AP International Call ups - who are missing and how many during the world cup?

Would be good if we could compile who is missing from each club and talk about the impact of call ups in the Aviva Premiership. I will get a lot of these wrong so if people could help me I would appreciate it.


Aviva Premiership

Leicester Tigers - 11


Ben Youngs,Tom Croft,Manu Tuilagi,Louis Deacon,Dan Cole and Toby Flood (England), Castrogiovanni (Italy), Ayerza, Horacio Agulla (Argentina), Geordan Murphy (Ireland) and Alesana Tuilagi (Samoa)



Saracens - 8

Jacques Burger (Namibia),Chris Wyles and Hayden Smith (USA), Michael Tagicakibau (Fiji),Kelly Brown (Scotland), Richard Wigglesworth and Matt Stevens, John Smit (South Africa)



Northampton Saints - 8

Tongauiha (Tonga), Vasily Armitiev (Russia), Courtney Lawes,Dylan Hartley,Nick Wood,Chris Ashton and Ben Foden (England), George Pisi (Samoa)



London Irish - 8

Shontayne Hape,Delon Armitage, Corbisierio (England), Sailosi Tagicakibau (Samoa), Joe Ansbro (Scotland), Alfredo Lalanne (Argentina), Paulica Ion (Romania), Jebb Sinclair (Canada)



Sale - 7

Mark Cueto and Andrew Sheridan (England), Richie Vernon and Alasdair Dickinson(Scotland), Andy Powell (Wales),Wame Lewaravu (Fiji) andTony Buckley (Ireland)


Gloucester - 7

Alastair Strokosch, Hamilton, Lawson x 2 (Scotland), Mike Tindall (England), Akapusi Qera (Fiji) and EFS (Samoa)



Bath -5

Matt Banahan, Lee Mears, Lewis Moody and Wilson (England), Francois Louw (South Africa)




London Wasps - 3

Steve Thompson, Joe Simpson (England), Zak Taulafo (Samoa)


Harlequins - 3

Nick Easter (England), Tomas Vallejos (Argentina), Mauri Fa'Asuvala- (Tonga)


Exeter Chiefs - 2

Craig Mitchell (Wales), Gonzalo Camacho (Argentina)



Worcester - 2

Ravai Fatiaki (Fiji), Aleki Lutui (Tonga)



Newcastle - 1

Euan Murray (Scotland)






Credit for this list must be given to DK Max,Sam,Prop Lyd, Bathman in London,the Waspsblog and Yappysnap.


I know I must be dramatically wrong at some like Gloucester. Could someone help fill in the blanks?

Dispelling the myth that Saracens are missing few players. Harlequins look to really benefit.

Glos also lose: hamilton, 2 lawson's and likely to lose ellie too.

Thanks prop lyd will add.

Francois Louw is the SA squad, so he might not be available for Bath. Perenise is also in the Samoan squad.

Ansbro missing for Irish?

This'll help
https://www.606v2.com/t12171-world-cups-squads#391457

I few I can think of: Saints have George Pisi away with Samoa, Newcastle are missing Euan Murray away with Scotland, London Irish are missing Joe Ansbro away with Scotland also.

Tigers are also losing Horacio Agulla to the Argentinian squad as well.

London Wasps in addition will miss Zak Taulafo to Samoa, also Simon Shaw is no longer on the books at Wasps, he is unattached

Thanks guys will update

Wow that's a lot of Leicester guys out.

Here's a few more:

Ravai Fatiaki (Worcester/Fiji), Aleki Lutui (Worcester/Tonga), Wame Lewaravu (Sale/Fiji), Alasdair Dickinson (Sale/Scotland), Tony Buckley (Sale/Ireland) ,Tomas Vallejos (Harlequins/Argentina), Gonzalo Camacho (Exeter/Argentina), Alfredo Lalanne (London Irish/Argentina), Paulica Ion (London Irish/Romania), Jebb Sinclair (London Irish/Canada) Akapusi Qera (Gloucester/Fiji)

Wow that's a lot of Leicester guys out..

With Newby, Green and Crane all set to miss the majority of the season, Parling not back until Mid-September, Staunton struggling with an achillies problem and Matt Smith yet to play a role in pre season. We are really screwed at the minute. Good job we have such a big squad, even so some of the younger guys are going to have to step up big time. I'm just glad Tonga didn't decide to call up Steve Mafi!

Sam Leicester have very good strength in depth though.

You seem to absorb these injuries with effortless ease.

Who is Green anyway?

Thanks again DKmax I will update again!

Green is a young enforcer, just 20/21 but there are big hopes for him. He got ten or games under his belt last season as well as being on loan at Notts and got some game time the season before last as well. Very agressive in defence but was sent down to the Championship to learn to keep his cool and to work on his ball carrying.

