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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

Agree with Pete never seen Wood lacking for physicality. With Morgan and potentially Haskell next year as well battling it out for 8 and Garvey/Attwood etc looking to get into the row we wont be lacking for physicality

But can you counter the lack of grunt in the backrow if Morgan is there, and has Palmer and Lawes, or have two ball carriers in the front row?

I think our problem is we lack power at the breakdwon the way say all the Irish teams play it, Morgan could solve some of this as he seems pretty dynamic and we havent had a no8 that gets over the gainline since Dallagio.

Think Lawes is a very good lineout operator, has improved so much in recent years at Saints, just needs to improve his ball carrying and we've got one of the best locks in the world. Would hate to be a ball carrier against Saints when him and Manoa line up together!

I think Wood and Croft as a pair lacks a bit of physicality. Neither are big carriers. Wood is a quality player and would have him starting without a doubt just prefer it to be with Robshaw.

Wood is a very physical character indeed and would work in the backrow.

I am looking forward to Robshaw playing against scotland and seeing how he goes.

never been convinced that he could play at the top level but deserves a chance. Just dont think he has one outstanding attribute and that he is just an workhorse.

Hope i am proven wrong though as we need players challenging

Lawes is decent as a jumper. He just isn't up to running a lineout I don't think.

Interesting comments from Delon in response to Andy Robinsons comments about him...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/9036726/Delon-Armitage-Scotlands-Andy-Robinson-out-of-order-to-victimise-me-by-saying-Im-arrogant.html

Was a bit odd of Robinson to say that, but I guess he had his reasons.

Think Armitage is his own worst enemy to be honest - he got in so many stupid incidents last year and I think refs and opponents now single him out and punish him more because of his reputation.

Just glad we have Ben Foden playing at no15 now - think he's our only world class player - got quite a few who could become that way, but think he's head and shoulders our best player now.

I'd agree...

Wales getting hit by injuries. Jenkins, Priestland and Lydiate looking set to miss first couple of games. Three huge blows.

That is a massive blow for Wales there - they've got a really good group of about 18-20 players but if they get injuries they can really struggle in terms of other quality, or having to throw in untested youngsters.

England have got lots of players to pick from but just feel we are lacking the top quality players that we need to really push on - though in saying that our team for 2015 could be pretty special.

https://www.606v2.com/t22579-exeter-chiefs-an-honest-progression

Your thoughts are welcomed

Wasps have just signed two Russian internationals - one is the monster of a no8 they had at the WC - interesting

Rumours going round on Twitter that Victor Matfield is coming out of retirement to play for the Bulls again this season.

You heard anything Mat? I know you keep pretty up to date with South Africa rugby.

Pete this seems to be more than a rumour. Also looking at return to boks if meyer is coach

It seems to be he has been offered a coaching role and will also be doing some media stuff and playing.

to be fair he still has some years in the tank and was never the most physical of players or had that many injuries.

http://www.iol.co.za/sport/rugby/springboks/matfield-i-d-return-to-boks-for-meyer-1.1220583

Meyer will be a great south african coach.

He will get them playing great power rugby the way we should play.

We will never play fluid edge of your seat rugby but we could play the exciting type of power rugby that the bulls played

Don't think we have the same power as the Boks do so wouldnt be as effective for us.

Historically we do and that style suits us. If you have tuilagi in the centre and morgan at 8 with some strong flankers you could play that style.

Cole Hartley Palmer etc would thrive. its more about not trying to play the way we dont know how to it

Matfield tweeted don't believe everything you read in the papers.

15 Delon Armitage
14 Ugo Monye
13 Matt Hopper
12 Billy Twelvetrees
11 Matt Banahan
10 Freddie Burns
9 Ben Spencer
1 Matt Mullan
2 Joe Gray
3 Paul Doran-Jones
4 Matt Garvey
5 George Robson
6 James Gaskell (Captain)
7 Andy Saull
8 Thomas Waldrom

Replacements: 16 Chris Brooker, 17 Rupert Harden, 18 Kearnan Myall, 19 Tom Johnson, 20 Paul Hodgson, 21 Ryan Lamb, 22 Jonny May

Good side, really like the front 5...surprised Spencer is starting.

See Domingo is out for the season

It is a nicely balanced side.

Nice to see Gaskell picked as Captain. I don't see him getting into the England side as a 6 though. Lucky to get into that side as a 6 to be honest.

Gaskell is a good player just unsure where his best position is.
Garvey/Robson is an immense second row combo for the Saxons.

Backline has some talent as well, youngsters will be helped out by having Monye and Delon there.

much rather see lamb at 10. Burns has been infuriating this year for us

I'm really interested to see how that centre combination goes. Plenty of potential in that side, and a couple of older heads in their to help them through.

I like it.

I'm not a huge fan of either Lamb or Burns. Lamb will never make it at top level so may as well give Burns a chance.

Lamb doesn't have a realistic England future though. Burns however has a chance so play him.

Agree Pete, wouldn't be a bad first team really.

I would be amazed if Burns ever played for England. i mean blown away. His defence is Hodgson esque.

