Fantasy Aviva Premiership Season 4 Homepage

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Teams

Bath RFC	InTheFastLane
Exeter Chiefs	Driver - RIP 606
Gloucester	Anonmattyt
Harlequins	Steven_Sharks
Leicester Tigers	LukeLovesLuka
London Irish	stnick88
London Wasps	Arry
Newcastle Falcons	Sgt_Pooly
Northampton Saints	Dammit_Chris
Sale Sharks	SirJohnnyEnglish
Saracens	LDCPete
Worcester Warriors	prop_lyd

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Waiting List
1. pullthestrings
2. Bathite

Dembele is classy, too good for Fulham. He won't be there long.

bet you would driver!

i hope he stays, i know you yiddos are sniffing around him!

When did a blydi rugby forum get wendyball on it.....get onto your own part of the site

You a Fulham fan nick?

Yeh mate massive one. Going on Saturday if we don't beat Bolton then were really in trouble. Don't get to that many games as have Irish season ticket so have to try and balance the two.

Didn't realised Huget had returned from his ban.

or that I had accidentally recruited the Bayonne back 3 of Huget, Roko and Heymans.

Was his hearing today Steve?

http://www.rugbyweek.com/news/article.asp?id=33177

He had a hearing today which I didn't know about but has been playing for the last 3 weeks.

Decent player. Could have a good future with France

Unbelieveable kick from Elliot Daly. 60m out from his wrong touchline!!

Incredible kick!!

Yea I like Huget Steve, got a good all round game.

Huget reminds me a lot of Shane Horgan when he used to be at the top of his game circa 2005.

France have so many good wingers, talent pool is mental

Just heard from friend at Saints that its very likely Ben Foden will be signing for a French club...

Elliot Daly is a pretty good talent - when he first came through the ranks the Wasps coaches said he was the best back that ever came through their age grades. He's had a lot of games this season, plays very well next to Flutey - big tackler for his size.

The u20s this year have got some great talents in there - really think they will win the WC next year - hope they do anyway!

Can't believe I missed this pass last week!

http://www.rugbydump.com/2011/12/2281/the-matt-hopper-reverse-pirate-pass-vs-toulouse

Chris

I can almost guarantee you he will not.

His gf, a popstar based in the UK is pregnant and Foden decides now is the time to move to France?

I will find out what I can but I think its rubbish!

I hope he doesnt - one of my best mates lives next door to the Saints owner so gets all the gossip pretty early on from him. Basics are that Foden wants £250k per year, which for one of the best players in Europe is absolutely fine, but he's being offered a substantial amount more in France.

Got a friend in the music business too who says that the saturdays are going to stop doing a lot of work together in the next few months too, so suddenly not as much need for her to stay in the UK...

Think the RFU are a bit narrow minded in not picking players based in France as they learn so much over there and improves them as players and lets face it, its probably harder for a player based at say Newcastle to get to Surrey then it is for someone based in Paris with Eurostar etc...

I absolutely agree with the RFU chris. We want our home league to be as competitive as possible in my eyes to bring through new talent playing at a good consistent level rather than just 7 top clubs getting 6 group games in the HC against top opposition. I can see the welsh exodus having an effect on the Wales national team as their is issues with players being released for training etc.

I would be very very surprised if Foden left. Doesn't make sense for me, not so long since he signed a contract with Saints and all other factors just don't add up to it. Took a while for him to become England's number 15 and I can't see him throwing that away, also could cost him Lions place if not playing international rugby.

I'm not so sure about the RFU Steven, I think if a player is able to go abroad and become better then it is only good for the national team.

We have the problem that clubs are competing against the mega bucks in France and regions in Ireland and Wales where all the best players play for a small number of clubs. If England was split into regions imagine how good a team a London region, or Midlands region would be...

The exodus shouldnt ompact upon us like it does for Wales as they have 4 teams to pick from, whilst we have 12. Issue for me is if we get too many foreign players in the league at the expense of bringing in youngsters - look at Wasps right now - went out and just got foreign players over the summer - Robinson, Wentzel, Poff, Fillipo, Southall etc - that to me is more damaging then having players go to France.

Although I guess the argument would be that if the English players didnt go to France in the first place then would we need to bring in the foreign replacements...

pretty much answered your own question there Chris lol

It needs to be a mix of the English players and foreign players as we want the standard as high as possible in the Aviva Premiership.

I don't think their is a problem with the foreign players. You look at the AP Clubs atm, I can't think of one that doesn't have a good amount of EQ talent in it or availible to it. Think how much the young EQ players learn playing with and against the likes of Castro, Tonga'uhia, Brits, Smit, Burger, Joubert, Louw, Donald etc. They simply wouldn't be ready for international rugby playing against most EQ opponents.

I recko the AP is ok atm. Keep relegation to keep the idea of winning rugby in the minds.

