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by **Ozzy3213** Wed 02 Jan 2013, 6:27 pm

First topic message reminder :

Breaking News: Pooly quits as Falcons boss after their first home defeat for 2 years, paving the way for a shock return to the Premiership for former Exeter Chiefs, London Welsh and Saracens head coach Driver, who takes charge at Kingston Park.

Homepage - Page 7 Aviva-Premiership-Trophy-e1306508139154

2011/2012 – Newcastle Falcons
2010/2011 - Newcastle Falcons
2009/2010 - Saracens
2008/2009 - London Irish

POS	Aviva Premiership	PLAYED	WON	DREW	LOST	P F	P A	P D	T F	T A	TBP	LBP	POINTS
1	Leicester Tigers	13	12	0	1	333	271	+62	36	24	0	1	49
2	Newcastle Falcons	13	10	0	3	332	291	+41	35	24	1	3	44
3	Harlequins	13	9	0	4	326	302	+24	35	31	1	4	41
4	Sale Sharks	13	8	0	5	329	300	+29	36	29	1	5	38
5	Gloucester	13	7	0	6	324	314	+10	36	34	1	4	33
6	Northampton Saints	13	6	1	6	332	314	+18	36	32	2	5	33
7	London Welsh	13	6	1	6	299	288	+11	31	26	0	6	32
8	London Irish	13	6	0	7	325	328	-3	35	34	2	6	32
9	Bath Rugby	13	6	0	7	303	313	-10	28	34	0	5	29
10	London Wasps	13	2	0	11	267	320	-53	23	36	0	9	17
11	Worcester Warriors	13	2	1	10	275	336	-61	23	36	0	5	15
12	Saracens	13	2	1	10	268	336	-68	23	37	0	5	15

Fixture List
European Homepage

Welcome to Season 5 of the Aviva Premiership fantasty rugby game. Below are the rules of the game which must be adhered to. If there are any situations that arise in the course of the game which are not covered by the rules, a final decision will be made by the RFU (Ozzy3213) as to how the situation will be resolved.

Senior Squads wrote:
The maximum squad size is 40 senior players. If a team has more than 40 players in their squad then they will be fined £1 million per player over the permitted amounts per day for the first seven days. If after 7 consecutive days a team still has more than the permitted number of players then the team will be fined £2 million per player per day, and fined 1 league point per player per day for the next seven days. If after this time a team still has more than the permitted number of players in their squad, the RFU (me) will remove players at it’s discretion to bring them back under the permitted numbers. There will be no right of appeal to players being removed.

Be aware that all tier one international matches which are played during the season will count in the game, and players selected in the matchday 22's for those matches will not be eligible to play for their clubs on that weekend, therefore you must give due consideration to the make up of your squad.

Academy Rules wrote:
Each team will be allowed to have a listed senior academy squad of 20 players. Players who are in the senior academy must be under 22 years of age as of 1st September 2012 (therefore must have been born on or after 1st Septmber 1990). Players who are under the age of 20 (so born after 1st September 1992) AND are in the academy of the club that you are managing in real life, DO NOT need to be listed as senior academy players as part of your 20, but are available to you in this game and cannot be poached by other clubs without paying you a fee.

Should a player not listed in your 20 senior academy players, but part of the clubs academy in real life move clubs in real life, then you will have first option of promoting him to your listed senior academy. If you choose not to take this option he will become property of the club that he moves to in real life in this game.

Transfers wrote:

Domestic (other AP Teams)
Each team has a budget to use in the purchase of players. Domestic transfers between AP clubs, regardless of nationality of player, should be negotiated between the respective managers, and then confirmed on the Domestic Transfer Confirmation Page.

Domestic (Championship and below)
Each team may during the season purchase no more than 3 players from the Championship or the National Leagues. These players must be bid for on the Championship/National League bidding page, and each bid will be considered by me on it's own merits before being accepted or rejected. No bid will be accepted until a minimum of 24 hours has elapsed from the time the bid was made, in order to afford other managers the opportunity to make a counter bid.

Foreign
To make a foreign transfer (i.e from any club outside of the AP, regardless of whether the player is English) a bid should be made on the Foreign Transfers Page, which will be considered by me against the posted guidelines for purchase prices before being accepted or rejected. No bid will be accepted until a minimum of 24 hours has elapsed from the time the bid was made, in order to afford other managers the opportunity to make a counter bid.