I like Burns but can never see him ever playing above this level. Gloucester are looking at tens currently so can see him being 2nd choice next year.

I dont think Lamb could be an england player but the way he has played this year indicates a great deal of maturity something which he has lacked massively. he is actually managing games now which is unheard of

France squad:

Forwards: David Attoub (Stade Français), Vincent Debaty (Clermont ), Nicolas Mas (Perpignan), Jean-Baptiste Poux (Toulouse),William Servat (Toulouse), Dimitri Szarzewski (Stade Français), Yoan Maestri (Toulouse), Lionel Nallet (Racing Metro), Pascal Pape (Stade Français), Julien Bonnaire (Clermont ), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse) (Captain), Imanol Harinordoquy, (Biarritz), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse).

Backs: Morgan Parra (Clermont ), Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz), Lionel Beauxis (Toulouse), François Trinh-duc (Montpellier), Vincent Clerc (Toulouse), Wesley Fofana (Clermont ), Julien Malzieu (Clermont ), Maxime Medard (Toulouse), Maxime Mermoz (Perpignan), Aurélien Rougerie (Clermont ).

is this game on tv?
if so what time and channel?

Sky sports 1 - Saturday at 4:30

anyone know how fofana is??? He looked injured in that game on the weekend.

Great front row options. is barcella injured again or dropped??

Predictions for 6N then?

I'm gona go

1 Ireland
2 France
3 England
4 Wales
5 Scotland
6 Italy

1.France
2.England
3.Wales
4.Ireland
5.Italy
6.Scotland

Didn't want to risk Barcella, apparently carrying an injury last few weeks. Same with Ducalon.

1. France
2. Wales
3. Ireland
4. England
5. Scotland
6. Italy

Think we'll struggle but see some positives, missing too many players.

I just want us to beat Wales

^^ Agree lol

Attoub is a nasty piece of work in the french squad. good prop though

Mat is he the one Attwood booted?

no chris that was todersac. attoub got a huge ban for nastiness and only returned end of last year. he dismantled the quins scrum in the amlin final last year

"he dismantled the quins scrum in the amlin final last year"

Him and Roncero battered the Quins front row that day, not a huge feat mind. Still can't beleive Quins came away with a win

in a year or two quins will be dismantling oppositions scrums with Marler and Johnstone as they progress. seen johnstone hand out a few hidings this year as well as take a few. Seen marler get dismantled time and again but will come good very soon. its a process you have to go through

Marler and Johnstone were great at Connacht. Really really hammered there men in the 2nd half. Signs of progress.

Must admit I've seen the pair get the better hand not once. Johnstone is huge but has awful technique and Marler just gets a pounding.

I'm still amazed a prop who can't scummage is in the EPS above the likes of Mullen etc

Watch the above game Pooly and you'll see them dominate.

Watched it mate, thought it was 50/50 tbh

Hmmm. Must have been watching different games. Sky Sports and ESPN both considered Quins to have the upper hand in the scrum.

Heard this morning that Steve Diamond was really very ill after the London Irish game and that was why his missed the recent games. Ankle infection gave him Pnemonia and Septicemia apparently, serious stuff.

Wolfhounds

15 - Gavin Duffy (Galwegians/Connacht)
14 - David Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster) *
13 - Eoin O'Malley (Old Belvedere/Leinster) *
12 - Nevin Spence (Ballynahinch/Ulster) *
11 - Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster)*
10 - Ian Keatley (Young Munster/Munster)
9 - Isaac Boss (Terenure College/Leinster)
1 - Brett Wilkinson (Galwegians/Connacht)*
2 - Damien Varley (Garryowen/Munster)
3 - Stephen Archer (Cork Constitution/Munster) *
4 - Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster)
5 - Mike McCarthy (Buccaneers/Connacht)
6 - John Muldoon (Galwegians/Connacht)
7 - Chris Henry (Ballymena/Ulster) Captain
8 - Rhys Ruddock (St. Mary's College/Leinster)

Replacements:
16 - Mike Sherry (Garryowen/Munster)*
17 - Ronan Loughney (Galwegians/Connacht)*
18 - Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
19 - Kevin McLaughlin (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
20 - Tomas O'Leary (Dolphin/Munster)
21 - Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster)*
22 - Denis Hurley (Cork Constitution/Munster)

Will be a good game. There pack could have a field day against ours, but we should put some pressure on at the lineout.

Tasty back line in 2 or 3 years

I like the back row. Ruddock has bags of potential.

Muldoon (3rd) and Henry (8th) were in the top 10 for Number of tackles made in the Pool stages of HC so will be a huge test of carriers to make yards. Garvey very important.

So was the LH prop Wilkinson who was very impressive until the last game when he struggled.

I thought the Connacht-Quins scrum battle was fairly even with both sides winning penalties at different times.

Decent wolfhounds side though I'd say Madigan and Toner will feel hard done by not getting a start both have been great this year. The depth at backrow for Ireland is ridiculous think them and France are way ahead of everyone else there nowadays