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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

Barny produce loads of kids who are top rugby players , Clark , Timmy Visser and the Taits are all from there

The north has some good strongholds of rugby. Played tough games up there against Morley, Harrogate, Waterloo, wharfesale, and many others. The problem is those teams are the exception and the general standard is poor. In south west even the lower leagues are decent as footba
Is not a game here. The Berkshire, home counties and Oxford leagues are weak also. You get a few
Good teams and the rest poor. The league tables always have clear winners and then they get into better more national or extended regional teams and then have to adapt and are a bit soft until they figure it out.
Is

The north has shed loads of rugby teams and is producing more players by the year. The theory that it's going down the drain is absolute tosh.

Well worth pointing out that rugby union competes with football and rugby league. North is the heartland of english sport.

I agree the north produces players driver my point was that the general standard is not as good. I once played 7s and saw Austin healey playing for Waterloo back heel the ball over his head and the defender and catch it and score.

Think how good some people
Playing football in the north would be at rugby. When west country football teams go on tour up north they play teams 6 leagues below them and get spanked.

Rugby league is getting bigger on the eastern side of the north with teams sprouting up everywhere. Jarrow have a big set up as do Peterlee mainly in the pits though where Union is more popular in the towns and citys.

Yorkshire and Lancashire have massive rugby league followings. Schools rugby is what gets rugby its best players.

Yorkshaire have always been competitive on the county front.

Hartlepool is pretty steeping rugby history , Baa Baas played the first fixture vs Hartlepool Rovers and The All Blacks got that name after playing West Hartlepool + Guests

Yes its a shame the county set up has died. In Gloucestershire we have so many. National league sides and they release their seconds
Where lancs and yorks still take it seriously. Now prem teams have academies
And scouts county comp has died. Years ago when glos had injuries local lads
Got the call.

Bizarre. I remember a lad being picked centre for cinderford and then on saturday played against guscott for glos due to injuries as glos centres played midweek vs police. Amateur in name

Mat you will be pleased with this - sounds like Dowson starts at no8

I thought he would, Morgan from the bench then.

Another retirement for Prop:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/16824230

Deserves his chance after countless good performances for Falcons , Saints and Saxons over the years. Lancaster showing faith in players and trying to create competition.


Shane Williams: Absolute legend of the game

Looks like Lancaster is trying to pack his team with as many leaders as possible - its a good idea, not sure if some of the players are long term but when Johnson completely failed to bring through young players until he was forced to because of injury then it's no surprise really

Rory Lamont, Lee Jones, Nick De Luca, Sean Lamont, Max Evans, Dan Parks, Chris Cusiter; David Denton, Ross Rennie, Alasdair Strokosch, Jim Hamilton, Richie Gray, Euan Murray, Ross Ford (captain), Allan Jacobsen. Replacements: Scott Lawson, Geoff Cross, Alastair Kellock, John Barclay, Mike Blair, Greig Laidlaw, Graeme Morrison

Surprised at no Vernon. Not seen much on Denton or Jones on the wing.

So does that make the England team:

1. Corbs
2. Hartley
3. Cole
4. Botha
5. Palmer
6. Croft
7. Robshaw
8. Dowson
9. Youngs
10. Hodgson
11. Strettle
12. Farrell
13. Barritt
14. Ashton
15. Foden

16. Webber 17. Stevens 18. Parling 19. Morgan 20. Dickson 21. Turner-Hall 22. Sharples

Think we'll be competitive against Scotland and Italy, but for the rest of the tournament we really need Lawes, Tuilagi and Wood back.

Hope our pack doesnt get shunted backwards at scrum time as Dowson not playing their regularly for his team there could be a problem

Denton is the Edinburgh flanker that Shontayne Hape got banned for tackling into next week. Decent tackler, and dynamic around the park.

Jones has some gas on the wing.

Will be a tough game for England, out pack balance looks wrong to me.

I still think we could have Dowson on the bench.

I can't decide in my own mind whether I'm happy with Morgan starting or not. Obviously talented but would it be counter productive in the long run.

