Season 6 Homepage I

First topic message reminder :

 
Breaking News: Wasps good form continues with victory at Kingsholm while Driver is feeling the pressure following defeat to former Falcons manager Pooly
 

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Welcome to Season 6 of the Aviva Premiership fantasy 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 (SJE) 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 its 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 match day 23'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 an academy squad of 20 players.  Players who are in the academy must be born on or after 1st September 1991.

Any player, who is at any Premiership club in real life, either in their senior, academy or AASE squads, can be bid for on the domestic bidding page.  Players who are at your own club in real life and are coming through the academy system must be bid for if you want them in your own academy.

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 5 players from the Championship or the National Leagues.  These players must be bid for on the Domestic Transfer Bidding page, and each bid will be considered by me on its 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.
  
  There will be a summer foreign transfer window, which will run as follows.
  
  Structured Window
  
  No cash will be used and each team will get effectively free transfers by way of a draft, which will run 12th, 11th, 10th …… 1st, 12th, 11th,10th… 1st place side.  This will run from 10th June 2013 until all teams have had their two picks.
  
  Open Window
  
  Open transfer window, teams have unlimited bids provided they have the financial resources to cover them.  Teams may only bid for one player at a time.
  
  
  

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

All released players will be deemed to have joined a Championship side and can be bid for on the Domestic Transfer Bidding page.

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 match thread will be put up every Monday.  Home teams must be named by midnight on Tuesday.  Away teams must be named by midnight on Wednesday.  Both teams must provide tactics by midnight on Thursday.  Predictions will be open from 00:01 hours on Friday and remain open until 20:00 hours on Saturday.  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.

Managers are asked to provide detail as to why they have predicted a result.  To be considered a descriptive prediction this must be a full 3 lines long when entered into the text box.  If you are not providing a descriptive prediction you will be restricted to predicting a 1 point win either way.

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 match day 23, and at least 4 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.

£2m 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.

1st combo all the way Luke

SOB better at 6 but burger so good u want him in the side too.i like both combos.

Great flank options, could do with a better 8. SOB is great there but not played there for a while so hard to rate.

Phillips sacked by Bayonne for turning up to training drunk

What a muppet. How stupid can u get.

Makes JOC look like an angel.

I wonder if anybody will take him on?

Read there was a bit more to it than that with Phillips sacking, as 2-3 others in the team did the same thing and looking at an excuse for Bayonne's appalling form and freeing up a massive chunk of salary. Apparently he's turned out close to 60-70 times for the club in 2 seasons, plus Wales games, Lions etc. Still a muppet though!

A wins a win!

Sneaked through there against Irish!

Cheers for the opinions lads.

So the only games this week are oz vs eng and japan vs nzl?

yeh everyone else plays week after.

does that mean all other internationals are available for selection this weekend?

Assume so. Matt played his ab's this week.

If its not matchday they're available, always been the case unless it changed.

Budgets and table updated

Top work SJE.  

Apologies for not predicting again!

But delighted on my first league win!  

Anybody fancy a wee deal today?

Could be. What do you want?

What don't I want!

Chaps what do we all think of this rule that if you predo without explanations the scores can only be by one point.

I was looking at a few games people have played and think all it does is make It so that when someone does predict with explanations there result can have a massive effect.

What's peoples thoughts ?

I don't have an issue with it, in fact I'm all for it.

It helps the weaker sides out a bit, which I'm all for being one of them.

Dickson expected to pip Youngs for starting shirt.

Cooper to become Oz vice captain with Mowen captain

Heard that about Dickson, he's been well of late but unconvinced with him on the Int stage personally.

Some interesting calls from SL, dropping Care, Burns etc.

Big talk that Billy V will start at 8 too.

Not too worried about Dickson. I like his style of play in which he really Marshall's the forwards around the park. In theory that allows more time and thought for the back line

England names team to play Australia at Twickenham
October 31, 2013 Jamie No comments
robshaw

Stuart Lancaster has named the England side for the first test of November’s Autumn Internationals at Twickenham.

What do you make of this team selection?

