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Fantasy Aviva Premiership Current League Table

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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	Ozzy3213
Worcester Warriors	prop_lyd

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Waiting List
1. pullthestrings
2. Bathite

If your last cap was nearly 5 years ago you're a prem player imo.....

It's like not having sex for 5 years.....you're now a virgin

Matt this may be me being a bit sad but Slade has Played 13 games since 1st April 2011 (his Highlanders debut)

Highlanders 26 Brumbies 20
http://www.espnscrum.com/super-rugby-2011/rugby/match/123123.html

Highlanders 24 Cheetahs 21
http://www.espnscrum.com/super-rugby-2011/rugby/match/123130.html

Melbourne Rebels 18 Highlanders 40
http://www.espnscrum.com/super-rugby-2011/rugby/match/123137.html

New Zealand 40 South Africa 7
http://www.espnscrum.com/tri-nations-2011/rugby/match/121712.html

New Zealand 30 Australia 14
http://www.espnscrum.com/tri-nations-2011/rugby/match/121713.html

South Africa 18 New Zealand 5
http://www.espnscrum.com/tri-nations-2011/rugby/match/121715.html

New Zealand 41 Tonga 10
http://www.espnscrum.com/2011-rugby-world-cup/rugby/match/93458.html

New Zealand 83 Japan 7
http://www.espnscrum.com/2011-rugby-world-cup/rugby/match/93470.html

New Zealand 37 France 17
http://www.espnscrum.com/2011-rugby-world-cup/rugby/match/93482.html

New Zealand 79 Canada 15
http://www.espnscrum.com/2011-rugby-world-cup/rugby/match/93495.html

New Zealand 33 Argentina 10
http://www.espnscrum.com/2011-rugby-world-cup/rugby/match/93503.html

Brumbies 33 Highlanders 26
http://www.espnscrum.com/super-rugby-2012/rugby/match/151300.html

Hurricanes 17 Highlanders 19
http://www.espnscrum.com/super-rugby-2012/rugby/match/151292.html

You got some time on your hands Driver?

He played ITM & Ints also. Shame he's injured, hardly had a good run poor lad

Did you watch the game Saturday driver??? They spent a while on it saying he has played 6 games 7 including Saturdays game can't imagine they were wrong. Have not got
Inclination to follow the links did he start in all them??? Maybe their stats were for starts.
That's a remarkable bit of research driver. !

How many of the NZ games were from the bench though? Feel sorry for the bloke, he's NZ'ers equivalent of Tom Rees!

JSD is an amazing talent, trouble is after SCW we got some duds like Robinson and Johnson who just dont pick flair players, so JSD was never going to play under them - when we had Ashton he was pretty much crocked the whole time.

Always heard rumours Wasps were going to sign him, think it was 3-4 seasons in a row, but we never got him! Would have loved him at the club.

Does that make you a virgin pooly????

He started 4 out of 5 of them All black games Chris

anonmattyt wrote:Does that make you a virgin pooly????

Well I've been married nearly 8 so nearly a double virgin.

JSD is a top prem wing without doubt, you can't get away with his defence at the top level tho.

Wade is a really interesting one, electric in attack and defence seems strong. Little suspect to crossfield kicks from a few games but easy sorted unless against a giant wing. Like to see him in Saxons

Good write up about opensides:

http://talkingrugbyunion.co.uk/pro12/forget-the-fuss-about-fetchers-why-ross-rennie-will-be-watched-after-this-years-6-nations

What on earth did Youngs do? Seen a few reporting that he dropped his knee into Gibson's face and then a few seconds later threw punches at him? Telegraph saying there's a lengthy ban on its way - was there any provocation or was Youngs just being a petulant tw at again? Cockerill needs to give him a slap, or set Manu on him!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/club/9134706/London-Irish-32-Leicester-Tigers-41-match-report.html

It's on the highlights chris....

http://www.espnscrum.com/scrum/rugby/video_audio/161937.html

Good article that pooly. I have always said you do not have to have a fetcher although I know you have always been keen and often picked teams up for a lack of one.

Think some games you need one others you don't. When Sa have juan smith and burger they do not need brussow as juan smith and burger such workers loads of disrupting stuff. Same with Ireland ferris slows a lot of ball
As does oconnel and heaslip

France never really have an out and put fetcher. Remember magne he was more of a link 7 and did very little dog.

Gibson was holding him down when he was trying to get to a ruck, dropped a knee in his chest and threw some girly punches. Be surprised if he gets banned tbh, was handbags.

