Season 7 Homepage VI

First topic message reminder :

Breaking News: Saints & Harlequins pick up strong bonus point wins while the battle for top 6 heats up with Gloucester & Saracens good form continuing. 
 

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Welcome to Season 7 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 (SJE) 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 1992. 

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 National League 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.
  
  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.
  
  The window will open from the 9th of June but only to those sides that finish 8th and below at first. They will have a week to make one signing each before the window is open to all.     
  

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 National League 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 European Rugby Champions Cup, European Rugby 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. Failure to meet these deadlines is punishable by the addition of three match points to the oppositions final score, unless both sides fail to do so. Both teams must provide tactics by midnight on Thursday. Predictions will be open from 00:01 hours on Friday and remain open until 15:00 hours on Sunday. 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. 

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:-

For domestic competition at least 8 England qualified players in your match day 23, and at least 4 of those must be in your starting XV.

For European competition at least 8 England qualified players in your match day 23, and at least 6 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 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.

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 upto a maximum of £5m per fine.

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 (SJE) will step in and players from within your squad will be released for the relevant financial compensation (foreign transfer value) in order to bring your budget back above minus £10 million.

My team of the round

1.Joe Marler 

Great game from the loosehead who is starting to live up to the early hype with a great showing against Samson Lee and some work rate in the loose.

2.Rory Best

Getting your basics right for a hooker is a must and Best nailed his lineouts and put himself about in Rome.

3.Dan Cole

Cole didn't look like he'd had a year off of international rugby. If Garces could ref the scrum England would have won by 6 more points thanks to Cole.

4.George Kruis

The enormity of the challange in front of the raw Kruis was there for all to see, playing in Cardiff is hard enough but sound lineout work and plenty of endeavour along with a bosh on Dan Lydiate 5 metres out stood well for him.

5.Yoann Maestri

The French lock added power to the French effort making 11 tackles and winning one turnover. Aswell as being the focal point of the French line. Engine is the word for this man.

6.James Haskell

The only thing which could stop him was the try post, Haskell bought a block buster display which had everything in it.

7.Chris Dusitour

I couldn't split the two , Robshaw was nothing short of amazing in Cardiff and Dusitour showed why he is key to the French side with nothing short of 120% in Paris.

8.Toby Falatau

The efforts of a man in a pack going backwards can't be ingnored as he showed his quality in a struggling welsh pack.


9.Ben Youngs

The captain's job at Leicester seemed to have increased Youngs temperment on the field as he marshalled a England pack around the field for 80 minutes

10.Camille Lopez
11.Yoann Huget
12.Alex Dunbar
13.Johnthen Joseph
14.Anthoney Watson
15.Scott Spedding

Anyone know what injury Corbs picked up at the weekend? Know that he went off injured against Wasps, but no idea what the problem was.

Think I'd go:

1. Marler
2. Best
3. Cole
4. Attwood
5. J. Gray
6. Haskell
7. Robshaw
8. Chouly (Falatuea did brilliantly to set up the try, but didnt really see any Welsh forward in 2nd 40mins)
9. Youngs
10. Ford
11. McLean
12. Dunbar
13. Joseph (Bennett close for Scotland)
14. Watson
15. Spedding

I'd def have J Gray in, he was fantastic. While Richie plays wing he really gets stuck in.

Both good teams, agree on McClean Chris, he really got at Ireland.

Yeah thought McLean did really well, unlucky not to get the try at the end.

Thought both Gray's were very good this weekend, Richie seems to have his form back and caused France a lot of problems. Trouble with Scotland is I'm not sure just how good their front row and back rows are compared to the other teams.

Lot of 13s and 15s played well this weekend, could have picked JJ, Bast or Bennett at 13 or Brown, Halfpenny or Spedding at 15.

Hoping England can build on that win now - Parling, Eastmond and Barritt all fit and Tuilagi and Lawes have been invited to train this week. Few selection headaches on their way!

IMO, Hogg was the best 15 of the lot! Not just saying it because he's my player either

Actually agree with you there on Hogg - forgot about him. He made a lot of yards against France and looked a danger each time he had the ball. How'd i miss him out!!!

Hogg was excellent, he made my team.

I don't rate Richie Gray at all, he's really failed to fulfil his potential. He spends too much time out in the wide channels looking for the Hollywood carries rather than doing lock work. Jonny is everything Richie isn't.

How could you watch the autumn internationals and the game Saturday and say Richie grey did not get stuck in.


Weird in the extreme.

He was excellent vs france and was picked in the NZ herald world 15 after the AI's which shows how highly the kiwis rate him.

Both Grays together give scotland such dynamism.
In the AI's between them they stole 18 lineouts between them. Cotter done a good job with scotland.

It's Jonny that does the dog work which leaves Richie to prance about in the outside channels. He's a ruck inspector like Williams used to be, not my kind of lock.

One of the great minds of rugby and his view on Gray.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/sixnations/11382019/Six-Nations-2015-Six-players-to-watch-by-Sir-Ian-McGeechan.html?image=4

I think he knows what he is talking about. Nothing wrong with being able to play in the wide channels when necessary. Does hard yards and can play wide. Lots of the modern second rows can like retallick and etzbeth.

Scotland are a front row short of being quite a tidy outfit.

