Season 8 Homepage II

by Fluxy Sun 09 Aug 2015, 12:25 pm

First topic message reminder :

Breaking News: London Wasps regain their crown following playoff final victory.

Season 8 Homepage II - Page 5 Aviva-Premiership-Trophy-e1306508139154

2014/2015 – London Wasps

2013/2014 – London Wasps
2012/2013 – Leicester Tigers
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	Bath Rugby	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2	Exeter Chiefs	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Gloucester	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Harlequins	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	Leicester Tigers	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
6	London Irish	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
7	London Wasps	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
8	Newcastle Falcons	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
9	Northampton Saints	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
10	Sale Sharks	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
11	Saracens	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
12	Worcester Warriors	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Links

Fixture List
Released/Championship/National League/Academy Bidding
Foreign Transfers
Budgets
European Homepage
Anglo Welsh Homepage

Welcome to Season 8 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 23 players. Players who are in the academy must be born on or after 1st September 1993.

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. Worcester Warriors & London Wasps will receive two additional bids to be used exclusively on academy age players. These players must be bid for on the National League Bidding page, and each bid will be considered by the RFU 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 the RFU 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.
Player Draft
Worcester Warriors & London Wasps will participate in a player draft beginning the week of June 22nd. Both sides will be allowed to draft two players each. The draft picks will go as follows; 1. Worcester 2. Wasps 3. Wasps 4. Worcester.

Round Bidding
There will be two rounds of bidding. The first window will run the week starting June 29th and the second the week starting July 3rd. All sides will be allowed to sign one player each during the window. These bids are not protected if you do not have the funds in place to bid during the window you will lose the bid.

Open Bidding
From July 13th the foreign market will be open to all bids similar to previous seasons. Due to the world cup the window will remain open till the end of September.

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 20:00 hours on Sunday. Managers will pm 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
Bonuses will be awarded on a scaled basis i.e. 2m for 5 games, 1.6m for 4 games and so on
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.

by dammit_chris Wed 19 Aug 2015, 7:02 pm

Personally think he'll end up being one of the top players around because of the physicality and skill set he has, but WC is very risky to give him a go but at same time he's played in the huge games in league and has always performed so a counter argument is that Slade is a novice in terms of big games and a risk to take on that front.

I can't believe Slade wasn't give some time off the bench in 6Nations, shocked by that.

by Sgt_Pooly Wed 19 Aug 2015, 7:05 pm

Burgess could be quality but not now and not at centre, I'm just baffled that people think he played well.

by ChequeredJersey Wed 19 Aug 2015, 7:05 pm

dammit_chris wrote:its amazing how we just don't seem to produce no7s in this country. Not sure if anyone is close to coming through and changing that.

Fraser is still my hope

by dammit_chris Wed 19 Aug 2015, 7:28 pm

CJ he could well be, just hope he can get a run of games together to show what he can do. I liked Gus Jones at Wasps but we let him go to London Welsh - just don't seem to give young no7s a chance, which I understand as during the winter months and bad conditions you can get by with just having a physical backrow like Wasps.

by ChequeredJersey Wed 19 Aug 2015, 7:43 pm

Clifford could be a 7, he has the attributes to be a linking 7 but he'd need to focus on it

by Steven_Sharks Thu 20 Aug 2015, 10:43 am

Is this France's strongest side? Aside from Dusatoir
http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_71899,00.html

by Sgt_Pooly Thu 20 Aug 2015, 10:54 am

Very strong but bizarre halfback selection.

by Guest Thu 20 Aug 2015, 10:55 am

Ftd, Mas and potentially ouadrago would be in France's strongest 15

by Guest Thu 20 Aug 2015, 10:57 am

France are really well stocked at prop either way. Antonio a great impact sub

by Steven_Sharks Thu 20 Aug 2015, 10:59 am

Slimani there best scrumager in last year.

I don't think France go with Ouedrago and Dusatoir in the back row. They are well stocked there. No one has a place guaranteed in there.

by Sgt_Pooly Thu 20 Aug 2015, 11:04 am

Dusatoir the only guaranteed I think.

