Fantasy Aviva Premiership season 4

First topic message reminder :

Welcome to the 4th season of the fantasy aviva premiership game


This Weeks match thread(s) :- TBA

Season One Homepage (Archived)

Season Two Homepage Part One(Archived)

Season Two Homepage Part Two(Archived)

Rules

Fixture/Results list

League Table

Top Points Scorers

Top Try Scorers

European Homepage

LV Anglo Welsh Cup Homepage

Transfer Homepage

Press Releases

Unavailable Players

Waiting list for a team

1. Sam
2. pullthestrings
3. Bathite

Teams
Bath RFC
Manager:- 207bars

Exeter Chiefs
Manager:- RugbyDriver

Gloucester
Manager:- Anonmattyt

Harlequins
Manager:- Steve_sharks

Leicester Tigers
Manager:- LukeLovesLuka

London Irish
Manager:- stnick88

London Wasps
Manager:- Arry

Newcastle Falcons
Manager:- PoolyPunk

Northampton Saints
Manager:- Dammit_Chris

Sale Sharks
Manager:- SirJohnnyEnglish

Saracens
Manager:- LDCPete]

Worcester Warriors
Manager - Prop_Lyd

Here's my page. Will Get it sorted later this weekend/early next week

https://www.606v2.com/t5258-harlequins#114946

I don't like it, I miss 606

Congrats on a great season guys

I think before i take the rains we should all thank Pete for the time and effort his put into making this league a success.

This season has taken everyone by surprise with managers sadly having to leave the game Ollie , Flanker and Graham Swanns Shades but these guys have been replaced by some fantastic additions to the league in 207 , Luke and last but not lease Prop who's commitment is second to none and hasn't complained once about the uphill battle he taken on when he joined the league.

The biggest surprises however where the Newcastle Falcons rise to glory through the shrewd dealings of Pooly. Newcastle finished last season with the HC wrapped up but a disappointing league finish in 8th but this season managed to claim top spot and the play off win to go with it.

A man who we can not forget to mention is our friend from across the Irish sea in SirJohnny.

Johnny first joined the league last year and was instantly involved in a relegation scruffle between himself and me (Worcester) he managed to beat the drop that year and can look forward to Heineken cup rugby next season after securing a berth in the top 6 and a runners up medal in the Amlin challenge cup.

Praise is also reserved for Luke who in his first season has taken home with him a European cup winners medal after the Tigers victory over Sale Sharks.

And last but not least a special mention to Chris for finally overcoming his confusion in the front row.

Great season guys

Manager of the year though without a second thought : Sir Johnny English


anyway down to the serious stuff now

- the draft system will open monday soon as the forigns are done we go straight into the domestic draft.

-First Foreign will be June 1st till June 10th

- I will post your budget injections when i have all the budgets in aswell as last few team pages.

My budget as of this minute is £45 million Driver.

I agree Pooly I miss 606 a lot but this appears a very good replacement.

Of all the things this government has done, cutting the BBC budget so that they got rid of 606 has to be the first.

Out of interest Pete, where has the Rugby Pub moved to? Or is it all done by Facebook?

I'm on 63m Driver

It's on here mate, there is a sticky for it on the rugby union home page.

Is there no way of the main page staying up to date rather than going through the pages each time? I'm still finding my way....hard to navigate on phone.

Pooly, instead of clicking on the thread click on the Orange square next to the last posters name on the right of the main page and it takes you to the last post you read.

Ah right. Rob Horne world class 13 anyone? Never rated the lad myself, think he's a pretty average S15 player but Matt seems to rate him very highly.

I think if he's got a creative 12 inside him he looks 10x the player he is. Outside of Barnes though anyone looks fantastic with the amount of space he creates.

A lot of Aussie back play is based around what line the 13 runs though. 9/10 AAC will cut back towards the 12 or acting IC take the contact and offload to JOC/Mitchell off there wings who punch through the holes getting behind and then causing havoc because all of a sudden the full back is out numbered 3 to 1.

They seem to have struggled with that lately which is why i don't think AAC should be there 13 and Horne should.

The Crusaders had that backs play down to a tee when they took on the sharks at Twickenham and they ripped them to shreds.

Remember the most average players can look brilliant when surrounded by world class players.

Have to say a big thanks for all the good comments guys cheers.

Once again just want to give a big thanks to you Pete. You've done a top job mate and have really made it enjoyable for all of us.