Boy has a cheeky temper though! At least he's not up to off the field incidents like another little scummie. They're a funny lot those 9's

Think he will get at least 4 weeks. Good previous record will
Help
Him

anonmattyt wrote:Did you watch the game Saturday driver??? They spent a while on it saying he has played 6 games 7 including Saturdays game can't imagine they were wrong. Have not got
Inclination to follow the links did he start in all them??? Maybe their stats were for starts.
That's a remarkable bit of research driver. !

I havn't watched the game yet Matt as i'm playing catch up with my rugby as i don't have Sky or ESPN so all i do mainly see is six nations and Friday night Rabo Direct which is usually the Welsh regions or Ulster on BBC NI.

I'm pretty close to catching up on all games as it's what i spend my Sunday afternoons doing and to be honest the players who have impressed me across the board this year have been mainly this side of the equator. Luke Mcalister, George North , Luke Wallace , Geoff Parling , Johnathan Davies , Leigh Halfpenny , Rob Kearney , Nick Evans , Colin Slade , James O'Connor and Luke Whitelock have all looked tidy so far this season. I'm not saying others havn't been playing well it's that these guys have increased there reputation in a positive way with me.

might be being stupid but I couldnt see it on them Pete.

Irish seemed pretty unlucky there, few mistakes and lady luck with leicester from the looks of it. Twelvetrees did a good break for Tuilagi - I dont think there is anyone who enjoys scoring more than Manu!

Don't think Ive ever seen a professional rugby player have a kick charged down like Flood did there.

Yea it's a good read Matt. I do like somebody good on the deck against a strong fetcher, just think turnover ball is best attacking ball.

More about balance than having a fetcher though I guess. Players like Dus are pretty handy there, Warbs is ok too. Ireland have others that do it like Heaslip, Healy & Best.

Was watching Hore the other day and his technique is fantastic, great on the deck for as hook

I'll take you Flood & raise you JOC in the Aus v Babarians game when Stringer ran up and took ball!

Mccalister has really gone off the boil of late. Toulouse were beaten by Bordeaux on Friday

Every time I watch Luke
Wallace he has an average game but he looks
To
Have potential and all pundits love him. He has time
On the ball which is rare.

I have been really impressed by JOC,Whitlock, dagg, stormers young 4, Habana, goosen and Barrett the 10 who has been great. Brumbies have really impressed and shows how good jake white is

I did like that Stringer one - though pretty certain that JOC didnt even start his run up! JOC should have thumped him, a lot of people should have thumped Stringer come to think of it.

Beginning of the season he was playing some tidy stuff his game management is coming on so much , he was so individual before and tried to take the world on.

I like Luke Wallace , at Falcons vs Quins he looked a pretty tidy player and got around think he'll be great.

Luke Whitelock for me will be the best 7 in the world come 2015 , Gill is ok but has no one at reds to neture he's development there. How Robinson is a Super rugby player is beyond me.

I might get the chance if he gets near me at Falcons, reckon he might take me though.

Think Wallace looks fantastic, best young prospect by a distance at 7. See Kevisic talked about lots but looks more a 6/8.

JOC is unreal, not sure about his pivot play. Looks like a 12 playing 10 sometimes but nobody can touch his line threat and ability to skip through defences.

Bulls pack is worth a shout and Goosen, Strauss & Oust have looked great along with Le Roux (matt has half cheetahs team.....)

Le Roux is a shoe in for the South Africa 14 shirt vs England , boys in sublime form.


You going this Friday Pooly?

White lock
Played
Most of
His rugby at 8 or 6 so can't see him
Playing 7. He was great at under 20s also. Sam
His brother will probably move to 4 from 5

Not sure if mrs will let me, off to sandy/sunny location next month & August so she's clamping down on my free time

Cheetahs have some excellent mixed with dross. Strauss should get reserve hooker for Sa with oust a shoe in. Goosen gets better and better and has it all. He will be firing the bullets for me at wasps this week

You have a real problem with the Reds driver. First what I consider absolute garbage about Cooper and now Robinson?

Robinson was brilliant last year and only bettered by Matt Todd across the S15 last year. He is a very handy player.

Seems to have it all Goosen if I'm honest, perhaps too much for SA.

Cheetahs have played some lovely stuff this season. Engine room and backs could do with a tweak (Le Roux aside) but can see them pushing Sharks

Driver......don't pick on the Reds!!! It's like picking on Steve's offspring!

I will cry if it gets any worse!

Steven_Sharks wrote:You have a real problem with the Reds driver. First what I consider absolute garbage about Cooper and now Robinson?

Robinson was brilliant last year and only bettered by Matt Todd across the S15 last year. He is a very handy player.