Not sure we'll absorb the loss of Crane quite so easily. He's a bit of a talisman and a leader on the pitch plus the amount of graft he gets through is quite incredible. We certainly missed him when he was injured last season.

Update on Crane (today from the Tigers) http://www.leicestertigers.com/news/17639.php

Quins are also missing:

Thomas Valejos- Argentina
Mauri Fa'Asuvala- Tonga

Yappysnap at Quins you should make the most of your lack of international call ups in my opinion.

Definately should, this is a real chance for us to try and cement a top 6 maybe even top 4 spot before christmas and then focus on holding it after that.

My biggest concern is that we take every tournament so seriously, we'll try and play our best team possible in all 3 and end up screwing ourselves for the AP.

I hope we just focus on the AP, ignore the Amlin and take the Heiny as it comes.

Why do Leicester seem to have so many long term injured all the time? There seems to always be at least 3 or 4 key players out badly injured at any one time.

I can't think of any other club like it.

I mean i can think of:
Parling
Deacon
Crane
Moody (when at Leicester)
Ellis
Hipkiss

All who have had bad re-occuring injuries that seem to blight there time at Leicester. Is it the famed physicality in training? Or just bad luck maybe?

yappysnap wrote:Why do Leicester seem to have so many long term injured all the time? There seems to always be at least 3 or 4 key players out badly injured at any one time.

I can't think of any other club like it.

I mean i can think of:
Parling
Deacon
Crane
Moody (when at Leicester)
Ellis
Hipkiss

All who have had bad re-occuring injuries that seem to blight there time at Leicester. Is it the famed physicality in training? Or just bad luck maybe?

Possibly the training intensity at Oadby?

I think it's mainly bad luck Yappy. Well partly. Of the ones you've listed there;

Parling - didn't miss a game in the first season but back to back freak injuries, one in a preseason game one off the bench on his return.

Deacon - long standing back issue causes the majority of his problems though his thigh injury which ruled him out for nearly everything after the 6N was picked up on England duty.

Crane - corrective surgery on a knee that just keeps playing up, hopefully this will be the one that sorts that for good.

Moody - his problems step for a lack of concern over his own personal safety.

Ellis - a certain Welsh scum bag stamped on his knee and caused the majority of his problems which led to his early retirement.

Hipkiss - a nasty knee injury early in his career recurs occasionally to hamper his progress.

A weird mixture it seems. The training is reknownedly tough, Salvi gave an interview saying he'd never experienced anything like it. Tigers work closely with the Leicester Uni medical school and are planning on developing a brand new, up to date facility under the new Crumbie stand when it's rebuilt at the end of next season.

Fair enough, I know the injuries come from various sources. It's the concerning problem that these guys never seem to shake them though.

I have heard rumours of the crazy tough Leicester training that all the players go through, seems to work though for making winners (well till recently). But could it be too intense for of these players or could they be being rushed back too soon?

formerly known as Sam wrote:

A weird mixture it seems. The training is reknownedly tough, Salvi gave an interview saying he'd never experienced anything like it. Tigers work closely with the Leicester Uni medical school and are planning on developing a brand new, up to date facility under the new Crumbie stand when it's rebuilt at the end of next season.

Is that true Sam? The matchbox is to be demolished at the end of next season? I've always been worried about a repeat of the Bradford City /Kings Cross fire disaster.

What about the Aylestone Rd end?

The Crumbie will undergo rennovation this summer, the details are being agreed as there are two or three different ways they could go about it. At the same time a car park (between 700 and 1000 spaces big) and a hotel will be erected on the wasteland/car park behind the crumbie.

I have heard rumours of the crazy tough Leicester training that all the players go through, seems to work though for making winners (well till recently). But could it be too intense for of these players or could they be being rushed back too soon?.

I don't know, I've never experienced how tough it is. Tigers have some players who spend years and years of the hard core training methods and never seem to suffer serious injuries e.g. Kay and Chuter. Shaking off injuries is a tricky one, I'm not a medical professional but I do know I did some damage to my back aged 16 playing rugby and that despite the best efforts of several physios it has never been the same since.

Beshocked - the only Glaws one you're missing is EFS for Samoa.

So which is the best equipped Jeff side to withstand the RWC (including possible injuries) followed immediately by European competitions to win the title?.

The deeper the squad and the more limited their exposure to an enormous demand on availability of players is extremely pertinent. By happenstance availability through injury or (god forbid) lengthy bans may affect the Jeff clubs for weeks or months.

Maybe it's an opportunity for the lower clubs to break through?

Maybe it's an opportunity for the lower clubs to break through?

