Season 8 Homepage I

First topic message reminder :

Breaking News: London Wasps regain their crown following playoff final victory. 
 

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Welcome to Season 8 of the Aviva Premiership fantasy rugby game.  Below are the rules of the game which must be adhered to.  If there are any situations that arise in the course of the game which are not covered by the rules, a final decision will be made by the RFU (SJE) as to how the situation will be resolved.
 
 

Senior Squads wrote:
The maximum squad size is 40 senior players.  If a team has more than 40 players in their squad then they will be fined £1 million per player over the permitted amounts per day for the first seven days. If after 7 consecutive days a team still has more than the permitted number of players then the team will be fined £2 million per player per day, and fined 1 league point per player per day for the next seven days. If after this time a team still has more than the permitted number of players in their squad, the RFU (SJE) will remove players at its discretion to bring them back under the permitted numbers. There will be no right of appeal to players being removed.

Be aware that all tier one international matches which are played during the season will count in the game, and players selected in the match day 23's for those matches will not be eligible to play for their clubs on that weekend, therefore you must give due consideration to the make-up of your squad.

Academy Rules wrote:
Each team will be allowed to have an academy squad of 23 players.  Players who are in the academy must be born on or after 1st September 1993. 

Any player, who is at any Premiership club in real life, either in their senior, academy or AASE squads, can be bid for on the domestic bidding page. Players who are at your own club in real life and are coming through the academy system must be bid for if you want them in your own academy.

Transfers wrote:

• Domestic (other AP Teams)
  Each team has a budget to use in the purchase of players. Domestic transfers between AP clubs, regardless of nationality of player, should be negotiated between the respective managers, and then confirmed on the Domestic Transfer Confirmation Page.
  
• Domestic (Championship and below)
  Each team may during the season purchase no more than 5 players from the Championship or the National Leagues. Worcester Warriors & London Wasps will receive two additional bids to be used exclusively on academy age players. These players must be bid for on the National League Bidding page, and each bid will be considered by the RFU on its own merits before being accepted or rejected.  No bid will be accepted until a minimum of 24 hours has elapsed from the time the bid was made, in order to afford other managers the opportunity to make a counter bid.
  
• Foreign
  To make a foreign transfer (i.e. from any club outside of the AP, regardless of whether the player is English) a bid should be made on the Foreign Transfers Page, which will be considered by the RFU against the posted guidelines for purchase prices before being accepted or rejected. No bid will be accepted until a minimum of 24 hours has elapsed from the time the bid was made, in order to afford other managers the opportunity to make a counter bid.
  
  There will be a summer foreign transfer window, which will run as follows.
  Player Draft
  Worcester Warriors & London Wasps will participate in a player draft beginning the week of June 22nd. Both sides will be allowed to draft two players each. The draft picks will go as follows; 1. Worcester 2. Wasps 3. Wasps 4. Worcester.
  
  Round Bidding
  There will be two rounds of bidding. The first window will run the week starting June 29th and the second the week starting July 3rd. All sides will be allowed to sign one player each during the window. These bids are not protected if you do not have the funds in place to bid during the window you will lose the bid.     
  
  Open Bidding
  From July 13th the foreign market will be open to all bids similar to previous seasons. Due to the world cup the window will remain open till the end of September. 
  

Player Releases wrote:
Managers may choose to release players from their clubs, for which they will be offered compensation

Compensation will be paid as follows

£2 million – current international (must have played international rugby in the previous 12 months)
£1.5 million – former international
£1m – top flight experience
£0.5m – other

All released players will be deemed to have joined a Championship side and can be bid for on the National League Bidding page.

Retirements wrote:
There will be no compensation for retiring players.  Should a player who retires decide to come out of retirement and play again, then he will automatically go back to the club who he was playing for in the game when he retired.

