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Breaking News: Former London Irish boss stnick88 returns in charge of Worcester Warriors and Quins win the top of the table clash with Tigers to narrow the gap between the two teams to a single point.

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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.

http://www.planetrugby.co.uk/story/0,25883,16024_8460006,00.html

Why is Jane out all season where Genia was out 4 months ? ACL is an ACL.

Kahui back to wing for Ab's then until his next massive injury lol. Him
And Savea a massive combo

Rugby club lions edition immense. Every reason why lions is special

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16024_8462865,00.html

It's official Castro is gone, maybe Tigers moving for Halfpenny rumours might materialise.


Depends on the severity of the rupture or a tear matt. I reckon Jane's injury is much more severe obviously.

Anyone watch the Wellington 7's final today - Kenya have got rather good all of a sudden, pushed us very close!

Magic by bod great play. Cuthberts so suspect in defence positionally.

Wales making so many basic errors, not sure what is going on down Cuthberts wing on attack, three times now they've passed way in front or behind.

Ireland are looking very good though - BOD has to be close to the best ever 13, world class pass for the first try.

Thing is when Wales are attacking cuthbert is too flat and not holding his depth.
Jd trying to pass but cuthbert so flat
On him he is making i lt difficult.

Great game Wales coming back in to it. They should have started paul James. Jenkins looks short of match practice as expected

Zebo has been pretty impressive so far, haven't really seen to much of him before.

Ireland just dominating the tackle area at the moment - how many locks do Wales have out injured?

Can't see Wales getting back into this, is Gatland involved with them at all or is he purely Lions now?

Agreed matt about james! Decided last minute to come to game, tipuric and owens need to come on, phillips too busy complaining and not passing! shingler is a waste of space!!

Did Bod join that from the back of the ruck there?

Prop what do you think of Howley and how he does? Seems odd to have not started Tipuric in this one.

Howley just needs to relax and smile more!!

Or wear one of those daffodil hats.

I think Best is nailing that Lions 2 jersey, fantastic displays from him and BOD.

Very happy with 2nd half, my worcester welsh contingent had good impact off bench!! Though Evans and Coombes played very well

How bad was Phillips Prop, surely time to sack him off and get a scrummie who passes?!

Much quicker ball when lloyd came on, mike just wants to fight and complain!! Glad I went to the game, expected a big loss so am happy with 2nd half showing.

Youngs, Farrell, 36 looking good so far.

Goode off pace a bit.

Don't think Youngs has been that good. Some of his service has been pretty poor. Brown & Goode not going too well either

36 looking natural at this level. Farrell going very well. Running at the line alot more then usual.

Great finish Ashton, playing well

Youngs great miss pass for try

Take away kicking and Farrell still playing well

Aton likes his petty squabbles!! Beattie like a man possessed!!

Great pass again from Youngs, so flat.

Cracking line from 36 who's been great

Some performance from Youngs this!

Know its only Scotland bu Owen Farrell really stepping up today

Yea he's been v good. Goode wasn't great 1st half but the whole team is performing now

Brown?!?! Went to pieces since he went to FB

36 excellent today and Morgan top

Yea agree, very good. Can see Barritt missing out when Manu fit

Amazed at how well Twelvetrees took to international rugby there, like a duck to water with it. Wonder who Lancaster will pick at 12 next week after that.

The forwards work at the breakdown was very impressive, though should have won by more if we were more clinical - if Foden plays well this weekend he's got to get recalled.

Was very impressed with England today but thought Scotland did manage to slow down a bit of ball and should have capitalised on some of England's mistakes more.

I hope you all realise how hard that was for me to say!!

Brown showed today he is not a winger. Lacks cutting edge despite actually having a decent game if you catch my drift.

Farrell deserved man of match and Haskell
And Hartley went well. Youngs (hooker ) gave away a few pens and for me was the only low point. Ben young mixed but showed some great glimpses of his pace and his ball to 36 for try was top drawer.

Marler went really well. Next weeks game will be a bigger test. Scotland have not won at twickers in about 30 years so don't think we should get to excited yet. Great win and we played well. Impressed

We got turned over way too much.

Youngs played well, I thought Hartley was poor when he came on tbh. Marler was steady, one of his better games. Launchbury, Robshaw & Morgan were great in the pack.

The back row got through a ton of work. Thought Kelly brown was good for them and I am no fan. Hogg looked electric off scraps

Thought Youngs was a little bit too keen at times today, stupid play on his part to stop Launchbury's try and he's got to work on how he enters rucks, should have been pinged quite a few more times.

Also disappointed with Goode's performance today, don't think he had his best game.

More and more impressed with Parling and Robshaw's performances, both really growing into their roles.

And first time ever I have posted about the England team without mentioning any of my players!

