u20 team - hoping to go and see all their home games this year.

I've seen Ford enough. He's a massive talent but doubt very much he'll oust Flood in 18months.

10m says he won't?

Tuilagi played 12 out of necessity for Tigers last week, but I am intrigued to see if he could become a Nonu type player there for England, allowing us to play someone like JJ or Trinder outside of him long term.

skivington isnt int. class, same way kennedy isnt. deacon isnt really either but at least provides some grunt, although im far from convinced by him.
garvey is a potential.

how has sharples been this season? from what ive seen, not as good as last season. he has more to give than ojo though.

would be too soon to call up jj for me. he has ripped apart defences so far this season but be interested to see if he can do that now int's are back and in the heineken cup.

I agree too soon for JJ which is why I said long term

Didnt think Skivs would be intenrational class, just a good player to compliment Lawes - we dont really seem to have that many players in that position, got some good ones coming through though.

I wouldnt move Tuilagi into the 12 shirt for 3-4 years, he's only 20/21 and I think Nonu was playing on the wing at that age for his club team - I think you have to let him develop in his natural position. Someone will emerge soon I hope.

Lawes needs a big lump of a lock next to him as he doesn't do the normal lock work like smashing rucks etc. Skivington is not that lock for me.

Any decision on 10m bet Chris?

What's a 10m bet? Bit meaningless.

Happy to say that Ford will be first choice Tigers fly half during his 20th year. No question.

I have to say, if Johnno stays, I can't see there being massive changes in personnel come the 6 Nations.

Make it 20m

You said Ford would oust Flood by his 20th Birthday.

If Flood and Ford are still at Tigers by March 2013, Ford has to be reguarded as Leicester first choice 10.....we'll say Pete can be adjudicator if you like?