Foreign transfers will unlimited during the off season and 2 during the season. The exact dates of the two transfer windows during the season is to be confirmed.

Player Releases wrote:
Managers may choose to release players from their clubs, for which they will be offered compensation

Compensation will be paid as follows

£2 million – current international (must have played international rugby in the previous 12 months)
£1.5 million – former international
£1m – top flight experience
£0.5m – other

If a released player plays in real life for a team outside of this game he will be deemed to have returned to that team. If not then he will be deemed to have signed for a Championship side. If another manager wants to pick a released player up, they will have to bid for him in the same way as for a foreign or Championship/National League player.

Retirements wrote:
There will be no compensation for retiring players. Should a player who retires decide to come out of retirement and play again, then he will automatically go back to the club who he was playing for in the game when he retired.

Fixtures wrote:
There will be 22 Aviva Premiership games per season, plus the play offs. There will also be Heineken Cup, Amlin Challenge Cup and Anglo Welsh Cup matches. These games will take place once a week. A thread will be put up for managers to name their teams on Thursdays, then on Fridays, managers will post the scores that they think will happen from these games (apart from games in which they are involved). An average of all predictions will be taken, and then 0.5 points added to each teams score for each prediction that had them as the winner, and that will then be the final score.

Teams wrote:
When naming your team, not only should you put the starting XV and replacements, but also tactics that your team will employ. Results will be affected by the tactics described.

In addition, each team must have the following:-

At least 10 England qualified players in your matchday 23, and at least 5 of those must be in your starting XV.

At least 2 props and 1 hooker on the bench.

All players must be eligible (not injured or banned).

Failure to comply with these rules will result in forfeiting the match and a 1 league point deduction.

If you fail to submit a team for a match, then the other team will be automatically awarded a 30-0 bonus point win. If both teams fail to submit a team, then it will be scored as a 0-0 draw.

Injuries and Suspensions wrote:
Injuries in this game do NOT reflect real life, they will be generated by me.

Players banned in real life will be ineligible for selection in this game for the duration of the ban.

Inclusion of injured/banned players will result in them being replaced by players on the bench, and the bench not having eight players, which may result in punishment if it concerns the front-row.

Punishment for fielding an ineligible player will be loss of one match point for a first offence, two for a second offence and so on.

Financial Rewards wrote:
There will be no rewards for the result of an individual match, instead the managers will receive cash for predicting.

£1.5m for descriptive predictions
£0.25m for scores on the doors predictions
If you fail to predict without first advising me that you are unable to do so that week, you will be fined £1m for a first offence, £2m for a second offence, £3m for a third offence etc.

AP finishing positions.

Champions: 8m
Runners Up: 6m
Playoff Semi Finalist Losers: 5m
5th: 4m
6th: 3.5m
7th: 3m
8th: 2.5m
9th: 2m
10th: 1.5m
11th: 1m
12th: 0.5m

Heineken Cup

Losing Quarter Finalists - £2 million each
Losing Semi Finalists - £3 million each
Runners Up - £4 million
Champions - £5 million

Amlin Challenge Cup

Losing Quarter Finalists - £1 million each
Losing Semi Finalists - £2 million each
Runners Up - £3 million
Champions - £4 million

Anglo-Welsh Cup

Losing Semi Finalist - £1 million each
Runners Up - £2 million
Champions - £3 million

If your budgets falls below minus £10 million for any reason, the administrators (ozzy3213) will step in and players from within your squad will be released for the relevant financial compensation in order to bring your budget back above minus £10 million.

by **Ozzy3213** Wed 09 Jan 2013, 9:51 pm

Could somebody please tell me what David Strettle has done to warrant a place in the EPS?

by Sgt_Pooly Wed 09 Jan 2013, 9:57 pm

He scored last week, boys on fire!

To be fair, is there anybody better?

Wade - unproven and suspect defensively
Sharples - defence not up Int standard
Banahan - no comment
May - always bloody injured
Vardell - see Wade/Sharples x 10

I wish we had another option to Ashton the way he's been playing lately.

by **Ozzy3213** Wed 09 Jan 2013, 10:01 pm

I don't buy the unproven and suspect defensively shoite for Wade to be honest. Everyone is unproven until given the chance, so give the boy the chance and let him prove himself.