Technically, you mentioned Launchberry

Damn, was so close!

Two great games to watch today, now fingers crossed for an Italy win tomorrow!

Only caught the 2nd half. Didn't see Youngs do anything wrong (they never showed the replay of the pen that got called).

He must have had a complete stinker in the 1st half if he was our 'only low point'??

Goode & Parling weren't great.

Goode improved 2nd half but not his best game, still ahead of Foden for me.

Ben Youngs was fantastic, really got us playing well. Think he pretty much set up 3 tries.

T Youngs was a good 7-8 out of 10, much better than Hartley who was poor when he came on I thought.

Did not have a stinker luke just did not show up like everyone else. A few times today England lost support of their players which was another failing to work on.

Overall we were really good today. Really worth watching. We really tried to play a good brand and were impressive from the off

I though Goode had good moments but some shockers noticeably getting bumped off by Hogg. Parling got ran through by Beattie but that can happen to anyone when tackling a power house like Beattie. One on one full back should always make the tackle on Hogg.

I would advise any English fan to watch the game I thought it was as good a start as we could have with little to fault

Was a strong performance no doubt, great start.

Next Sunday is crunch game and we often struggle in Ireland.

I have tickets for France and Wales game hoping Cardiff will be grand slam day. Have to do the France game for work so will have to be behaved and suited and booted which is not a day at the rugby for me.

I thought England played well , kept the ball in the crucial parts of the field but lost it in some silly positions.

The most pleasing point of the win was that we beat a Scotland side which played well , rather than beating a Scotland side because they where poor.


England +

• Owen Farrell creating chances and playing some real heads up rugby.
  
  
• Geoff Parling has a impact in the loose making some carries which give us front foot ball
  
  
• Joe Launchbrury and Tom Wood looked like superstars
  
  
• Billy TwelveTrees looks made for international rugby

Thing that impressed me was the play of the forwards and how they went through the phases, at times very similar to Quins - can really see Robshaw's influence taking shape on the team now. Tom Wood was excellent today.

We need an inform Foden back, together with a left wing from somewhere - but didn't think I would say this but we may have finally found our solution for the 12 shirt! Twelvetrees debut so impressive today - didn't realise how good he is at getting over the gainline.

Not sure about Strettle at this top level anymore though.

Twelvetrees just looks made for Int rugby, a bit like Goode when he came in. Just stepped up really well.

May or Foden should maybe come onto the bench for Strettle I think.

May's defence was all the over the pace for the Saxons, was a bit disappointed tbh.

Goode has the thing where he just looks like he has time on the ball, I'm not sure what it is about him but I just don't really rate him.

Forgot the Saxons was on tv - really dire game from the sounds of it with the conditions and wind. At least we didnt lose 35-0 this time!

England
Telegraph player ratings, pretty spot on to me. Reckon Hartley will start next week.

Alex Goode
Missed the tackle on Hogg in build up to Scotland try, and appeared ring-rusty after his lay-off. 6/10

Chris Ashton
Looking like the player he was when he first broke into the side - hungry, attrtitional, effective. 8

Brad Barritt
The thumper in midfield. No twinkle-toes but difficult to stop and organised the defence very well. 7

Billy Twelvetrees
Very impressive debut. Carried intelligently from the off and was always probing for openings. Will be difficult to leave out. 9

Mike Brown
A loose clearance which led to Scotland try. Also, not as elusive as he would have wished out on the wing. 7

Owen Farrell
Showed greater tactical awareness and better game management. His points-accumulation is awesome. That world player nomination seems prescient. 9

Ben Youngs
A slightly stuttery performance but it didn't matter. His forwards were in control. Replaced by Danny Care who scored late. 7

Joe Marler
Troubled the more experience Murray, getting up and under him at scrum-time. 7

Tom Youngs
Needless, daft penalties and the lineout didn't go that well. Dylan Hartley, coming off the bench, must have been licking his lips. 5

Dan Cole
The master - for a prop anyway - of the steal at the breakdown. Scrummaged well too. Is a big player for England. 8

Joe Launchbury
Is there anyone better at plucking a ball out of the air in the traffic? And still so young. 8

Geoff Parling
Had a big first half on the hoof. Put to bed the theory that he is power puff in contact. 8

Tom Wood
A great run to start the first half and a dull penalty to end it. The story of his match. 7

Chris Robshaw
Very, very busy and involved. Don't like to see him as first receiver but he makes few mistakes and is a whole-hearted pain to the opposition. 8

Ben Morgan
Spent most of the match fielding and running back the long clearance kick. Did it well, though. 7

Both Youngs rating are well off.

I'd have B Youngs 9 and T Youngs 7.5.

Hartley was poor when he came on, offrered nothing