I don't have a problem with the Reds Steve , Digby Ioane is possibly one of my fravorite players in the world i just can't see the big deal with Beau Robinson is? He's just the Australian Andy Powell.

Can't seem to agree with you on Cooper which is strange as i used to think he was the best in his position.

Robinson couldnt be more different to Powell. Robinson all about floor work and the breakdown mixed in with carrying. Defence probably his weakness.

Cooper at his best for me is without doubt the best attacking 10 in the world. Attacks the line better than anyone I've ever seen. Say what you like about defence/goal kicking whatever but his attacking play is 2nd to none.

I'v said nothing about his defense or goal kicking , i'v critised him for the dancing he does and that he throws silly passes.


Robinson is a back row! What use is a back row with where defense is his weakness lol , unless you interpreted defense as tackling alone where for me it includes his work on the deck.

I've just said that Robinson's strength is his work on the deck! He is very very good at the breakdown.

I say Robinson's weakness is like Carrying might be Mccaws weakness. They are both damn good at it but not as good as other aspects of there game.

Copper has a great pass, not many can get near that. Not sure about "attacking the line" though....do you mean in a running sense?

If so I don't see that myself, he does a little step and jump but I wouldn't call him best in the world at beating defences. Players like JOC, Dagg etc are on a different level there for me.

Cooper has his weaknesses but he really makes the Reds tick, look a different team without him.

I think of him as quite a abrasive player tbh , relies a lot more on his physical presence to win turnovers than any real skill on the deck.


I can't belive you just mentioned Robinson in the same category of flanker as McCaw - McCaw's all round game is so good , he's winning try vs the boks a few years back where he took defenders over the line with him

I mean as a 10 attacking the line I don't mean in the way that Jason Robinson or Shane Williams attacked the line.

Watch defences when Cooper stands flat and runs at them and you see what I mean. He puts others into spaces so easily it seems 2nd nature. Carter does the same at his best. Impossible to defend against.

I sort of see what you mean, very very different to how Carter plays though.

Cooper very much plays on the edge, can't say there's a more entertaining 10 in world rugby currently. He is so much like Carlos Spencer though, can be infuriating but some of his touches are magic.

Mentioning players as example an issue for you? I wasn't comparing players but showing a similarity in the way they have stronger characteristics than others in there own game.

Physical presence on the floor is part of being good on the floor. Every good fetcher is strong that's how it works. Staying so strong in your position is the only way to get a turnover. I understand its your opinion but Robinson a lot better player than your giving him credit for.

Oh Cooper and Carter are entirely different. Very few similarities. They get to the same place in different ways when it comes to attacking.

Cooper has the unbelievable step whereas Carter almost seems to glide through gaps and has much more pace than he is given credit for.

Not even I thought the Reds would miss Cooper as much as they do. A lot is said about Cooper being half the player without Cooper but it has been he same for Genia. He gets all the defences attention without Cooper being there.

Yea Genia has struggled this season, doesn't seem his normal fluid self. New combo's etc though

When's Cooper back?

Been light jogging apparently but I'd heard that is is months rather than weeks so I haven't a clue.

He is such a point of contention that I am reluctant to play him untill he is fit. Gets dogs abuse when he isn't playing well or isn't playing at all.

Hard as he didn't have a great WC then got injured, sticks in people's memories.

I'm sure people would still rate him, hes only been out 6 month???

Is it even that? 4 or 5 I thought.

You'll experience the same thing with Youngs I suspect. Will stay in people memories for ever!

Just over 5mth, seems ages ago the WC

Was listening to Talksport rugby programme last night. They said Lancaster & Mallet had been interviewed and 2 other unknown coaches had also been short listed and will receive interviews (1 rumoured to be SCW which I can't see tbh)

Lancaster/Wayne Smith was one call & the other reckoned Lancaster had little chance?!?

Pretty good show tbh, talking about salary caps with Sarries chairman & RFU fella. Sarries bloke was complaining about being unable to challenge in Europe with cap whilst RFU pointed out 80% of revenue came from AP so more important to have competitive league etc

I had a very interesting conversation about the salary cap yesterday, specifically in relation to Leicester Tigers. The conversation was with a guy who runs a catering firm and has the contract for catering at Welford Road as well working with Saracens on the catering front for their new ground and having just secured a contract with Wolves.

All I will say is that he pays a 6 figure sum to Tigers each year in relation to 'image rights' for players. He is not the only 'business partner' of the club to do so. He is also very good friends with Criag Newby.

Your not implying that Leicester find loopholes in the Salary Cap are you pete? I would never have guessed that

Lol....its pretty obvious it goes on. I don't think I have a major issue with it either as it's not directly linked to the clubs so never going to end up in a football type situation I don't think.