Big boots to feel driver but if anyone can do it you can mate. Best of luck to everyone for next season

My view of the HC final (Best game of rugby I've ever seen)

Saints played the best 40 mins of rugby I've seen by a NH team play for many years in the first half. Leinster went and bettered it in the 2nd half.

Mujati a world class Tighthead. Such a shame that the heavy workload of him and Tiny got to them in 2nd half.

One player won the game for Leinster and its not Sexton. Shane Jennings changed the game. He made up for all the standing in the midfield that SOB did (sorry Pooly but he did nothing but that from what I saw today). Yes his carrying was impressive but he did very little else you'd expect from a flanker. When Jennings came on he was everywhere in defence and Leinster dominated the breakdown.

Ben Foden for my money is now the best full back in the world. His defence, kicking, running and positioning was immaculate. Nacewa also impressive. Ashton hugely unimpressive.

When I saw the Saints scrum push Leinster back with 7 men and Mujati in the bin I thought Saints would score 50 +. Never seen such a turnaround in a game.

You must have watched another game Steve, SOB was involved in every ruck and was one of Leinsters top tacklers in the first half. The whole Leinster team was on the back foot due to one thing.....getting smashed in the scrum. The Leinster game is about front foot ball and offloading.

The first scrum in the second half Leinster gained parity, Heaslip broke off the back and popped a pass to SOB who broke up the middle.

A try came from that break and changed the while tone of the game as I don't think Saints won another pen from a scrum all match.

How you blame that first half performance on SOB standing in midfield I'll never know lol (he couldn't get on the ball due to Saints pressure)

I agree that Jennings made an impact as McLaughlin was poor and it's no coincidence Leinster had a kick up the backside at halftime. But to blame that first half display on one player is mental.

Watch the game again and watch SOB's ruck work, tackling, link play and then tell me there's a better carrying backrow in world rugby.

Driver copied my page across. What a game yesterday. One of the best I have attended. Jennings made such a difference. They were getting slaughtered at the breakdown until he came on

Posted my team driver

Jennings should have started really as he's better than McLaughlin. I thought Saints 9-13 let them down massively in the second and showed why none of them are International standard. Saints need some quality there as when a team get parity in the scrum they've got nothing.

Steven agree totally. Sob did nothing. His workrate was terrible. I think he is a showpony. Great carrIer but nowt else. He stands out all the time and does not do the dirty work. Bit like Haskell used to play. At the moment I would say he would be a great impact sub.

Just rewatching the game and it confirms my view. As Stuart barnes said sob was anonymous first half.

I think he can become a decent player but to be world class he needs to learn to do the dirty work. Definitely not a 7 maybe a 6. International 7 should not get schooled by dowson who is average.

Lawes work rate impressed me.
Like to see his tackle count.

Sexton was fantastic and certainly is back to form. Leinster players in so much better condition. Magners allows players to be rested as it's a poor competition but it helps them in the heino

Well I didn't expect anything else Matt, tell me a Leinster player who performed in the first?

Barnes also said he was bordering man of the match in the second as he's a world class flanker.

The second highest tackler in the whole HC is a show pony?

If you forget that I have him for one second do you not think that second half performance was amazing?

He makes yards every time....his so called poor hands made offload after offload. He always brakes the first tackler and get Leinster on the front foot.

I see him as a similar flanker to Burger except better. He's a world class player and I doubt Ferris would get back in the Ireland team if he wasn't finished.

Jennings got 0 turnovers in the second half....schooled by Dowson...lol

Ferris and heaslip a world apart from sob.

Both steve and i were there yesterday and he was conspicuous with his lack of work. Compare him to a genuine world class backrower like juan smith,mccaw, burger, read, dusatoir etc and the thing that stands out is workrate. All of those have it he doesn't yet.

He was good second half as were all Leinster players. They had front foot ball and he is a great carrier so you would expect that. Juan smith mccaw etc would have had an effect on the breakdown in the first half and would not have let their team get smashed so badly.

Stunning second half performance

By the way pooly ferris is now fit. Finished lol

We'll just have to agree to disagree I guess, second top tackler in the comp surely says other wise but when you have it in for a player it's hard to see anything else. I think he's quality and def agree more suited to 6/8 but plays a great linking 7 game.

As Ferris didappears, SOB just slots in...don't know how the Irish keep producing these backrow players. Heaslip was great also in the second best 8 in the home nations by a massive distance. Lions pack:

1. Healy
2. Hartley
3. Jones
4. Palmer
5. POC
6. SOB
7. Warburton
8. Heaslip

I'd have Gray and Croft on the bench for impact.

Not from what I keep hearing Matt, if he does make the WC it may well be his swan song.