Agree on Slimani, very good player. Mas has picked up but Antonio is very average, he was very poor off the bench last week.

by Guest Thu 20 Aug 2015, 11:06 am

Mas was first choice In 6 and was great last week so assume they will start him and arous.
Slimani very much heir apparent and the future with Antonio who looks great for losing the weight.

French looked a lot fitter than usual last week. That camp they have had seems to have given results

by SirJohnnyEnglish Thu 20 Aug 2015, 11:10 am

Mas started two games to Slimani's three in the 6 nations

by Sgt_Pooly Thu 20 Aug 2015, 11:13 am

Antonio looked anything but great last week.

Mas wasn't first choice, pretty sure he was dropped and came in later in 6N (could be wrong but pretty sure)

by Sgt_Pooly Thu 20 Aug 2015, 11:15 am

Mas massivley on decline but his experience will be great during 6N, he'll have to be involved.

by Guest Thu 20 Aug 2015, 11:18 am

They started slimani first 2 games then dropped him for Mas hence he finished as starting TH.
You would struggle to find anyone who said Antonio was poor last week.he came on and was part of a dominant pack.

Think everyone of the French pack went well last week with pickles the star player.

Reading that France's success with 2 7s last week has left psa considering playing a combo of either ouadrago nyanga or dusatoir

by Sgt_Pooly Thu 20 Aug 2015, 11:20 am

Antonio was really poor Matt, it was the only time we got on top in the scrum, France lost all momentum. Mas had a very good game in the scrum though.

by Sgt_Pooly Thu 20 Aug 2015, 11:21 am

Antonio is great around the park but a very poor scrummager at times, he's an odd choice for France tbh. He's still quite raw though.

by SirJohnnyEnglish Thu 20 Aug 2015, 11:21 am

Slimani started the first three games Matt and was on the bench the last two. Hardly makes Mas first choice. Quite like the look of Antonio though real impact player off the bench late on

by Sgt_Pooly Thu 20 Aug 2015, 3:45 pm

Rumours Croft has got injured again and won't be fit for WC (he was apparently going to be on standby for injuries ironically)

by pullthestrings Thu 20 Aug 2015, 4:04 pm

Hey fellas, hope you're all good?

Thinking of doing a RWC league, 16 teams, 4 pools of 4. Small squads to leave players for foreigns. Would anyone be keen?

by ChequeredJersey Thu 20 Aug 2015, 4:38 pm

Would love to but I have been struggling to manage this one competently recently!

by Fluxy Thu 20 Aug 2015, 4:40 pm

I'm up for it pull!

