Saracens

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INFORMATION
Old Site: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A84388378
Head Coach: Bathite
Forwards Coach: Danny Grewcock
Backs Coach: Mike Catt

FIXTURES

Heineken: Finished 2nd in Group
1. Ospreys (A) 25-18 (L)
2. Clermont (H) 29-20 (W)
2nd in Group - Challenge Cup

Challenge Cup: Winner
Semi-Final: Leinster (N) 30-31 (W)
Final: Stade Francais (N) 21-30 (W)

Knockout Cup: 1st Round Loss
1st Round. Highlanders (A) 25-22 (L)

League: 4th
Record: P22 W13 D3 L6
1. Leinster (A) 26-19 (L)
2. Northampton (H) 23-22 (W)
3. Ospreys (A) 32-19 (L)
4. Toulouse (A) 30-16 (L)
5. Highlanders (H) 22-24 (L) LBP
6. Stade (A) 22-22 (D)
7. Toulon (H) 28-17 (W)
8. Bath (A) 28-26 (W)
9. Biarritz (H) 31-23 (W) WBP
10. Clermont (A) 19-31 (W) WBP
11. Leicester (H) 27-20 (W)
12. Leinster (H) 30-22 (W) WBP
13. Northampton (A) 33-20 (W) WBP
14. Ospreys (H) 29-29 (D)
15. Toulouse (H) 25-28 (L) LBP
16. Highlanders (A) 27-25 (L) LBP
17. Stade (H) 31-22 (W) WBP
18. Toulon (A) 19-33 (W) WBP
19. Bath (H) 32-22 (W) WBP
20. Biarritz (A) 21-27 (W)
21. Clermont (H) 20-0 (W)
22. Leicester (A) 23-23 (D)



MATCHDAY

Position	Strongest Squad
1	S.Tonga'uia
2	B.Du Plessis
3	O.Franks
4	L.Nallet
5	P.Albacete
6	R.Elsom
7	S.Burger
8	S.Parisse
9	J.Cowan
10	N.Evans
11	H.Gear
12	M.Nonu
13	J.Fourie
14	D.Mitchell
15	I.Toeava
16	R.Roncero
17	P.Dixon
18	R.M-Chluski
19	M.Bergamasco
20	R.Wigglesworth
21	B.James
22	C.Heymans

FIRST TEAM SQUAD

Hookers: 2
Props: 5
Lock: 4
Back Row: 7
Half Backs: 4
Centres: 3
Back Three: 5
Squad Size: 29 (29 Available)

Forwards

Name	Position	Nationality	Squad Status	Value
Soane Tonga'uia	LH	Tonga	Key Player
Rodrigo Roncero	LH	Arg	First Team
Wyatt Crockett	LH	NZ	First Team
Owen Franks	TH/LH	NZ	Invaluable	Not For Sale
Matt Stevens	TH/LH	Eng	First Team	INJ
Bismarck Du Plessis	HK	SA	Invaluable	Not For Sale
Pieter Dixon	HK	Zimb	Back Up	£10m
Lionel Nallet	LK	France	Key Player
Patricio Albacete	LK	Argentina	Key Player
Romain Millo-Chluski	LK	France	First Team
Julien Pierre	LK	France	Rotation
Rocky Elsom	BS/N8	Australia	Invaluable
Schalk Burger	OS/BS/N8	SA	Invaluable	Not For Sale
Sergio Parisse	N8	Italy	Invaluable	Not For Sale
Mirco Bergamasco	OS/BS	Italy	First Team
Wycliff Palu	N8/BS	Australia	First Team
Thomas Waldrom	N8/BS	NZ	Rotation	£18m
Matt Todd	OS/BS	NZ	Rotation

Backs

Name	Position	Nationality	Squad Status	Value
Jimmy Cowan	SH	NZ	Key Player
Richard Wigglesworth	SH	England	First Team	£14m
Nick Evans	FH	NZ	Invaluable	Not For Sale
Butch James	FH/IC	SA	Rotation
Ma'a Nonu	IC/OC/WG	NZ	Invaluable	Not For Sale
Jacque Fourie	OC/IC/WG	SA	Invaluable	Not For Sale
Brad Barritt	IC	England	Rotation
Hosea Gear	WG	NZ	Invaluable	Not For Sale
Drew Mitchell	WG/FB	Aus	Invaluable	Not For Sale
Isaia Toeava	FB/WG/OC	NZ	Key Player
Cedric Heymans	WG/FB	France	First Team
Ben Smith	FB/WG	NZ	First Team

INJURIES
Ma'a Nonu HEALED
Rocky Elsom HEALED
Matt Stevens

FINANCES
Budget: £5m

I knind of thought you got the fact that I didn't want lose Lawes because of the combo, so not really interested in losing Palmer too sorry.