My lions 8

1 Sheridan
2 Hartley

3 Jines
4 lawes/Gray
5 palmer
6 croft
7 ???
8 heaslip

I doubt me and you would have Hartley in there 6 months ago. He's came on a lot but not sure if it's because of others (Ross, Rees) have being so poor that he's the default.

Second row is wide open really and just depends who you prefer, I'd have POC in as he's been superb lately and with Palmer forms some physical unit that can compete with anyone. Also POC/Palmer takes any need for Croft in the backrow and can use SOB's work rate and power around the park. Also get the SOB/Heaslip link up. Warbs is a class act and brings something different.

Can see a combo of Davies/Lawes and Gray by 2015 though.

Driver my budget is 53 million with heineken cup and league fInish

My budget is £19m Driver mate

Mines 63m Driver

Hartley has improved out of sight. His scrummaging is superb. Mujati is a decent tighthead but Hartley helps make
Him look word class in the scrums.

Think POC will be retired time of next lions tour. Some
Great second rows coming through.

After his excellent performance Friday I googled George robson. Did not realise he is only 25 thought he was much older. A good Churchill cup and he could get in the squad. Plays 4 or 5 and a great athlete. Offers options from bench. Atwood can only play 4

I really like Robson but he's just a solid AP player for me, agree about Mujati think Tonga and Hartley make him look better than he is. Mercy came on yesterday who's nothing special and Saints had their best scrum all match.

I think my Lions 15 would be

1. Jenkins
2. Hartley/Rees
3. Jones
4. Davies
5. Lawes
6. Croft
7. Warburton
8. Heaslip

16, Rees/Hartley
17. Healy
18. Gray
19. SOB

sorry Lions pack

I used to think robson was just an ap player but to outshine palmer and pape as he did the other night and to outperform almost everyone else he as come up against this year indicates he has really come on. Some players develop later in life. His carrying and offloading are really good.

Never seen him offload much until this season and now he is a star at them.

My lions forwards bench would be
16 Jenkins
17 Rees
18 cole
19 Gray or lawes
20 sob

That's a pretty awesome impact subs lineup. Assuming that you will have to have 2 props on bench post wc

Anybody heard anymore on Jenkins?

SOB carried well second half yesterday, but failed to make any impact at all when Saints were on top. That says to me that he is a good player, but nowhere near in the same bracket as players like McCaw and Juan Smith.

His game is limited and he is never a 7.

My Lions backline would be

9. TOL
10. Sexton
11. Bowe
12. Hook
13. BOD
14. Ashton
15. Foden

Did any Leinster player make an impact when Saints where on top....it was SOB that set-up BOD's chance in the first half if anybody remembers.

You seen TOL this season Steve? My backline..

9. Youngs
10. Flood
11. Bowe
12. Hape
13. BOD
14. Ashton
15. Foden

All Newcastle players available....season reshaping

Lions backs on current form

9 Lawson/reddab
10 sexton
11 Ashton
12 ??
13 bod
14 jsd
15 foden

More probable lions backs note how many of these are in poor form

9 youngs
10 sexton
11 Ashton
12 Roberts
13 bod
14 bowe
15 foden

Driver/Pete

do either of you know what my budget would be?

Want to check if you knew anything before I trawled through 606 working it out.

Lawson...JSD!!!!! Aaahhhhhh

Based on form pooly my point was so
Many better players out of form.

What home nations 9 is in better form than Lawson/ reddan??

Youngs, Phillips, tol all out of form. Youngs, phillips and tol all better players than Lawson but he has been great all year and is Scotland's best 9 currently

As will greenwood said last week jsd best back in England. Hope he plays against Wales and gets a wc place. Him Ashton and foden would be super exciting.

Youngs isn't in awful form at all.

I am a massive youngs fan but he has been poor post 6 nations. To be expected with such a young player

He was quality in his last game. Depends what you mean by poor. For a typical SH, he is still playing above most.

Agree with that Luke. I mean poor by his high standards. Don't think flood helps him sometimes

Scotland are praying Cusiter is fit for WC as he's on a different planet to Lawson and Blair has had the season from hell! Youngs slightly out of form is 20x the player Lawson is imo, Redden is pretty average too. Care is again a lot better.

Youngs isn't out of form just not hitting the heights of last year, think it's more people know his game.

I'd quite like to see JSD given a shot although I'm not a massive fan. Not Lions quality though, his defence just isn't up to it.

Guess it's a sign of a top player that he is considered off form when still playing so well in comparison to others. Great news for England that is.