Fantasy Aviva Premiership season 4

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Welcome to the 4th season of the fantasy aviva premiership game


This Weeks match thread(s) :- TBA

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Teams
Bath RFC
Manager:- 207bars

Exeter Chiefs
Manager:- RugbyDriver

Gloucester
Manager:- Anonmattyt

Harlequins
Manager:- Steve_sharks

Leicester Tigers
Manager:- LukeLovesLuka

London Irish
Manager:- stnick88

London Wasps
Manager:- Arry

Newcastle Falcons
Manager:- PoolyPunk

Northampton Saints
Manager:- Dammit_Chris

Sale Sharks
Manager:- SirJohnnyEnglish

Saracens
Manager:- LDCPete]

Worcester Warriors
Manager - Prop_Lyd

He'll always be like that Steven, reminds me of Carlos Spence (but a better version) - if you ask him to change his game then he wont be as effective. He will always win more games than he loses for the Reds. Good battle with Giteau - think he's having a good game.

Games getting tasty now - Reds forwards seem better, but why havent the Brumbies been playing like this for the season!

So Chris, if Lawes will be the best 4 in the world after the world cup, who would you say is the best 4 now?

I don't go with this "will be the best in the world" stuff. A player can show potential but you're either are your not.

Lawes isn't for me, he's an incredible athlete and a top tackler but he lacks any kind of carrying game and needs to vastly improve his lineout work to be considered world class.

Brad Thorn is gash in the lineout but he is still world class.

Looks nasty for chisholm

Depends what you want from your game really Pete - in the modern game I would probably always pick Lawes in my team as I dont think there is a second row who can compete in terms of his athleticism and defence.

I dont think there is anyone in Europe as good as him, but I guess you have Thorn and Botha, whose experience is more valuable - but I'd have Lawes because (i) Botha can be a liability and (ii) never really rated the All Blacks second rows!

Guys: aled de malmanche or mike ross??

Mils is way ahead of foden. Probably second to only blanco in the list of all time fbs. He was sensational in the autumn

Bakkies treated lawes like a child in the autumn and thorn would eat him for breakfast.

Lawes gives away lots of penalties. Both bakkies and thorn are athletes also. many a time you see bakkies making tackles all over the park.

I think Gray is a better prospect than lawes who is a good player. I would not have lawes anywhere near a world 15. What has he done ????

Chris i would have a lie down in a dark room because I think you are hallucinating. Lawes has masses of potential but a player who gets bullied by Jim Hamilton still has a way to go to be world class

If you had to pick the best players in the world per position there are very fee unanimous ones.

2 Bdp
4 bakkies

6 juan smith
7 macaw

10 carter

13 bod
15 mils

After that all the other positions are debatable for me

Agree with that. I don't think BOD is in the Smith/Fourie league anymore or Mils is best 15 myself. Also think Servat & BdP are standout 2's.

Only defs for me are:

4. Bakkies
6. Smith
7. McCaw
10. Carter

The rest of the positions you argue a case for at least two players.

World class gets banded about too much, has to be top 3 in position I think.

Mils is slowing down badly I feel.

I'd have JPR Williams ahead of Mils in the all time list along with Latham and Jason Robinson

World class players for me at the minute..

1. Domingo/Beast/Tonga (Barcella def if fit)
2. Servat/BdP/Moore
3. Castro/Franks/Mas
4. Bakkies/Thorn/Palmer
5. Matfield/POC/Sharpe
6. Smith/Kaino/SOB
7. McCaw/Brussow/Pocock
8. Parisse/Read/Heaslip

9. Parra/FdP/Genia
10. Carter/Evans/Cooper
11. Jane/Gear/Mitchell
12. Nonu/SBW/Barnes
13. Smith/Fourie/BOD/AAC
14. Bowe/JOC/Medard
15. Beale/Foden/Mils/AAC

i dont think beast, palmer, POC, brussouw, parra, evans, jane, mitchell, nonu, bowe, AAC are currently playing at a world class level, due to either form or injury.

6 months of form or so I think they are. I'd say all of them player you mentioned Nick are in the best 3 in their position.

I would have Burger ahead of pocock and brussow.

What has brussow ever done??? 1 good season does not make you anywhere near world class. Don't think Aac is in that bracket either. Don't think aac is world class either.

Great player in many positions but not world class either.

If on form then nonu not wc.

Would add hari everyday of the week and also jdv

Anyone watching the Wales v BaaBaas game? Can see the BaaBaas winning quite easily today. Welsh pack is very poor when Jones, Jenkins and Davies don't play.

On phone hence poor grammar. Meant aac good in all positions but not world class in any

brussouw has barely played in 6 months to deserve to be a top 3 openside.
think there are better form wingers than bowe also.
Nonu has been on terrible form baring the last game or so.

What channel is it on??

SOB, Medard, Mitchell, AAC, (at centre), Beast are not world class in my book. SOB and Medard are a long way from it

Mine would be

1. Domingo/Gethin/Tonga
2. BDP/Brits/Servat
3. Castro/Jones/Mas
4. Botha/Thorn/Nallet
5. Matfield/Sharpe/POC
6. Smith/Kaino/Dusatoir
7. McCaw/Pocock/Brussow
8. Parisse/Hari/Read
9. Genia/FDP/Parra
10. Carter/Cooper/Giteau
11. Gear/Habana/Jane
12. SBW/Jauzion/Nonu
13. Smith/BOD/Fourie
14. Bowe/JOC/Rougerie
15. Foden/Beale/Mils/JOC

BB2 Wales Matt

Virgin media does not carry bbc2 Wales damn it.

