Who do you want in the Premiership final?

The reason it's in the International section is because the basis is on development. Because some people think 31st May is the 1st weekend in June the premiership final will be on the week before the 1st New Zealand test. Lancaster has said (I think) that any players involved wouldn't be considered for the 1st test (or the Barbarians game).

Realistic options (although others could clearly make it mathematically, these are all within 5 points of 4th place) and the players in EPS, 6 Nations Squad and Saxons:

Northampton Saints: (6+2+2)
EPS - Alex Corbisiero, Dylan Hartley, Courtney Lawes, Tom Wood, Lee Dickson, Ben Foden
6 Nations Squad - Luther Burrell, Stephen Myler
Saxons - Calum Clark, Sam Dickenson

Saracens: (6+1+3)
EPS - Billy Vunipola, Mako Vunipola, Chris Ashton, Brad Barritt, Owen Farrell, Alex Goode
6 Nations Squad - Richard Wigglesworth
Saxons - George Kruis, Joel Tomkins, Will Fraser

Bath: (4+2+1)
EPS - David Attwood, David Wilson, George Ford, Kyle Eastmond
6 Nations Squad - Rob Webber, Anthony Watson
Saxons - Nathan Catt

Leicester Tigers: (6+1+3)
EPS - Dan Cole, Tom Croft, Geoff Parling, Tom Youngs, Manusamoa Tuilagi, Ben Youngs
6 Nations Squad - Ed Slater
Saxons - Anthony Allen, Graham Kitchener, Matthew Tait

Harlequins: (4+0+4)
EPS - Joe Marler, Chris Robshaw, Mike Brown, Danny Care
6 Nations Squad -
Saxons - George Robson, Luke Wallace, Ugo Monye, Will Collier

These names are clearly not % and will include some players not really in contention due to injury so should be used as a guide only.

This can be who would you like in the final to help with development or who you don't want in the final to give us our best chance to win.

You can discount Parling for Leicester as he's supposed to be out for the season.

As a long-time perma-sceptic of the play-offs I'd prefer to have the Saints for all sorts of reasons apart from them pleasing me the most as the best side win the league.

I don't care who gets in the final. The ABs most probably will win the first game and consequently the series anyway.

Made an Appearance in 6Ns:

Northampton - 5
Saracens - 5
Bath - 3
Leicester - 2
Harlequins - 4

(Others - 6)


From a choosing best England team in NZ point of view, Bath and Tigers to win away semi-finals.

From a purely personal point of view Tigers and ANO

From a non-parochial point of view - Saints v Sarries.

This last one could leave us with the following vs NZ in T1

Marler, Youngs, Wilson, Attwood, Launchbury, Johnson, Robshaw, Vunipola
Care, Ford, May (or Yarde), 36, Manu, Nowell (or Wade), Brown

Mullan, Webber, Thomas, Slater, Morgan, Youngs, Burns?, one of the 4 wingers nmentioned not selected.

LondonTiger wrote:From a purely personal point of view Tigers and ANO.......

I read this and I am sure you meant to mention SAINTS, but probably mis-typed. Happens on these boards a lot from what I read...........

Best for England would be Tigers v Sale/Exeter/Bath

Worst would Be SaintsvSarries, sadly that looks a lot more likely. Still really not sure about Ford as well.

Sarries-Saints. Of course there's a bit of bias but they are the top two at the moment in the league.

A team without those sides would look like this:

1.Marler
2.Youngs
3.Cole
4.Attwood
5.Launchbury
6.Johnson
7.Robshaw
8.Morgan

9.Care
10.Ford
11.Yarde
12.Twelvetrees
13.Tuilagi
14.Wade
15.Brown

16.Mullan
17.Wilson
18.Webber
19.Slater
20.Ksevic
21.Youngs
22.Cipriani
23.Nowell/May

It's a good team.

Would give Bath players some opportunities which will be good for them. Would also ease some Leicester players back into the international fold with the Quins guys adding some much needed good form.

Tigers v Saints... you know it makes sense.

Anyone but the SARU Academy. 

Metal Tiger wrote:Tigers v Saints... you know it makes sense.

Anyone but the SARU Academy. 

Doesn't make sense to me. Tedious to see the same team in the final again and again. Got to give credit to Tigers for showing such consistency but I hope we see two other teams.

As for your SARU Academy comment -     

Dan Cole may well not play rugby again in 2014. He will not be going to NZ.

Portney, if you believe Cockers Parling is nearing full fitness & could be back by the end of the month

LondonTiger wrote:Dan Cole may well not play rugby again in 2014. He will not be going to NZ.

You really think he is done for the rest of 2014 or just for the rest of this season? Hear anything official?
Because it is a neck injury, my preference is that he take a good break from Rugby, continues with light to occasionally moderate training and come back in the autumn at the earliest. Wonder why the exact diagnosis is never published.