by ChequeredJersey Thu 20 Aug 2015, 6:09 pm

A quickie before the RWC gets underway - what would be your choice for a world cup XV, but only one player from each Nation?
Mine would probably be:
15 - Leigh Halfpenny - is he the best 15 in the NH never mind the world? No. But he's not far off, and if use by an attacking coach, still has attacking attributes as well as his bravery, tackling and kicking games and his superb goal-kicking.
14- Nemani Nadolo- if I could pick an englishman, I think Watson will have a huge tournament, but Nadolo is lethal for the Crusaders and will be Fiji's biggest weapon, powerful, very fast and an unbelievable attacker AND finisher
13- Robbie Henshaw - Tempted to pick JJ with POC at lock but it left me lacking power in the centres, and Henshaw has been excellent in his first season of Int rugby. Amazing defender, but also a crash ball option with a drive, good hands and one of Ireland's best if underused passers, and then the pace, kicking and chasing games of a gaelic football playing 15 (which he is)
12- Wesley Fofana - mixing positions as needed with Henshaw, a hugely classy attacker who punishes any space. Different type of 12 to those of most countries but a special special player
11- Tim Nanai-Williams - often been touted for the ABs and a v good utility back at 15 or wing at Super 15 level, he now gets his chance for Samoa and could surprise some people
10- Finn Russell - genuinely looks very talented, and if Scotland give him the support, he could flourish, as he has all the attacking weapons needed at 10 and a good temperament too
9- Aaron Smith - playing ludicrously well, a master in every aspect of 9 play with a good kicking game, lovely snipes, the quickest and best pass in rugby and a cool head.
8- Sergio Parisse - I don't like him but he is certainly Italy's best player and possibly the best 8 in the world, and with Burger and Pocock doing the gritty stuff he'd be even more free to do what he does best and act as a link and attacking runner/platform for his backs
7- David Pocock - looks back to his best and just so good at the breakdown that it's ridiculous
6- Jacques Burger - battered, plays for a minnow but still a fantastic flanker and one of the best tacklers (if borderline illegal technique!) in the game
5- Samu Manoa - playing 8 a lot for Saints but a very good lock and top contender for best US player, he adds hard tackling, work, a good line out jumper and some hard yards. Would make most country's squads to be honest
4- Courtney Lawes - v tempted by the work rate of the brilliant Launchbury, but went for Lawes' athleticism and extra line out ability as a caller, also he's used to playing with Manoa
3- Davit Zirakashvili - both he and Kubriashvili are great Georgian THs with experience in the forward dominated T14, and could destroy most opposition scrums
2- Bismark Du Plessis - nasty, powerfful, good at the set piece and just has an aura of menacing quality. Not at his best form but when he is he is the best hooker in the world and even now adds so much to any team
1- Marcos Ayerza - best LH in the world with Marler and Healy close behind, and a master in the scrum

by Guest Thu 20 Aug 2015, 6:48 pm

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Rumours Croft has got injured again and won't be fit for WC (he was apparently going to be on standby for injuries ironically)

Sounds about right

by Driver Thu 20 Aug 2015, 7:55 pm

pullthestrings wrote:Hey fellas, hope you're all good?

Thinking of doing a RWC league, 16 teams, 4 pools of 4. Small squads to leave players for foreigns. Would anyone be keen?

Me! ME! MEEEEE!

Yeah i'd be interested....

by Steven_Sharks Fri 21 Aug 2015, 6:45 am

No Horwill or White for Oz in WC

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_72117,00.html

by Sgt_Pooly Fri 21 Aug 2015, 8:15 am

Thats a real surprise as both have been impressive the last few games.

Genia over White???

by dammit_chris Fri 21 Aug 2015, 8:24 am

Only 2 hookers and 2 no9s - bit of a gamble there, especially in such a brutal pool.

by Fluxy Fri 21 Aug 2015, 8:25 am

I'll take that for the start of the season! Very Happy

Not just because they're my players but do think they deserve to be at least in the squad. Both haven't really put a foot wrong, apart from moving abroad. Thought Horwill was good at the lineout last weekend, gave good leadership.

by Guest Fri 21 Aug 2015, 9:15 am

Horwill been awful for a couple of years with dreadful discipline but been ok off the bench in RC. Not surprised being honest.

Amazed they have not taken 3 number 9s but I do feel white is not an int player but a very effective s15.

by Guest Fri 21 Aug 2015, 9:17 am

Means gits is covering sh. Aussies have a lot of versatile players

by Sgt_Pooly Fri 21 Aug 2015, 9:52 am

Genia has been awful too Matt but has snuck in. At least Horwill has played well in the 4N, Genia hasn't. Totally shocked they've picked Genia over White.

by Steven_Sharks Fri 21 Aug 2015, 10:49 am

I'd have taken Phipps, White and Genia. Giteau not a international 9. I'm not convinced he'd have the engine for it.

by Steven_Sharks Fri 21 Aug 2015, 10:53 am

I think they've got too many back row and wings. One or maybe two of Tomane, Speight and Horne and McMahon probably lucky.

by Sgt_Pooly Fri 21 Aug 2015, 11:08 am

Yea agree Steve, you wouldn't fancy Giteau having to start at 9. Way too many wingers.

by Steven_Sharks Fri 21 Aug 2015, 11:15 am

I'd take Tomane and Speight as wingers ahead of Horne but he offers the versatility. I'd expect Horne to go at 13 v Uruguay to rest AAC and Kuridrani.