I know Farrell would make a good 12, but only a fool would play him at 12 and Barritt at 13 as that's not what works for Saracens.

I wouldn't get too hung up on the midfield shirt numbers to be honest Steve, as Sarries mix it up, and I suspect if Barritt and Farrell do play there for England, then it will be mixed up depending on circumstances as well.

I'd start Morgan, but I can see the logic of having him as an impact sub off the bench.

Steven - Farrell plays 12 for attack and 13 in defence at Sarries, Will Greenwood wrote a really good article about it recently - will see if I can find the link. They use Barritt as the guy to stop opponents attacks from the 12 channel and this works briliantly for them at club level. England will mirror this exactly and with Strettle the whole defensive backline will copy what Sarries do, which is stopping opponents playing. Think Stuart Barnes also wrote about this in the Times at the weekend.

Telegraph are reporting that Dowson is starting, quite a few others are too.

I don't think it's as straightforward as Farrell playing 12 in attack Chris, they mix it up depending on what play they are running and where on the field they are.

it is interesting to watch, as they are very fluid in the backline in terms of where players featured, yet actually so structured and well drilled.

Sarries are easily the best drilled team in the AP, they are very clever how they swap the centres around - Barrit does stsand at 12 in defence, but in attack it is interesting watching them line up. Saw them against Wasps last season and watched from behind the posts and Barritt is often used as a dummy runner at 12 in attack, with Farrell dropping deeper to be used as the play maker to set up new points of attack. Predominantly Farrell does play 12 in attack, but your right in how fluid and well structured they are.

Think Sarries could be about to start dominating English rugby with their new signings as they are now starting to match a brilliant well drilled team with some top signings - think Ashton and Tomkins will make a big difference to them next season.

I think its going to be the way that all centre partnerships go down, interchangeable 12-13 - would love to see something similar with TUilagi and May in the future for England, but don't think you can get that understainding if you dont play week in week out together.

Pete is spot on. Farrell doesn't play 12 in attack. Barritt himself said he lined up at 12 in attack for most of the set plays but they tend to rotate the 3 around with Farrell stepping in as first reciever probably more than he does at 12. It'll be:

10. Hodgson
12. Barritt
13. Farrell

With Barritt leading the defence

Farrell's said he plays 12 for Sarries, as has Greenwood, Barnes, SCW and quite a few others who apparently know about rugby. Would say they interchange so can't call one a 12 or the other a 13. Just don't expect too many linebreaks this weekend through the midfield!

I've not seen that.

Read an article with Barritt though with him stating it....I smell a Chris fact. Farrell wears 13.

Pooly go and watch them live, its the only way you will properly see how Farrell and Barritt interchange and play together - its brilliant how they play and combine.

Sarries are very clever - they use Hodgson's passing ability to mix it up and keep defences guessing who the ball goes to. Farrell drops quite far behind Barritt sometimes and lets them set up a ruck/maul and he then goes to first receiver and plays fly half for them.

Don't think it is easy to see how much work the two centres do, how much they change positions during the game, unless you see it live, would definitely recommend it - especially if you get a seat behind the posts.

I'm off out the country for a few weeks. I'll try and pop on to predo....

Hope England smash jocks! Can't wait for the Robshaw and Barritt slating from Matt & Chris on my return you pair of buggers!

Think you will be safe from Mat Pooly, as pretty sure that a lot of his slating will be directed at a certain Mr Dowson. I hope Robshaw and Barritt play well, really do as would like to see this England team turn a corner.

Just what we need an entire backrow of insignificant carriers. Dowson 30 and as physical as a wet paper bag. Dreadful dreadful dreadful

where you off to pooly?

be nice and quiet on here without you!

Sadly I have to agree with Mat. I do not see Dowson bringing enough physicality for the international arena, and with him and Croft in the same backrow, I think we could be a bit lightweight. If we had a monster, uberphysical front 5 then it isn't such an issue, but we don't.

Agree on balance of backrow, expecting a lot from Robshaw

Just Germany Nick. Chris will miss me

Dowson gets away with it for Saints as he has Lawes, Manoa, Hartley and Tonga'uhia in his pack.