When I've seen him this season his defence has been ok. He's not Brad Barritt, but then not may wingers are.

The boy is mustard going forwards and needs a shot.

by Sgt_Pooly Wed 09 Jan 2013, 10:04 pm

I'm unconvinced, he just seems too small. I'd rather see him than Vardell/Sharples though. We do need some fizz on the wings with Ashton out of form.

by Steven_Sharks Wed 09 Jan 2013, 10:05 pm

Strettle a strange one. Would he be picked if he wasn't playing for Saracens? I doubt it.

Used to be my favourite player for a time. In his early internationals and before he was an electric runners. Reminded me of David Duckham.

Only worry about Wade is under the high ball.

by Fluxy Wed 09 Jan 2013, 10:20 pm

Before Strettle broke his foot against Wales, I would've had Strettle as our best winger and a brilliant broken field runner like JSD. But since that injury it has always seemed in my eyes that he lost about a foot or two of his pace and fizz in the step.

Solid winger regardless, possibly in there to combat the size of some of the other wingers?

by Guest Thu 10 Jan 2013, 8:23 am

Ashton is not out of form in anyway. Looked decent in autumn internationals. Saracens just don't really involve wings that much.

I imagine his defence is much better for playing for them. With the creativity of Tomkins and Barritt do you honestly expect loads of tries for wings. With Goode out any semblance of creativity has gone also.

by Sgt_Pooly Thu 10 Jan 2013, 8:34 am

Ashton well out of form, looks a shadow of player of previous seasons. Wing is a bit of a problem at the minute.

by DHLS07 Thu 10 Jan 2013, 9:16 am

Ashton not tracking the ball as well as he has done in the past. Perhaps this is partly because of how Saracens play, but I'd still say he's not in great form, nor is Strettle. We have two wingers in the squad from the team who have scored the fewest tries in the league.

by Sgt_Pooly Thu 10 Jan 2013, 9:39 am

And the likely 10/12 combo....

by dammit_chris Thu 10 Jan 2013, 9:47 am

If you watch Ashton closely his work rate is still very high and he is tracking the ball, it's just that he isnt at the right club to make the most of those abilities - at Saints he had Foden getting over the gainline and making space for him, Goode doesn't play that way - you had Pisi who got over the gainline and could get the ball away to Ashton, the Sarries midfield changes weekly so again makes it hard to learn their running patterns.

He's got 3 tries in 8 games, so that is almost a 50% strike rate for him. To get best out of him for England you've got to play Foden.

Interesting to see Joel Tomkins get the call up - he's started 15 of the last 19 games and is slowly looking better and better, but he fits the Sarries game plan perfectly.

by Sgt_Pooly Thu 10 Jan 2013, 9:53 am

"He's got 3 tries in 8 games, so that is almost a 50% strike rate for him. To get best out of him for England you've got to play Foden."

The Sarries website has him as 4 tries from 12 games, that's 33%.

Having high work rate doesn't mean you're playing well, especially as a wing. He's just not threatening ball in hand or getting in good situations. I just can't see how he's playing well at all.

by DHLS07 Thu 10 Jan 2013, 9:55 am

I don't have much problem with the 10-12 combo Sgt Pooly. Farrell has shown that he can play a bit, he just needs to do it more consistently, and Barritt is a better player than he's given credit for at times. Having those two and Tuilagi gives us a defensively solid midfield that can also do well in attack. What we need is a back three to frighten teams and I am not sure that it does at the moment.

dammit chris

I agree that Saracens don't play with great gainline breakers, but then you have question Ashton's intelligence at going to a team that doesn't suit him. Foden is a good player, but has tailed off a bit in recent times in comparison to when he broke into the England team. He needs to kick on again as Brown has shown a lot more than he has over the past 18 months. Joel Tomkins is a funny one. he's an ok player who is improving and fits in well at Saracens, but I am surprised that he made the Saxons, as I don't think that he's actually at that level yet. Geroge Lowe, Matt Hopper and Henry Trinder are all better players than him in the thirteen shirt.

by dammit_chris Thu 10 Jan 2013, 10:02 am

DHL Ashton has a bit of an attitude problem by all accounts, have some friends who live next door to the Saints chairman and they aren't too fond of Ashton.

