Players to have a break through season

Morning all,

I invite everyone to share who they think will have a break through season this year, for example culminating in more regular first team appearances or national call up. Players from both Aviva and Rabo are welcome, and of any age. They could be a young star or an older player who's on the cusp of greatness but who hasn't quite made it yet.

So let's hear it- who's going to have a defining season with their club?

My choice would be Tom Youngs. I think he's going to have an excellent season with Tigers and become the starting hooker, and will hopefully find himself promoted come the AIs. My other choice is Charlie Sharples. Now Strettle's experiment is over, I think Lancaster will turn to Sharples for the regular wing spot in the AIs.

Well although not a new name to the scene I really think (and hope) that Prydie has a big season fur us down at Dave and breaks into the Welsh squad.

He (IMO) was wrongly picked a few seasons back, didn't break through at the O's and had a nasty injury but looked very good at the JWC and I reckon will be 1st choice for us this season so will get plenty of game time

He's a very decent signing for Dragons. Felt sorry for him after his international caps and the injury period, since he seemed to shift around a bit and seemed a little lost. Know he was on the books of Wasps for a while...?

Cracking player tough and there's no denying his quality. Hopefully he'll find his form again, and push for selection. He's got some serious competition in the Welsh backline though

Blues - With Blair and Lualala leaving I expect to see Dan Fish and Gavin Evans will both be regular first team players. Phil Davies has work with both before (U20s Fish, Scarlets Evans) and has spoken highly about both in the past.

Dragons - I would keep an eye out for Dan Evans, and Tom Prydie. Both have been capped, and then disappeared from existance. Hopefully with regular game time at the Dragons people will atleast be talking about them pushing for squad places (if not better) come the AIs/6N

Jackson for Ulster, a young player that played in H-cup final and Semi already, hasn't really played that many first team games for Ulster, now he's our first choice 10, and is in the most important position on the field.
Alot of Ulsters season will depend on how he steps up.

Ok he didn't play well in the final, but that can be forgiven having been thrust onto the biggest stage in Club rugby, without having played very many games with the first team.

I think all Munster fans are hoping and perhaps praying for this one. JJ Hanrahan. Nominated for young player of the year by the IRB and a very talented guy.

At Edinburgh I'd like to see Harry Leonard get some more game time at 10 after some promising performances for the under-20s, likewise Jamie Farndale who was top try scorer at the JWC, a real natural finisher. Meanwhile guys who broke into the side last season, Grant Gilchrist, Matt Scott, Tom Brown, will need to kick on to avoid second season syndrome.

At Glasgow, Alex Dunbar really improved the backline when he got gametime at 12 towards the end of last season and I hope he establishes himself in the side from now on. Murray McConnell looked good at 9 for the under-20s and should get a chance in November when Cusiter/Matawalu are away. Hooker Pat McArthur and openside Chris Fusaro could make the Scotland squad if they continue to keep Hall/Barclay out of the Glasgow side.

Seen a bit of Chris Fusaro and he looks to be very good. Scotland's backrow could be an area of great strength over the next few years. Great to have someone pressurising Rennie too, if he makes the step up.

JJ Hanrahan has a lot of expectation surrounding him- but he's such a talent. You reckon he'll be starting this season? If so, where?

Agree completely on Tom Youngs, a massive talent and old enough to step up and make the shirt his own. A very dynamic hooker with pace and great hands from his centre days but at the same time is our most physical hooker. If he doesn't step up I think we might struggle as Chutes is too old now.

I'm looking forward to seeing George Ford who has a truely brilliant rugby brain and temprement for a 19 year old. He played fantastically well in the AP Semi vs Sarries (creating both tries) and did well in the final despite players around him having pretty dodgey games (it wasn't his fault that his centres couldn't time their runs or threw forward passes after he put them through gaps). Tommy Bell at Wasps and Ben Ransom at Sarries are both talented 15s we should see more of.

Really I think this season will be the season of the young props with Henry Thomas up at Sale and Vunipola at Sarries stepping into their first teams and coming into the Saxons. Sinckler to start making more bench appearences for Quins as well as Brookes returning from injury for Tigers. It'll be the year of the young fat man.

bluestonevedder wrote:Seen a bit of Chris Fusaro and he looks to be very good. Scotland's backrow could be an area of great strength over the next few years. Great to have someone pressurising Rennie too, if he makes the step up.

JJ Hanrahan has a lot of expectation surrounding him- but he's such a talent. You reckon he'll be starting this season? If so, where?

Fusaro had a great season last year, like I said keeping Barclay out of the 7 shirt. They shuffled Barclay around the back row to keep him in the side but now Angus MacDonald and Viliami Ma'afu have signed at 6 and 8, so I reckon this year it'll be a straight battle between him and Fusaro at openside. If Fusaro wins that contest again, Andy Robinson will surely have to pick him! We've always managed to produce plenty of decent backrowers in Scotland, if only it was like that in every position!

Sam do you reckon Youngs could struggle to make the step up to regular Tigers hooker? I thought he looked brilliant in the summer barbarians games, and showed all the attributes you mentioned. One break in particular I remember- blistering pace and immense power to break through the line. Awesome stuff. Hopefully his throwing will have improved even more, since he showed signs of improvement on tour.

Mentioning poor throwing, I hope Lindsay of Wasps has sorted his out too- he's got potential if he can learnt o throw better.

I'm not expecting it, but I'd love to see Jack Dixon get more game time for the Dragons this coming season. He's played for Wales Under 20s but his only game for the Dragons (correct me if I'm wrong) was against Munster at home, when he came on as a sub. He was strong and quick but he looked like a natural footballer too.

Sam do you reckon Youngs could struggle to make the step up to regular Tigers hooker?

I thought he might have taken it off of Chuter at the start of last season Blue. It was becomming a close run thing before Youngs's back injury. It's going to come down to the throwing, Cockers loves his lineouts and if Youngs can't do the job there he won't be picked. However, Youngs through as well as Chuter did in the AP final and crucially didn't race out the line leaving a gap and help give Quins their first try. I'm hoping Tom Youngs either starts the season as first choice or takes the shirt early, he is everything we need in a hooker at the moment and only his lineout throwing will hold him back.