England:

15 Mike Brown (Harlequins, 18 caps)
14 Chris Ashton (Saracens, 34 caps)
13 Joel Tomkins (Saracens, uncapped)
12 Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby, 5 caps)
11 Marland Yarde (London Irish, 1 cap)
10 Owen Farrell (Saracens, 16 caps)
9 Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints, 9 caps)
1 Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 9 caps)
2 Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 9 caps)
3 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 40 caps)
4 Joe Launchbury (London Wasps, 11 caps)
5 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 22 caps)
6. Tom Wood (Northampton Saints, 20 caps)
7 Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, capt, 17 caps)
8 Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 2 caps)

Replacements
16 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints, 47 caps)
17 Joe Marler (Harlequins, 12 caps)
18 David Wilson (Bath Rugby, 28 caps)
19 Dave Attwood Bath Rugby, 4 caps)
20 Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby, 12 caps)
21 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 33 caps)
22 Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers, 57 caps)
23 Ben Foden (Northampton Saints, 32 caps)

its certainly an athletic and powerful team.

Yarde and the side gives us some good pace and power which we lack especially without Tuilagi. like the look of the forwards. has a good blend. guess lawes will be calling the lineout? wood can help him there though.

Seriously mobile pack, with some good ball carriers and options from the bench. Looking forward to seeing if Billy V can take to this level too - going to Sarries was best career move he could have made.

Just hope the midfield can release the backthree.

Throw Corbs, Parling and Manu back in when fit and we are in good shape. I'm mildly concerned about our scrum with Mako and Marler.

It is a mobile pack but to my memory England don't usually play a game which where that wouild benefit us.

With Dickson at no9 would imagine there will be a much higher tempo than usual though.

Scrum will be interesting, with Corbs I think we'd have been fine but read an article last week about Youngs and Hartley's hooking styles and they were saying that Youngs doesn't really hook the ball and instead drives over it and acts as another pusher to get some forward momentum, while Hartley actually hooks and gets quicker ball.

With two looseheads think we are going to need to get the ball out of there as quickly as possible.

Good impact bench though.

Best team available given the injury state.

Agree on the LH's Steve, both haven't set the world alight with the new rules.

I've just been working out my best side across the 6 seasons. (procrastination at its finest)

1. Tony Woodcock
2. Schalk Brits
3. Martin Castrogiovani
4. Bakkies Botha
5. Alun Wyn-Jones
6. Francois Louw
7. Sam Warburton
8. Nick Easter
9. Mike Phillips
10. Quade Cooper
11. Cedric Heymans
12. Jamie Roberts
13. Conrad Smith
14. Joe Rokocoko
15. Rob Kearney

16. John Smit
17. Andrew Sheridan
18. John Afoa
19. Nathan Hines
20. Jamie Heaslip
21. Lee Dickson
22. Nick Evans
23. Maa Nonu

Mine would be

1 Tony Woodcock
2 Keven Mealamu
3 Martin Castrogiovanni
4 Ali Williams
5 Alun Wyn-Jones
6 Jerome Kaino
7 George Smith
8 Pierre Spies
9 Will Genia
10 Nick Evans
11 JP Pietersen
12 Ma'a Nonu
13 Sonny Bill Williams
14 Willie Le Roux
15 Delon Armitage

16 Soane Tonga'uhia
17 Andrew Hore
18 Owen Franks
19 Johann Muller
20 Steffon Armitage
21 Ruan Pienaar
22 Luke McAllister
23 Seilala Mapusua

you going to Saints game Sunday Pete?

Hope the weather holds out. forecast looks ok.

I'm going to Fulham v Man Utd Saturday as well. weekend of the underdogs. could either be an amazing weekend of sport for me or a hurrendous one. either way two live games of sport what a weekend.

Can't see Fulham beating United. Apart from a few stunning goals Fulham are looking quite poor I feel, could be in danger of relegation.

My best team off top of my head would be

1. Cian Healy
2. Kevin Mealamu
3. Davit Kubrashvilli
4. Donnacha O'Callaghan
5. Victor Matfield
6. Juan Smith
7. David Pocock
8. JMF Lobbe
9. Fourie Du Preez
10. Nick Evans
11. George North
12. Yannick Jauzion
13. Jaque Fourie
14. Ben Smith
15. Kurtley Beale

16. Rory Best/Richard Hibbard
17. Salvatore Perugini
18. Ben Alexander
19. Sam Whitelock
20. Heinrich Brussow
21. Morgen Parra
22. Adam Ashley Cooper
23. Cory Jane

forgot I've had Conrad Smith and Jaque Fourie. One of them probably be in there at 13.

Neither can I mate but stranger things have happened. we've been really poor and the 4-1 win at Palace papered over the cracks temporarily. we wont get relegated i doubt we have too many good players for that but we could be in for a scrap and end up 15/16th if we dont improve soon.

Fulham on there day look good. Too many off days at the minute though. Hope Jol does wel, spurs legend. Fulham are a bit of a spurs old boys side at the minute.