Tale the part with the Locks out?

The only one I can think of is;

Williams for Maitland?

Are you seriously saying that!

What would you want then?

Reluctantly I have reconsidered; Palmer for Boric?

Are we any closer to a deal?

I last proposed this;

Ansbro + Kirchener + Skrela + Ayerza + Palmer
=
Kahui + Halfpenny + Goode + Parr + Boric

I'd be happy to wait, Although I would prefer the whole deal.

soooooo then would you be interested in Jannie Du Plessis to put het SA brothers front row together?

I'm fine with waiting. Once the teams are announced for this week?

Still nothing for Boric?

Not really, you're ripping apart my team just for back up.
Whereas I'm taking back up for my starting lineup.

Also I've only got four Props, why do you need six!

What would you suggest?

Cole and Jenkins start, only Ayerza would be suitable if you're not including the three you want to keep. Otherwise it would be pulling me apart.

Sclezo could leave depending on the offer

Ask a few people how they rate Sclezo. Also something I learnt a while ago if you want a good powerful scrummager look for a Georgian or an Argentinian.

TBH quite surprised you've never heard of him?

Honestly ask on the front page. I'm not blagging here :L he is getting on a bit but still quality. Part of the all conquering Argentinian front row that usually wins the battle in the scrum

mate anything you want to know about top14 i'm your man.

just got back from 5 years in SW france near Biarritz, watched them every home game and all the tv coverage . . . . if I can help you let me know

we moved down there for a change of lifestyle - I recommend living abroad to anyone. We had to come back for my wifes new job and also I couldn't get any work over there without serious tax problems.

French stuff then . . .
Scelzo is a good prop but there are probably better out there still.
John Afoa for example, its all about who you like as well !! if you don't like scelzo don't go for him.

Campbell Johnston would be a good bet, he can cover both sides and is an ex all black with loads of experience I put him up there with the likes of Ledesma etc . .

don't know if cenus johnson has gone yet? Daan HUman for toulouse is a bit of an animal. Slipper - somerville as well worth a shout.

if you want anyting else let me know oh and hands off Bekker

But like I said Woodcock isn't for sale. I know your only interested in him for some reason and nobody else but I can't do Woodcock.

if I were you I would look at John Afoa, or as a ral cheap back up - Julian White!! lol

Have we hit a snag on our deal?

Really want Kahui and Halfpenny

Hook 4 Kahui not a chance.

What is wrong with Stephen Donald, he is an All Black international the best country with the best players he is a very good player and could do well for Bath, Bath were never going to get someone like Carter or Quade Cooper that is just a bit too fantasy world if you ask me, even though Carter was linked.

Cipriani of course was also linked, I would prefer Donald to Cipriani by a long shot, Bath have brought well this season so they know what they are doing when it comes to signing players.

we may still get Carter on a sabbatical!

Okay mate, I could offer the following;

Ansbro + Kirchener + Lawes + Palmer
=
Kahui + Halfpenny + Nallet + Boric

You keep the money for Evans would be a good idea, but you do have Goode?

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=10730370

That for instance, Donald is ok for me that's why I brought him very cruel for him but I see Steyn is also a possiblity for Bath didn't click to find which one was linked.

Looks like a new 10 for me then, O'Gara or Jones or possibly Slade, Sexton or Flood off somebody.

Food for thought, this game definitely wears you out.

Well Hook and Steyn would only go for Nonu, Fourie or Toeava.

From Clermont I don't think any of there players match the potential of Hook and Steyn sorry to say.

So Nonu, Fourie or Toeava or nobody at all.