One thing I might do is increase the value of a TBP to 2 points.

I like the TBP idea

Predictions for the weekend

Saracens beat Ospreys
Clermont beat Leicester
Saints beat Castres
Leinster beat Bath
Llanelli beat Munster
Quins draw with Toulouse

Just watching Wasps game, Daley playing well Chris

He had a cracker. See Casson is starting for quins tomorrow. I signed him ages ago and he looks a prosoect

Played the other week too Matt at 12, done ok. Quins have been unlucky with injuries to the centres with JTH and Lowe out.

Daly is a tidy little player, think he will take over from Waldouck before too long - lots of talent, a lot of gas and quick as anything. If he bulks up then he's potentially one of our best outside centres.

Think Tuilagi might have to be moved to 12 - wasn't sure about it at first but then allows guys like Trinder, May, Daly etc to push on. I would imagine that the 12/13 players will soon start becoming very interchangeable with England, kind of how Sarries use Farrell at the moment - would give us a lot more attackiong opportunities - probably suit Flood's style too that way.

England team for 6Ns

1.Alex Corbisero
2.Dylan Hartley
3.PDJ
4.Courtney Lawes
5.Tom Palmer
6.Tom Croft
7.Tom Wood (c)
8.Chris Robshaw

9.Ben Youngs
10.Charlie Hodgson
11.Chris Ashton
12.Owen Farrell
13.Manu Tuilagi
14.Delon Armitage
15.Ben Foden

16.Lee Mears 17.Matt Mullen 18.Dave Attwood 19.Luke Narraway 20.Joe Simpson 21.Jordan Turner Hall 22.Topsy Ojo

Tuilagi would be wasted at 12 his biggest asset is the ability to take someone on the outside.

Really? I thought his main ability was winning the collisions rather than the outside break. I like a controlling 12 whoever that may be. I have been an advocate of a squad rather than a team so we can change for different conditions and teams.

Dan Cole done something wrong Driver? Streets ahead of PDJ for my money. I don't see the point of having Hodgson ahead of Flood tbh. Flood younger and has the partnership with Youngs.

I just perfare PDJ to Cole , Think Cole has been overhyped so much. I'm not Flood's biggest fan and don't see him making the cut much longer at international level. Hodgson will unlease the England outside backs and his in some pretty good form.

Think Manu will stay at 13 for foreseeable future, looked a little lost at 12 last week.

Id have Cole ahead of PDJ although he's been looking really good lately and seems to be working really hard on his loose play. I like the club combo too

Hodgson has had his chances at Int level, just lacks the extra two inches. Flood is nailed on for 10

Cole is proven at top level for me. Never seen him struggle at top level.

No Cole Driver

Sorry just seen the comments lol.

Massive fan of Cole, surprised your not Driver.

I'm a fan , i just think PDJ is going to end up the better play out of the two.

Cole is streets ahead of pdj although pdj done well of late. Pdj needs to work on his loose play. I don't expect much from. A tighthead but he needs to carry better.

Thought we would miss him at Gloucester but we haven't. Very good scrummager these days and with hartley and tiny his loose work not missbut at club level but at international you need a bit more

Think he's actually improved his loose play Matt, looks fitter and seems to get round the park better.

I prefer Cole but he's certainly not streets ahead of PDJ. I think Wilson has looked strong recently too, we've got some real quality in the props

I just don't see the point in percivering with someone who seems to be happy to play 2nd fiddle to Castro at tigers? Does he have that winning mentallity the England team needs?

That's what your basing it on?

PDJ has gone to a club and been 2nd fiddle all season until recent games after Mujati got injured.

Sorry but that is no reason to not be picked for England certainly not when the player your behind is arguably the best in the world.

Not just that.

i)He had a poor world cup - They had to move Stevens to tighthead to slavage the scrum vs France

ii) He's hot and cold - Which Dan Cole will turn up?

iii) I don't think he's as good a carrier as his made out to be.

Is he overhyped because he plays for Leicester Tigers?

As far as I'm aware the Dan Cole that turns up never goes backwards in the scrum and that is plenty for me atm.

Steve, you've just knocked PDJ for being behind Mujati and then knocked Driver for saying Cole is second fiddle at Tigers! Lol

I imagine PDJ will displace Mujati, he suffered at the start of the season with playing LH but has looked impressive lately.

I'd still start Cole for England

I didn't knock PDJ for being behind Mujati at Saints I said that Driver can't use the lack of ambition thing against Cole and then not ignore the same thing with PDJ!

It would be like me saying Tuilagi is to young and we should give Joseph a try at 13.

I dont buy into second fiddle. They alternate pretty much every week. Sometimes Castro plays thr bigger games. Cole is 23/24 and could have 15 yrs ahead of him. The more he learns from Castro the better.