What's predictions for England game tomorrow ?

I think we may struggle. Front row worries me with cole decent but no more scrummaging and Youngs and Mako not great. Most mobile England front row ever though.

Second row looks strong and on form. Heard wood is calling lineouts despite lawes impressing there
In training. Is this a saints thing? Lawes been sensational
This season and been best lock in prem.

Our backrow lacks breakdown presence and nastiness for
Me.
Love wood but have doubts about robshaw and billy. Billy will be great but his hands and positional play ain't there. Great work rate and carrying though so it
Will
Come.

Like 9,10 both on form
And logical picks.

Centres hmmmmmmm 36 been poor for glos but seems to suit international rugby. Like Tomkins but trinder been form
Player.

Like back 3 Ashton and Yarde been on form and Brown consistent.

Think Aussies can win enough ball to hurt us. I am off
To the game tomorrow and the NZ game. Keep
Saying I will not go again due to price of
Tickets but then buckle. 83 quid tomorrow
And 105 for NZ it's wrong

As long a twickers sells out it will not change

Think we will win if our centres can gel - must be the biggest centre combination England have had, both must be 6ft 2/3 and 16stone. Saw Tomkins a few times last year and amazed at how massive the bloke is.

Hope Twelvetrees plays well, hasnt seemed to be kicking that brilliantly this year and can't afford to give FOloa any decent ball to attack with.

Lot will depend on whether Robshaw copes with Hooper better this time round, but massive plus for the Aussies is that they've played 6/7 games together recently and this is our first game with new combinations all over the pitch.

Last year or season before saw tomkins play against Gloucestershire in county championship. He got killed
By cinderford centre shows the vision of these coaches that they could see his international pedigree.

England cricket do this they id talent and nurture it.

Trescothick was an average county player and used to also play Sunday cricket. Played against him
And his dad. He was fat but had an eye for a ball. Fletcher saw his talent and then he became a legendary England player. These coaches have vision we don't

I like Tomkins also
Think Trinder is a more classic 13. His pace can get you on outside.

Wonder who Ashton prefers to play with his tracking could make a difference. Ashton in great form.

36 looks great at int level yet dire for glos. Hope he has
Big game temperament and we
Have a 12 as it's our weak point.

Excited by mills and trinder for glos tomorrow. We have picked
A weaker pack than usual and have hazell over kvesic which shows
You his form.
Qera on int duty is a git

Tomkins offloading is very good and picks some v good lines. Think the club understanding between him and Ashton will be a big positive. Trinder has been best 13 in the AP this season, shame he got injured in the build up, sure that was a big factor in selection.

Would have liked to have Foden started, but just glad he's on the bench and playing well again.

Really like Mills, looks like a really good 12 - will be a good game tomorrow Mat, we've got a massive backrow of AJ, Haskell and Nathan Hughes - can see our forwards getting quite a lot of ball, but you'll get some joy in the backs, especially if you attack Hayter and Bassett. Hopeful of a Wasps win because of the pack and conditions.

Absolutely Chris we have a dreadful pack out yann Thomas huia edmunds knight James and Hudson is a horrendous front 5

Robson burns may mills trinder Jsd and cook is a dynamite backline.

Weather forecast is torrential

Wood back next week for glos is Huge. Makes us a better side.
We flog our props to exhaustion so they suffer at end of season this ban may help. Our problem is Harden is our only tight head but has struggled with new laws and misses Hamilton behind him.

Our second rows scrummaging lets down our front row.

Young stookes scrums well but still is a bit raw to start.

People under estimate second role scrummaging.

Owen Franks has been dross since losing thorn.

Etzbeth behind du Plessis has made du plessis an international TH. Also du plessis has matured and is a much better player these days.

To be fair peter du toit will be in boks side with etzbeth on this tour and they could be all time greats.
Du toit has it all. Both can play 4 or 5 equally as well. Think it will be du toit 4 etzbeth 5

Apparently matfield making a comeback also

Watching Thursdays rugby club. Stirling
Mortlock talking of how good positionally kuridrani is. Have a watch pooly.

Mortlock knows a thing or
Two about playing 13

Be great if Matfield comes back as I had him on here when he retired so will have him back.

Am watching Worcester v Bath. Worcester are absolutely shocking.

Think he has to bid for Pete.

Wuss were awful. Rumours Ryan will be gone as he has lost dress urn room by being too direct.

Bath are a serious team he says through gritted teeth

I got had with Bonaire retiring Chris bid on him and I lost a top player. Derek hougaard coming back also but can't see a bidding war for him