Put forward a deal and I'll have a look at it

Marconnet + Masaga/Turner/Malzieu (whoever you think is the lowest rated)
4
Parr + Saunders + Halfpenny

That wouldn't help out Clermont at all. Parr and Saunders have ZERO rating, so it's basically,

Marconnet + Masaga/Turner/Malzieu
=
Halfpenny

I rate Clermont's wingers = to 1/2p so obviously a no go. If you want Marconnet I would suggest including Kub as a minimum, plus probably a lock. Clermont don't need wingers - they need a strong pack and half backs

Beauxis - yeah he's only ever ok - but a bargain as a back up in releases for £8mil

Skrela - i like him, think top 10 fly half - nah for my he makes too many mistakes and is slow. He relies on a good back 3 - he will be getting found out come world cup time as he did in the heiniken cup. If he can become more consistent then he has potential to be at the top.

Brock james - same as above, would love bath to sign him! Yeah Brock is a top FH agree there would do ok at Bath.

Estebanez and Wisniekwi i havn't seen play much, thoughts - Not massive amounts of thought here, theres guys won't really have been heard of if I were looking at top14 FH's and backs I would look at:

Marcelo Bosch - the argentine that plays for Biarritz very good.

Wisniekwi is quality, and was unlucky not to go to the WC in my opinion

I would have rated Bosch in a side.
What about Craig Gower or seramai Bai ?

Estebanez and Wisniekw - dont get me wrong they are both good but how many people on here will recognise that. Wisniekw will always be playing second fiddle though to JMH imo

Have them both way behind the likes of ROG anyways. Not looking for a FH, just interested to hear opinion as always. Gower and Bai! oh dear oh dear! About 10 FHs still available i would have above them

Bai is a good player? Gower ok am maybe scraping the barrel a bit there

Budget on the homepage...

sorry mate I really don't rate AWJ up there as a replacement for Bekker.

I know Halfpenny is highly rated on here and see why you are offering him and he would be better than Abendanon he's Saxons first choice FB, consistanlty one of the best players in the Prem and I think yo umay see him head out to WC before Delon Armitage does on form at the moment.

Strettle finished on form in the prem, he's 3rd choice WG (considering Banners will probably end up playing center)

If you really want Bekker I am open to listen to more deals but not sure what we can work out here mate!

yeah hear what your saying mate but as back ups I think people will rate Strettle & Bendy.

Maybe not starting first team but they are good enough backs. Whereas AWJ wouldn't get on my bench as I would put Ryan Jones there before him.

anyway you have a great set of locks?

Bathite wrote:Sorry to cause personal offence, but even Banahan wont be rated, Halfpenny better then him!

lol until they meet on the pitch again.

only thing I would come close to doing would be to involve Boric mate, AWJ is just not going to cut it as he is like you say not rated on here.

sorry bro.

I mean though you have a great combo in Nallet & thion and with Boric as back up thats great?

You don't have Masaga?

Did you see my one last night?

bty I rate players on their actual abilities not by who thinks who is good in the league.
Hence I rate Brits as one of the top hookers, Visser as a brilliant winger, THion as a top lock and I would even rate Chabal if anyone had him as his last season as Metro was simply brililnat - why he's not in the french squad on merit I do not know.

It;s also why I don't rate players on past exploits. Habana who I have hasn't been brillinat for a while. ROberts nothing for me since the lions!

If the others want to rate players differntly then cool - but I am happy dong it my way mate

right back to Bekker

if you really want him mate I would consider

Bekker & Bendy
for
Halpenny & Kahui

consider that is . . . even then I am not sure about that

I'm suprised you'd shun the combination, thought that would balance the deal more, but maybe Thion for Palmer instead, I like the french combo.

And you have them on the bench, I'd understand if they started.

Sorry should have re-phrased that - what I mean is I rate the players according to form and I hope the others do as well. If they don't then the game is a sham anyway so what does it matter

ok right back to business.

That leaves you short? ok. don't see how as they are both bench players and you have cover?

well can't thin of much else but your welcome to put other offers forward. :thumbs:

Hopefully using Lobbe in another deal sorry mate. I don't reckon you should have Nallet and Lawes as a potential partnership. They're rather too similar.

think we have nearly exhausted deals - there must be one out there!

Cool, prob not mate

mate am starting to think of a plan that might allow me to loose bekker.

I might let him go for a top back or a good back and some cash - I can move Ryan Jones as back up and have someone in mind to pick up for back row instead . . .

Have a think

sorry I get confused with all the deals going on!!

What are you saying then

Bekker & Bendy
for
Kahui/Halfpenny & Thion

something like that maybe?

I agree you would be better off keeping Thion with Nallet - its a great combo.
also can't believe Thion wasn't in the top 25

ah yes I remember now, we have been through all this before - sorry old age setting in mate!