Fixtures wrote:
There will be 22 Aviva Premiership games per season, plus the play offs. There will also be European Rugby Champions Cup, European Rugby Challenge Cup and Anglo Welsh Cup matches.  These games will take place once a week. A match thread will be put up every Monday. Home teams must be named by midnight on Tuesday. Away teams must be named by midnight on Wednesday. Failure to meet these deadlines is punishable by the addition of three match points to the oppositions final score, unless both sides fail to do so. Both teams must provide tactics by midnight on Thursday. Predictions will be open from 00:01 hours on Friday and remain open until 20:00 hours on Sunday. Managers will pm the scores that they think will happen from these games (apart from games in which they are involved).  An average of all predictions will be taken, and then 0.5 points added to each teams score for each prediction that had them as the winner, and that will then be the final score.

Managers are asked to provide detail as to why they have predicted a result.  To be considered a descriptive prediction this must be a full 3 lines long when entered into the text box. 

Teams wrote:
When naming your team, not only should you put the starting XV and replacements, but also tactics that your team will employ. Results will be affected by the tactics described.

In addition, each team must have the following:-

For domestic competition at least 8 England qualified players in your match day 23, and at least 4 of those must be in your starting XV.

For European competition at least 8 England qualified players in your match day 23, and at least 6 of those must be in your starting XV.

At least 2 props and 1 hooker on the bench.

All players must be eligible (not injured or banned).

Failure to comply with these rules will result in a 1 league point deduction.

If you fail to submit a team for a match, then the other team will be automatically awarded a 30-0 bonus point win. If both teams fail to submit a team, then it will be scored as a 0-0 draw.

Injuries and Suspensions wrote:
Injuries in this game do NOT reflect real life, they will be generated by me.

Players banned in real life will be ineligible for selection in this game for the duration of the ban.

Inclusion of injured/banned players will result in them being replaced by players on the bench, and the bench not having eight players, which may result in punishment if it concerns the front-row.

Punishment for fielding an ineligible player will be loss of one match point.

Financial Rewards wrote:
There will be no rewards for the result of an individual match, instead the managers will receive cash for predicting.

£2m for descriptive predictions 
£0.25m for scores on the doors predictions
Bonuses will be awarded on a scaled basis i.e. 2m for 5 games, 1.6m for 4 games and so on
If you fail to predict without first advising me that you are unable to do so that week, you will be fined £1m for a first offence, £2m for a second offence, £3m for a third offence etc upto a maximum of £5m per fine.

AP finishing positions.

Champions: 8m
Runners Up: 6m
Playoff Semi Finalist Losers: 5m
5th: 4m
6th: 3.5m
7th: 3m
8th: 2.5m
9th: 2m
10th: 1.5m
11th: 1m
12th: 0.5m

Heineken Cup

Losing Quarter Finalists - £2 million each
Losing Semi Finalists - £3 million each
Runners Up - £4 million
Champions - £5 million

Amlin Challenge Cup

Losing Quarter Finalists - £1 million each
Losing Semi Finalists - £2 million each
Runners Up - £3 million
Champions - £4 million

Anglo-Welsh Cup

Losing Semi Finalist - £1 million each
Runners Up - £2 million
Champions - £3 million


If your budgets falls below minus £10 million for any reason, the administrators (SJE) will step in and players from within your squad will be released for the relevant financial compensation (foreign transfer value) in order to bring your budget back above minus £10 million.

1. Woodcock
2. Brits
3. Brookes
4. Kruis
5. Du Toit
6. Wood
7. Hooper
8. Chouly
9. Pienaar
10. Myler
11. Thomas
12. Henshaw
13. Joseph
14. Nowell
15. Kearney

Top 4 side obviously Steve but for you to improve on that I'd say:

3. Brookes - not convinced in him as a starter, perhaps critical as I see him every week

Lock - no top line out option

9/10 - decent but not top draw, Cooper on form will help

11-15 - very good, a top 12 would possibly make it best in the league

Hooker, wing and centre your weakest for me CJ. Perhaps a big carrying centre could be handy?

Honestly thought Gear was going to stay in NZ, but Clermont are going to have some firepower out wide next season! Are they still signing Naholo as well?

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_55481,00.html

Fluxy wrote:Honestly thought Gear was going to stay in NZ, but Clermont are going to have some firepower out wide next season! Are they still signing Naholo as well?