Maybe it's an opportunity for a host of young players to prove themselves. Those clubs with strong academies to reap the benefits?

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Maybe it's an opportunity for the lower clubs to break through?

Maybe it's an opportunity for a host of young players to prove themselves. Those clubs with strong academies to reap the benefits?

This is true. What are the relative strengths of the various academies Sam?

I'm no expert on academy rugby I'm afraid but I'll have a go;

Well Tigers have a long reputation for having an academy that beats most things other British and Irish academies can through at it and annually plays an England under 19s team. The exceptional George Ford looks likely to make the step up to the first team squad proper this season (having made his debut a couple of years ago in the LV Cup at the tender age of 16).

Quinns are well known for having a large portion of young players in their squad and have a good representation in the England age grade system. The sevens series show cased another selection of pacey backs.

Exeter have an unbelievable amount of representation in the England age groups though I'm not sure how much of that is ready to step into the first team. They aren't too badly effected by the RFC however, so that might not matter.

Sarries have been bringing through a lot of youngsters of late and they seem to be churning out England hopefuls at the minute. Short and Farrell have already been seen in the first team as has Jamie George. Couple more look likely to follow.

Newcastle have a converyor belt of talent, unfortunately for them it is a conveyor belt to other clubs that seems to spend less and less time stopping at their own first team.

London Irish added a few players to the recent under 20s and have got some pace and power around the park.

I think Sale have promoted anybody worth mentioning already.

Gloucester seem to have done the same as Sale and the minute the talent is determined to have a solid pace they are in the first team. Gloucester having a better foundation for the team have managed it better.

Wasps, see Sale.

Bath have a been quite quiet in recent years merely sliding the occasional player into the side without a great deal of noise. Didn't impress much in the sevens and probabley picked up the unofficial award for worst kit.

Any of Quins, Gloucester or Newcastle could well climb up high.

I'm obviously hoping the WC means that Saints, Leicester and Saracens drop to about 10th position giving us a good run at the top 4 and then we'll end up playing any of Sale, Worcester or Exeter in the play offs. Ah dreams

Erm...we (Newcastle) will still manage to hover above the drop...despite having a full squad!

I think it's great that so many people are interested in this important topic.

There are even two admirers!


http://www.rugbynetwork.net/boards/read/s104.htm?107,12659831

http://www.rugbynetwork.net/boards/read/s96.htm?98,12659580

Credit to the guys who helped me compile this list and those involved in the discussion.

A few updates now that the Samoan squad has been announced:

Tasesa Lavea (Sale/Samoa), Johnny Leota (Sale/Samoa), Taiasina Tuifu'a (Newcastle/Samoa), Anthony Perenise (Bath/Samoa) and for Quins Maurie Fa'asavalu plays for Samoa not Tonga.

Also Andrei Ostrikov (Sale/Russia).

I think thats all of the world cup squads announced now isn't it? Sale seem to be missing quite a lot more than I first though.

Couple more points that have been brought to my attention:

Alfredo Lalanne doesn't play for Irish anymore, and I think you meant to put Tom, not Nick, Wood for Saints

Forwards - Huw Bennett, Ryan Bevington, Adam Jones, Paul James (Wales), Kahn Fotuali'i, George Stowers (Samoa), Chauncey O'Toole (Canada)
Backs - Shane Williams (Ospreys), Tommy Bowe (Ireland)

I'm not really worries about losing any of these players to be honest.
Cai Griffiths will cover Adam Jones
Duncan Jones who looks back to his best is a lot better than Paul James and Ryan Bevington anyway.
Bennett is normally a sub anyway.
The other 3 players are new signings and havent played yet.
Bowe and Snae are wings, and we have Prydie, Eli Walker, Krisitian Phillips, and Dirksen to cover. Dirksen looks on fire at the moment anyway.

We have real depth and the other Welsh regions will struggle far more than we will.

AlynDavies I presume with Ickle Shane you mean Wales.

I am very much looking forward to the encounter with Ospreys in the HC.

You beat us in the LV cup, we beat you in the HC in our last two meetings.

There is unfinished business for both sides! Also we are looking a lot stronger than in our last matches vs you.

What will your team look like for the start of the season and for the HC?

beshocked wrote:AlynDavies I presume with Ickle Shane you mean Wales.

I am very much looking forward to the encounter with Ospreys in the HC.

You beat us in the LV cup, we beat you in the HC in our last two meetings.

There is unfinished business for both sides! Also we are looking a lot stronger than in our last matches vs you.

What will your team look like for the start of the season and for the HC?

My gut instinct is we will be better this season, with far more imagination in our back line. Though I'm very worried about Fly Half with Biggar there, the Ospreys fans hate him and his confidence looks shot to pieces.