If we had ball carriers in the backline it wouldn't be so much of an issue either - but alas we don't. If it rains heavily hen we are in a lot of trouble as we just don't have the carriers to get us over the gainline, but would say that Robshaw and Dowson are both really intelligent players.

How long are you away for Pooly? I will give a holiday to all the clubs lawyers as don't think they will be needed for any slander or libel action for a while

Min a week Chris, I'll try and get on a give you some grief. Need to keep you on your toes

http://www.wasps.co.uk/news/wasps32916.ink

Link to a new award for young break through players in the LV Cup. Some good players on there

Clubs nominate the players don't they?

You happy to lose Webber?

listening to offers on
Hernandez, James, Kirchner, Kennedy, Botha, Bastereaud, Basson

Not sure how it works.

To be honest I'm gutted to lose Webber, he was one of our top players and a really good leader on the pitch. THink the move to Bath will do wonders for him though as Wasps are a team in decline, whilst Bath have got a good team with a few top class players there.

Wasps wont improve until they get new owners unfortuntaely, or a new ground.

England Saxons
15 Nick Abendanon (Bath Rugby)
14 Ugo Monye (Harlequins)
13 Jonathan Joseph (London Irish)
12 Billy Twelvetrees (Leicester Tigers)
11 Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby)
10 Ryan Lamb (Northampton Saints)
9 Ben Spencer (Saracens)

1 Nick Wood (Gloucester Rugby)
2 Chris Brooker (Harlequins)
3 Paul Doran-Jones (Northampton Saints)
4 Ed Slater (Leicester Tigers)
5 George Robson (Harlequins)
6 James Gaskell (Sale Sharks, captain)
7 Andy Saull (Saracens)
8 Tom Johnson (Exeter)

Replacements

16 Joe Gray (Harlequins)
17 Rupert Harden (Gloucester Rugby)
18 Kearnan Myall (Sale Sharks)
19 David Seymour (Sale Sharks)
20 Paul Hodgson (London Irish)
21 Freddie Burns (Gloucester Rugby)
22 Miles Benjamin (Worcester Warriors)

No Garvey? Would have been very tempted to call up George Ford and Sam Harrison from Leicester - both playing very well for TIgers of late.

No Garvey seems very strange
Agree with Ford, would of had him over Burns

Wonder if Garvey will play for Irish this weekend then.

15. Rob Kearney, 14. Tommy Bowe, 13. Keith Earls, 12. Gordon D’Arcy, 11. Andrew Trimble, 10. Johnny Sexton, 9. Conor Murray, 1. Cian Healy, 2. Rory Best, 3. Mike Ross, 4. Donnacha O’Callaghan, 5. Paul O’Connell (c), 6. Stephen Ferris, 7. Sean O’Brien, 8. Jamie Heaslip

16. Sean Cronin, 17. Tom Court, 18. Donnacha Ryan, 19. Peter O’Mahony, 20. Eoin Reddan, 21. Ronan O’Gara, 22. Fergus McFadden

Garvey must be injured I guess - didnt realise he was 23.

he looks about 40!

I'm trying to find out if he is injured or not.

Seems mad to leave him out if not

from a far, bastereaud and steffon armitage look identical playing for toulon!

When I went to watch them could not tell the difference until they walked to the touch line then you realise how big bast is

Leaked England team (well from Planet Rugby)

15 Ben Foden (Northampton Saints), 14 Chris Ashton (Northampton Saints), 13 Bradley Barritt (Saracens), 12 Owen Farrell (Saracens), 11 Charlie Sharples (Gloucester) or David Strettle (Saracens), 10 Charlie Hodgson (Saracens), 9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers), 8 Phil Dowson (Northampton Saints), 7 Chris Robshaw (Harlequins - Captain), 6 Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers), 5 Mouritz Botha (Saracens), 4 Tom Palmer (Stade Français), 3 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), 2 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints- Vice Captain), 1 Alex Corbisiero (London Irish).

Worst englAnd backrow of my life time. Good back 3

11 Charlie Sharples (Gloucester) or David Strettle (Saracens)

Wonder who they'll pick?