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_55481,00.html

A fit and firing gear is a great player. Not happened for him this year but shown the odd spark or two recently. He should thrive at clermont. Clermonts issue is they need a 9 and 10 that allow them to play the open game they want to play. Should see quite a few changes in the pack. A lot of their team have all aged together.

The young lock has done well for them in recent weeks

Big "if" on the fit and firing with Gear though.

He was fantastic in 2011/12 but just hasn't seemed to be able to get back to that level. He's suffered a similar tail off to Digby who was very much in the same mould, great players to watch at their peak.

He's been quite handy with the Chiefs, will admit that there are some better wings around, but he's such a threat.

Guys based upon, what I believe to be my strongest side (at the moment!) could I have some feedback please? Or if there are others I should consider starting.

1. Cian Healy
2. Rob Webber
3. Ben Franks
4. Lood De Jager/Patrick Tui
5. Paul O'Connell
6. James Haskell
7. Sean O'Brien
8. Fritz Lee

9. Connor Murray
10. Nick Evans
11. Hosea Hear
12. Brad Barritt
13. Adam Ashley Cooper
14. Jamie Elliott
15. James O'Connor

Good looking team Flux, you've improved in the off season.

Franks not a great TH, 10 & 14 weaknesses (def 14)

2 and 3 an issue. Webber probably temporary as he must find form somewhere.

Would say you need a bit of guile in the backrow. It's light on brains but huge on physicality/

2 potentially great locks at 4 but still potential.

After that Evans and Elliot worries.

Your side is hugely improved and you have made some good signings. A couple of decent foreigns and you could be set

Would say hope for Webber to improve in form. Look at 10 and Elliott to improve fella. Other than that, pretty good

Just running through the teams put up for feedback.

Gloucester:
- Wood & Moriarty look out of place and are weaknesses at this level
- Cips had a decent season but not good enough if you have aspirations of top 4

Irish:
- Grant along way from his best. Nel over Kubs who is a bench man at Stade
- Back three would struggle against a good kicking game
- Love the back row options but Warbs/Morgan injury prone and will affect ratings on and off through the season

Wasps
- Hard to judge without seeing other world cup sides but a great kicking game in the backs and some big lumps in the pack to hit the ball up.
- Could struggle defensively 1 on 1 in the backs though

Quins
- Brookes sticks out compared to the rest of the side, Myler less so.
- I'd go a kick chase game with that side but Thomas not the best for it and struggling form wise
- Lack of tight carriers in the pack. Hooper (especially!), Chouly, Wood all better carrying out wider. Pressure on Henshaw to get over the gainline consistently.

Chiefs:
- Backrow a nightmare to play against in a muddy mess but could be out thought at the breakdown
- Evans past his best and needs improving to move up to the next level
- Elliot and less so Franks could be improved on
- Lot of pressure on JOC to be the playmaker with the centre and wings on show

Vermaulen and poc confirmed at Toulon

POC must have passed his medical, decent signings.

Anybody see the U20 game? Heard we battered them upfront with the scoreline flattering SA

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Anybody see the U20 game? Heard we battered them upfront with the scoreline flattering SA

It was a good performance. Think we will struggle vs NZ. SA hampered by not having a testing game until england and a few Injuries.

England raised there game. Watched both semi finals and they were the first games of tournament I watched so hard to make comparisons with their earlier games

England's scrum superb. Genge and Hill really good prospects.

I like the look of Rory Jennings. He looks a good all round 10. Seems quite accomplished in most skills.

NZ the best side I've seen so far though. Be a big test in the final.

Apart from hill they have rotated quite a bit pack wise. Genge good for bristol when he plays. Tompkins
At 13 is a very good prospect

Interesting signing by Exeter

http://m.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/Exeter-Chiefs-sign-St-Helens-centre-Josh-Jones/story-26710468-detail/story.html

I follow Saints quite closely and he's by no means a star there.

Reckon centre or backrow Steve? He's quite a lump. If he has decent hands and a bit of pace he could slot in at centre maybe?

Available at Sarries:

Johnnie Beattie
Scott Spedding
Marcelo Bosch
Keven Mealamu
Jannie du Plessis

Pooly mealamu has announced his retirement from rugby post wc if he is selected for the squad hasn't he ?