He went to Sarries as they were paying him a lot more than Saints could afford and he wanted to work with Andy Farrell who he idolised as a former Wigan player.

Very good player as he showed against NZ - his defence has come on leaps and bounds at Sarries, doesnt really miss tackles but does enjoy the ten minute rest he gets from time to time with his love of yellow cards!

Brown at 15 has shown a lot more, but he just isn't an international winger - positioning is all wrong, doesnt attack properly there and he wont score tries - Ashton on the other hand will.

Quite a few breaks were made by England during the AI's on Brown's side and he wasn't in position to finish off the scores - that's the problem of playing a fb on the wing.

by Sgt_Pooly Thu 10 Jan 2013, 10:14 am

Yea agree there DHL. I'm a big fan of Barritt but still not sure Farrell is what we need going forward although he played very well for 40mins against the AB's.

Tomkins is baffling.

by DHLS07 Thu 10 Jan 2013, 10:30 am

I've not advocated playing Brown on the wing, just said he's better than Foden at full back at this time. If Ashton has gone to a club that doesn't suit him solely for the money then I question his actual commitment to himself, the national team or the game in general. If he has gone because of his love for Andy Farrell then I question his intelligence, as it would be obvious to anyone who has watched Saracens over the past three years that he would get precious few chances to score tries playing for them. Either way, the facts remain that 1. He is nowhere the form which saw him score that try against Australia a few years back, and 2. Other teams are not scared when they see his name on the team sheet now.

by dammit_chris Thu 10 Jan 2013, 10:42 am

Are you by chance a forward DHL?

Tomkins been playing well for Sarries - imagine that is why he is in.

by Sgt_Pooly Thu 10 Jan 2013, 10:48 am

Has Tomkins being playing well like Ashton is or is he actually playing well?

by DHLS07 Thu 10 Jan 2013, 11:03 am

Lol I am a forward, is it that obvious?!

by dammit_chris Thu 10 Jan 2013, 11:56 am

No comment DHL...

I think most people are forwards in this game, which does explain an awful lot! Do you still play, if so what position?

by Fluxy Thu 10 Jan 2013, 11:59 am

I'm a forward, but played FH at colts - does that show? Headscratch

by DHLS07 Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:02 pm

I'm going to take a wild stab in the dark that you play in the girls then. I do still play, hopefully have a few years left in me yet. I play mainly in the back row, although I have played hooker before but prefer wearing six, seven or eight.

by Steven_Sharks Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:03 pm

I am going to Sale v Montpellier tomorrow night. They have gone with their big guns. We have gone 50/50.

by dammit_chris Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:10 pm

Fluxy why join the cabbage patch?!

Good stab in the dark - the girls is the best place to play rugby, you barely have to tackle, dont get muddy and get all the glory.

Having a nightmare at the moment as the team I play for just plays forward dominated rugby - so I am playing 12 in attack and not getting the ball and then get shifted to 10 in defence where I just have to tackle. Don;t know how you boys enjoy it!

by DHLS07 Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:16 pm

Seriously, I'm not that bothered if I don't get given the ball for the whole 80 minutes. Smashing the opposition and diving into rucks for a scrap are the game.

I think Sale could get something from this game. At home they need to come out firing and get some momentum going for when they get back to Premiership matches.

by SirJohnnyEnglish Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:30 pm

Steven_Sharks wrote:I am going to Sale v Montpellier tomorrow night. They have gone with their big guns. We have gone 50/50.

Strong team from Montpeiller. Still missing a few first teamers in the pack but will be a good test for Sale. Young Jennings in midfield has looked good the few times i've seen him thisseason. Interested to see how he goes

by Fluxy Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:32 pm

Haha, there is more to the game than having the ball in hand. Typical Fly-half/centre there Chris!

Because I love being a pain in the rear end at the breakdown! And also taking the odd crash ball every so often, nothing wrong with smashing some people Very Happy

I'm also going to watch Bath vs Agen, so could be a good game!

by Steven_Sharks Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:46 pm

Jennings hasn't looked like a 12 to me yet, been good on the wing. Looks a prospect.