Also starting to get depth in some positions.

Russel look a great find and they have some real depth on flanks although wilsons 3 month ban does not help them.

Posting an article doesn't change my opinion. Richie spends the majority of the game in the wide channels, that's the problem.

If you're ever short of wingers you could always shot Croft & Gray out there, I reckon they'd do alright.

Don't think there is a sport quite like rugby in terms of people getting different views - I really like Richie Gray, modern day lock but would say he's good at all the dog work as well. He went off the boil when he first went to France, but this season he looks back to his best.

Scotland are becoming a much better team, could beat anyone on their day. Real shame Italy have gone backwards though - Allan the young no10 looks their only bright spark and they could really struggle against England without Zanni and Campagnaro

Another team of week le roux is underrated http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/sixnations/11399654/Six-Nations-2015-team-of-the-weekend.html?image=1#PhotoSwipe1423562445460

Is he still available via releases

It must have took you a while to find a team with Richie Gray in it. I love the write up:

"Done well in the loose"

Now there's a shock.....

Budgets up to date 

See George Robson has signed up for Oyonnax for next season

Tom Homer to Bath and Gavin Henson to Bristol with immediate effect

Makes sense for Robson as he obviously wouldn't have enjoined sitting on the bench next season.

Homer to Bath is a very odd one.

In the very short term, he can take over the goal kicking from Devoto .. longer term I'm not sure either unless Arscott is leaving

My thoughts on Homer are well documented lol

Same 23 man squad named for England this weekend. Assume it will be the same starting side. When was the last time England played the same side back to back?

Must have been a while SJE, can't remember any recently

WALES TEAM TO PLAY SCOTLAND:
Leigh Halfpenny, Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, Liam Williams, Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb, Gethin Jenkins, Richard Hibbard, Samson Lee*, Jake Ball, Alun Wyn Jones, Dan Lydiate, Sam Warburton, Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: Scott Baldwin, Paul James, Aaron Jarvis, Luke Charteris, Justin Tipuric, Mike Phillips, Rhys Priestland, Scott Williams.

France team to play Ireland:

15. Scott Spedding 14. Yoann Huget 13. Mathieu Bastareaud 12. Wesley Fofana 11. Teddy Thomas 10. Camille Lopez 9. Rory Kockott 1. Eddy Ben Arous 2. Guilhem Guirado 3. Rabah Slimani 4. Pascal Papé 5. Yoann Maestri 6. Thierry Dusautoir (captain) 7. Bernard Le Roux 8. Damien Chouly

Replacements:
16. Benjamin Kayser 17. Uini Atonio 18. Vincent Debaty 19. Romain Taofifenua 20. Loann Goujon 21. Morgan Parra 22. Rémi Tales 23. Rémi Lamerat

I've always been a fan of Homer, but am glad he's gone from what I've heard recently. He'll be good for Bath as they need a kicker right now, but when everyone is fit and available I'm not sure how much game time he will get.

His goal kicking and his ginger locks are his only redeeming qualities imo

The last two games he has played like he'd already left, so it's no loss. Fenby had overtaken him as first choice full back anyway.

Fenby is a much better option from an outsiders view, he has more than an inkling of attacking ability which Homer does not.

Pooly agree with u completely on homer. Never been good enough and without his goalkicking isnt a prem standard player. Maitland and fenby a lot better players.

So much Nick, his goal kicking has saved his rugby career really, I can't think of a worse FB in the league.

Thats because there isnt one Pooly. I remember one season his stats showed he made no clean breaks. For a full back that is awful.

Jesus that's bad, is Masi worse possibly? It'd be a close contest.

Masi's an international full back.

Stop fishing.

He's bloody awful Steve, did you see his "tackle" against Ireland? I'd honestly put Masi and Homer as 2 of the worst in the league.

Cant really argue there. Masi was a good player but seems to of dropped off massively this season. He was terrible v ireland and wasps fans have been far from impressed recently.

Unchanged 15 for England, good to see

Bernard Foley is off to Japan

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/rugby/bernard-foley-to-join-wallabies-overseas-exodus-and-play-in-japan-after-world-cup/story-fni2fxyf-1227217875807?nk=05fe89fe55cb4d7f8d35a8d2e2a03417

Wanted to play 10 every week in AP , also asked Falcons to let Clegg go to nulify competition for places. 

What a horrible person.

was he really worried about competition from Rory Clegg!

Pooly, I'm now going to rate Foley at the same level as Clegg on this game

Meant to have been pretty ego fueled on Skype, really wanted to be the main man despite that he would probs be already being a Austrailian international fly half.

Hard to believe that Driver.

He would have been first choice, that's without question. I doubt he's ever even heard of Rory Clegg!

Clegg is the fly half version of homer. Worst in the league!

Seems like a good time to do a worst in the league line up (regular ish starters only)

And no, the London Welsh starting 15 doesn't count

Very excited for Super XV to start.

Always good when you forget to put your new signing from the forgeins into your team

Very excited Steve, some good games this weekend! Looking forward to Brumbies vs Tahs mostly!

http://blog.rugbyunited.info/2015/02/putting-rugby-in-perspective-by-pete-osborn-of-rugbyli

Fantastic piece of writing ozzy and something I can relate to with my line of work too  that blog shows how rugby can be such a good escape route when needed.