Think we could see a lot of retirements post wc. On the other hand I have released quite a few people who have then carried on successfully

No confirmation from Mealamu about when/if he'll retire.

Just seen Harinordoquy was named Toulouse's player of the year! not bad for an old fella

Anyone got any advice on who to keep out of this lot

HK Nathan Morris 03.03.1993
LK Adam Sinclair (Scotland) 21.01.1993
FH Tommaso Allan (Italy) 26.04.1993
SH Nathan Fowles 08.04.1993
CE Chris Farrell (Ireland) 16.03.1993

Can only afford to keep one realistically, unless someone makes a very good case for the others!

Allan's a full international. I'd go with him in your position

Him or possibly Farrell

Bath, Wasps, Toulon and Leinster is a horrific pool.

Cheers Steve and Pooly, it was pretty much between Allan and Farrell but not sure how he's actually doing down there.. looks like I'm releasing Farrell and the others unless anyone wants any of them (unlikely I know!)

I'm after a Loosehead, blindside and scrum half if anybody is up for a deal.

Just watching U20 game against SA. That's some scrum from England, they absolutley smashed them. Fair to say TDT is better at LH.

Anyone want Kelly brown or Gerard Ellis?

Scott Sio
Paul James
Ben Alexander
Frans Malherbe
Romain Millo-Chluski
Alun-Wyn Jones
Rynhardt Elstadt
Sebastien Tillous-Borde
Robbie Freuan
Paul Jordaan
JJ Engelbrecht
Bryan Habana
Delon Armitage

All available for deals.  Others may be available on request.

Lads I'm away for a week on holiday, so will have limited access if any! Have a good one!

Have fun

SBW & Fekitoa's defence has been superb, such offensive defence. Aaron Smith playing well, really tight game.

Cheers Pooly!

Just in case, when do the foreigns open?

A week Monday

Aaron smith superb.

Chiefs not been that  great all year. Had injuries and players like SBW and rettalick not had great seasons due to constantly picking up niggles and struggling to get going. All players need a run of games to get form.

Highlanders defence was superb barely noticed SBW as they made him anonomous.

Really smart performance from highlanders.

I know you don't rate Cruden at all but Chiefs miss him so much, he makes them tick. Fekitoa possibly the best defensive 13 this year, he's really stepped up in this department, outstanding player.

Fekitoa Is a good 13. A poor 12 but at 13 his step and pace is fantastic.
They miss cruden. Whilst I think he is average he is better than what they have. Mckenzie will be a player but is maybe a year or 2 away.

Cruden would have made a huge difference. At s15 he is fantastic I just don't think he is good enough at international level. S15 is his level for me and he is outstanding in it.

McKenzie the best runner on the pitch tonight. He is so elusive and has such brilliant awareness of who's around him.

I love Cruden, I think he's great but not had the best of years with the boot. I wouldn't say Fekitoa was poor at 12, he did pretty well there for the AB's after hardly playing there.

He is a better 13 though, not bad for the AB's having the two best 13's in the world.

Agree Steve, McKenzie really tore them up at times.

Mckenzie Is a really special talent. I think 10 will be his position but he can do 13 and 15 well.

I think fekitoa is a long way from second best 13 In the world lol. He is some way off tuilagi, kurindrani, Bosch  serfontein, jd2 etc who are all proven internationals. 

He is still relatively unproven at top level but all indicators suggest he will be a really good international player.

Conrad smith best 13 by a distance and one of the all time greats

Pete will love this story, Bath being linked to buying out Falateau's contract and signing him for next season. Cleary within the salary cap, of course.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/33204859

This is big on the Bristol post website also chris. Bath have been afte r him for ages. He is not worth the money and is very average for me. Wales lack decent carriers in their backrow and I think if they could find a big ball carrying 8 then faletau would not get a look in

Serfontein is a 12 really, he does a job at 13 but so much better at 12.

Who's this Tuilagi guy you speak of?

Joe Tomane has a hattrick in 24 mins against he Stormers

Stormers not in this one

Cheika needs to work out how to get Hooper and Pocock in the same back row