We have a chance as we always do at home. Backs will run it and hopefully our pack can at least compete.

by dammit_chris Thu 10 Jan 2013, 1:10 pm

Not if your a back Fluxy! Last week the closest we got to a backs move was me charging down a conversion with my head and the ball bouncing off into our wingers hands! Think it was the first time he saw the ball all afternoon.

The pitches we've been playing on recently have been an absolutel nightmare though and sounds like it is snow at the weekend, should be another fun forward dominated game!

by stnick88 Thu 10 Jan 2013, 1:54 pm

who are beaumonty, doyle and holmes steve?

assuming they are youngsters, you will do very well to compete with that montpellier pack.

by Sgt_Pooly Thu 10 Jan 2013, 2:06 pm

Beaumont is son of Bill, he was in the Falcons academy but went to Sale in the summer.

by Sgt_Pooly Thu 10 Jan 2013, 2:47 pm

Just seen he's playing 8, big call. Had the odd 1st team at Falcons I think, possibly at lock though. Big call that.

by Driver Thu 10 Jan 2013, 3:00 pm

Never played for Falcons 1st team

by Guest Thu 10 Jan 2013, 5:46 pm

May and Trinder back !!

by Sgt_Pooly Thu 10 Jan 2013, 5:50 pm

About time!!

Hopefully May can hit the ground running and sneak in England team

by Steven_Sharks Thu 10 Jan 2013, 6:12 pm

Doyle a young flanker we signed from Leicester. Reminds me of Hooper in his style of play in that he does a bit everything. Not up to this level. Never seen Beaumont but no way is he an HC level 8. Some who play with him at Fylde rate him very highly though.

Holmes a big lad, same age as Gaskell played in the same team's all their lives. No idea how he devolped. Used to be a prospect but struggled hugely with injuries.

by dammit_chris Thu 10 Jan 2013, 8:01 pm

Steve, how are you rating Cipriani after your last few games? Seems to be a hot and cold, but playing a better than start of the season?

by prop_lyd Thu 10 Jan 2013, 8:13 pm

Dragons taking this game to Bayonne, 10-6 up at the moment, they are making silly errors though-faletau and phillips on bench.

by prop_lyd Thu 10 Jan 2013, 9:25 pm

Phillips takes on way too much ball for a scrum half, can't see him being the Welsh 9 come 6 nations...needs form!

Dragons holding on 18-22 with 6 to go. Lewis Evans having a good game.

by prop_lyd Thu 10 Jan 2013, 9:30 pm

And as I say that he goes over for a try from a tap penalty!

25-22 to Bayonne with 2 to go.

by Driver Fri 11 Jan 2013, 6:26 pm

Best rugby story of the day, without a doubt...

Cardiff Blues fly-half Jason Tovey is forced to pull out of Blues Heineken Cup squad at Toulon this weekend because his Labrador puppy, Buster, ate his passport. No joke.

by LukeLovesLuka Fri 11 Jan 2013, 9:03 pm

Does anyone have Nick Williams?

by **Ozzy3213** Fri 11 Jan 2013, 9:17 pm

No, but I can see a potential bidding war for him in foreigns!

by Fluxy Fri 11 Jan 2013, 9:27 pm

Driver, were you watching Sky Sport as well!

Was surprised that no-one had Williams yet. Could be useful.

by Driver Fri 11 Jan 2013, 9:31 pm

Saw it on Twitter Flux.

by Fluxy Fri 11 Jan 2013, 9:33 pm

haha fair enough, I saw it on Skysports. Ulster have some injury list now!

by Driver Fri 11 Jan 2013, 9:35 pm

What's the game like? Having a serious case of can't be arsed and only have Sports on my dodgy box upstairs and i'm downstairs lol.

by Fluxy Fri 11 Jan 2013, 9:37 pm

lol, we've got it on our xbox. Scrappy, looks like Ulster should scrap through, but making a bit of hard out of it. Although Glasgow aren't helping themselves.

by Driver Fri 11 Jan 2013, 9:39 pm

Just seen the teams , Tim Swinson has been Glasgows best player this season. Glasgow fans saying his been as good as grey but does more in tight that Grey did but Grey more in loose.

Nick Williams off to J-League soon isn't he?

by Fluxy Fri 11 Jan 2013, 9:42 pm

Payne try, should settle it.

Not really seen Swinson play much. Think he's playing 6 at the moment!

Don't know, he is very nomadic!

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