I was watching the Churchill cup compeltely forgot about it.

Warburton will be Wales captain soon I reckon. Along with SOB, Sexton and Foden I'd say their nailed on for the Lions tour in 2013 barring injury or unbelievable drop in form

If you've got sky its on channel 991 or something like that - otherwise its on the BBC sport website. Thought it would be a better option than Italy A v Canada! Do have to warn you that Eddie Butler is in a really annoying mood today!

Amazed no one has mentioned Giteau in the world class bracket, I know he's been off form today but he gave Cooper an absolute lesson today.

Be interesting to see what everyone thought was the top team of the future e.g. players under 24.

I prefer Steves list. He's got 8 of my players where pooly only has 5....

Might be able to get it on the red button.

I disagree, Brussow does enough when he plays to be world class, awesome player.

Burger is more a 6 and behind those 3. That's my opinion of the world class players. AAC was best 13 about last year.

I forgot about Adam Jones, he replaced Mas. Don't think Jenkins has played well for about a year, similar with Harinordoquy.

Medard is a fantastic winger imo and SOB best flanker in the NH.

He did not give Cooper a lesson today. Both were average. Brumbies 9 won them the game.

You know how I feel about SOB. He is miles from being the best flanker. Best ball carrying flanker perhaps but not best flanker.

1. Domingo/Steenkamp/Tonga
2. BDP/TPN/Servat
3. Castro/Franks/Mas
4. Botha/Thorn/Albacete
5. Matfield/Sharpe/POC
6. Smith/Kaino/Ferris
7. McCaw/Brussow/Pocock
8. Parisse/Read/Hari
9. Genia/FDP/Parra
10. Carter/Cooper/Steyn
11. Jane/Gear/Ashton
12. Barnes/Jauzion/Nonu
13. Fourie/Smith/AAC
14. JOC/Bowe/Medard
15. Beale/JOC/AAC/Mils/Foden

I meant best backrow in the NH lol, Amazing player.

Lists are pretty similar really. Wouldn't call Giteau or Steyn world class myself. Think Hari has had his day and Heaslip/Read/Parisse are much stronger players.

For me burger one of the best players in the world. He dominates international games and has been voted best player in the world before. He has also probably been the best player in super 15 this year. If all south Africa players are fit brussow is on their bench. Smith and burger are the flankers and I would take smith and burger as a unit over mccaw and Kaino.

Mccaw different player than burger but for me smith lots better than kaino who gets let down by his hands although a very good player

I love Burger but wouldn't have him on that level myself. If Brussow fit he will without start, he brings balance to the SA backrow. If Smith fit it'll be:

6. Brussow
7. Smith
8. ??? Alberts/Spies/Vermeulen

Burger is a BS really.

Pooly burger always 1st name on the teamsheet for south Africa
brussow has never ever been picked ahead of him.

Burger is one of their main ball carriers and creators. Brussow does none of that so SA lose their balance without burger.

We'll agree to disagree eh. If Brussow fit he's in I reckon, Burger from the bench if everybody fit. Smith brings that to the pack whilst Burger isn't great on the deck. Nice choices to have though, I imagine Smith won't make it and it'll be Brussow/Burger.

Great tackle from Mike Phillips. Would love him to get back to his best.

I think they will play alberts burger and spies. Lots of teams not playing a fetcher these days

Lol I thought you'd say that, doubt they'd put a second string out in the WC Matt.

Basteraud looking good at 12

South Africa like playing a big side and I think ball carriers will be key to wc. The weather will be appalling

if smith is fit I think they will go smith, burger, spies

burger for me is better than brussouw. the game has changed and wont be as suited to brussouw as it was before. took the natural fetchers like steffon time to adapt.

We shall see eh...be some interesting calls. Hopefully Smith will make it, he's great to watch.

Looking to tweak English players...

Ojo, Benjamin, Arr, Hipkiss, Slater, Lindsay available.

For a bigger deal....Wilkinso

Yep Phillips is well off his best today isn't he lads! Been Wales' best player by some distance so far, looks like he wants to prove a point (or get himself a big fat pay cheque in France!!!).

Aled Brew - worst international winger going?

dammit_chris wrote:Yep Phillips is well off his best today isn't he lads! Been Wales' best player by some distance so far, looks like he wants to prove a point (or get himself a big fat pay cheque in France!!!).

Aled Brew - worst international winger going?

Chris , this is a Baa Baas throw around mate, I wouldn't get too excited.

I'm in the Burger camp as well, think he is ahead of Brussow who needs to prove himself again before he can be called anywhere near world class.

Same old Phillips for me Chris, Poor passing and decisions. He'd be great in league as alot of the decision making is took a way from a player. Brew is awful...

Watch the delivery and choices took by young
Tavis knoyle. Wales look instantly better in attack.

i like Aled Brew. Think he's a great little winger

Not sure why Phillips get such criticism, gives any team a different style of 9 and there are so many no9s that come through in the same mould. I like him.

Whose the scrum half for the BaaBaas? He's looked pretty good.

I'd almost go as far to say that Aled Brew wouldnt get in a single Premiership team...

Tillous-Borde, signed for Toulon for next season.

These rugby league players sure can offload :L

Lol...you haven't seen much of the Falcons have you! Brew would be worshipped up here!

I've never rated Phillips Chris, steve will prob vouch for that. His pass is pretty average for a Int scrum half and he takes on way too much, he just hinders so many attacks.

I can't see him suiting your FH's too well esp Giteau. Would prob work quite well with Cipriani funnily enough I think.