Hooker a risk for me. One picks up a week long injury and they might have to replace them for the whole tournament.

by Steven_Sharks Fri 21 Aug 2015, 11:20 am

Nagusa and Nalaga miss out on RWC squad. Fiji don't half have some wing options.

by Sgt_Pooly Fri 21 Aug 2015, 11:26 am

Hasn't Nalaga done something naughty?

by Guest Fri 21 Aug 2015, 12:06 pm

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Genia has been awful too Matt but has snuck in. At least Horwill has played well in the 4N, Genia hasn't. Totally shocked they've picked Genia over White.

Genia had an ok super 15 in an awful side with a pack in reverse. He was ok in the half of a game he played in RC.

As I said thought they would take 3 as he is undercooked.

Lots of int coaches doubt white for his option taking, lack of threat and his easy to telegraph kick. That coaching site I often post links to has a great piece on if.
A
The other reason they have taken Genia is probably experience. Phipps had a mare against NZ so he may be covering his back

Genia a long way from his best but there are doubts over Phipps and white at Int level.

If Australia had 2 decent scrum halves playing well I imagine they would have taken them and not Genia. It's not a strong position for them unless Genia is in form.

Phipps will start 9

by pullthestrings Fri 21 Aug 2015, 12:11 pm

pullthestrings wrote:Hey fellas, hope you're all good?

Thinking of doing a RWC league, 16 teams, 4 pools of 4. Small squads to leave players for foreigns. Would anyone be keen?

Any others? Was hoping for 6-8 from here, then will take randoms. Only a short tourny!

by ChequeredJersey Fri 21 Aug 2015, 12:24 pm

pullthestrings wrote:
pullthestrings wrote:Hey fellas, hope you're all good?

Thinking of doing a RWC league, 16 teams, 4 pools of 4. Small squads to leave players for foreigns. Would anyone be keen?

Any others? Was hoping for 6-8 from here, then will take randoms. Only a short tourny!

I can try

by BamBam Fri 21 Aug 2015, 1:21 pm

I'll join mate

by Sgt_Pooly Fri 21 Aug 2015, 3:15 pm

I might be able to get involved if desperate

by dammit_chris Fri 21 Aug 2015, 3:57 pm

Good article by Greenwood on the Telegraph about the final squad selection, reckons Corbs is going to miss out due to injuries, along with Clark, Cipriani, Twelvetrees and Easter.

Then said Kruis over Attwood, George over Cowan-Dickie (latter was meant to be great in training camp and bright future) and then Burrell to miss out to both Slade and Burgess.

by Guest Fri 21 Aug 2015, 4:45 pm

I would agree with that Chris. Apparently england desperate to have LCD involved as he offers so much more than any other hooker and has that something different. But you can't have youngs and LCD who both have some issues with darts.

LCD very young and will sort it but needs to work on it. Not been hooking that long, that said he was bought on in a poor situation going backwards and not ideal. Interested to see how George goes

by dammit_chris Fri 21 Aug 2015, 4:53 pm

If George gets his darts right then he'll go, I like LCD and think he could go on and win a lot of caps - they are bringing through some very talented youngsters at Chiefs.

Webber seemed to go ok come lineout - I just hope that after spending several months now with Lawes and Launchbury that Youngs will have his lineout nailed.

by Sgt_Pooly Fri 21 Aug 2015, 5:04 pm

It doesn't take much too guess that LCD won't be in the squad. That was one of the worst hooking displays I've ever seen at Int level, the boy can't throw unfortunately.

by **Ozzy3213** Fri 21 Aug 2015, 9:17 pm

Lads, apologies for the lack of match thread update. My wife has been rushed inot hospital with suspected appendicitis, so not sure when I will get time, so you might have to scan through the teams and find the match ups I'm afraid. Sorry.

by SirJohnnyEnglish Fri 21 Aug 2015, 9:22 pm

Sorry to hear Pete hope all is ok. I'll have a bash at updating the thread in the morning. Lads can send pms to me and I'll take care of it this week.

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