Homepage - Page 2

First topic message reminder :

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


Opening Weekend fixtures; Leicester Tigers vs Exeter Chiefs ; London Irish vs Harlequins ; Newcastle Falcons vs Bath ; Northampton vs Gloucester ; Saracens vs London Wasps ; Worcester Warriors vs Sale Sharks

This Weeks match thread(s) :- https://www.606v2.com/t8662-fixtures-3#245781

Season One Homepage (Archived)

Season Two Homepage Part One(Archived)

Season Two Homepage Part Two(Archived)

Rules

Fixture/Results list

League Table

Top Points Scorers

Top Try Scorers

European Homepage

LV Anglo Welsh Cup Homepage

Transfer Homepage

Press Releases

Unavailable Players

Waiting list for a team

1. Sam
2. pullthestrings
3. Bathite

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

I thought Anthony Faainga looked quality at 13 towards the back end of this year would work well outside a playmaking 12 i.e Contepomi.

Anyone getting up early Sunday for the OZ game? or just sky+ it lol

Giteau needs to have a big game

sky plus for me

Also guys can i have some feedback on these options for next year

Front Row

Starting with a stable prop (Efion Lewis-Roberts) then bringing on a impact prop (Cian Healy) after about 50 minutes or Starting with Cian Healy and bringing Efion Lewis Roberts on after 65 minutes to steady the game and see it out.

John Smit's best position - Hooker or tighthead

Back Row

Brown/Fearns/Jennings
Brown/Fearns/Wallace
Fearns/Delve/Jennings
Fearns/Delve/Wallace
Danahar/Brown/Holah

Any other ideas?

Centres - Best combo

Max Evans - best position

Super XV team of the season according to planet rugby

1. Crockett
2. BDP
3. Afoa (Yesssss)
4. Sharpe
5. Matfield
6. Higginbottom
7. Johnson
8. Read
9. Genia
10. Carter
11. Digby
12. SBW
13. Freaun
14. Kade Poki
15. Beale

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3824_7031031,00.html

Cooper, Maitland, Robinson, Turner and A. faainga are unlucky not to be in there for me

Would of picked Maitland :/

I was looking at Mike Harris myself mate but things came through the domestics for me. Think hes a handy little player especially for the international periods on this game

S15 team of the year according to 'Rugga World'

15. Kurtley Beale (Waratahs)
14. JP Pietersen (Sharks)
13. Jaque Fourie (Stormers)
12. Sonny Bill Williams (Crusaders)
11. Digby Ioane (Reds)
10. Quade Cooper (Reds)
9. Will Genia (Reds)
8. Kieran Read (Crusaders)
7. Matt Todd (Crusaders)
6. Schalk Burger (Stormers)
5. Andries Bekker (Stormers)
4. Nathan Sharpe (Force)
3. Owen Franks (Crusaders)
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau (Waratahs)
1. Wyatt Crockett (Crusaders)

Reserves
16. Keven Mealamu (Blues)
17. Ben Franks (Crusaders)
18. Sitaleki Timani (Waratahs)
19. Adam Thomson (Highlanders)
20. Andy Ellis (Crusaders)
21. James O’Connor (Force)
22. Zac Guildford (Crusaders)

Can't see what Matfield has done to merit a place?

From my own camp Bekker and Todd unlucky not to make the planet rugby list. Adam Thomson at 6 would be a good shout as well but Higginbottom was that little bit better over the course of the season.
Would have Fourie above Freuen but only just. maitland should be on the wing. Would take Cooper over Carter over the course of the season. Carter still the better player overall for me though.

I struggle to see why Matfield is there as well.

My personal side would have been

1. Wyatt Crockett
2. BDP
3. Owen Franks/John Afoa/WP Nel
4. Sharpe
5. Horwill
6. Higginbottom
7. Robinson
8. Read
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Maitland
12. SBW
13. Faainga
14. Turner
15. Beale

I don't think Bekker has been great this season.

Todd deserved more game time in the play offs as McCaw never got going

Bekker has been a standout for the Stormers again this year for me Steve. the only other lock to have the same kind of influence as him is Horwill but Bekker shades it for me. Probably been the best lock at super level over the last 2/3 years now

Was very impressed by Todd coming on in the final though. Got the better of Gill anyway

I don't think Bekker was in Sharpe, Thorn, Horwill's etc league but he was the best Saffer lock by a long chalk

Sharpe I agree on was great this year. But Thorn had his work load shared over the season. Both are enforcer locks though. Bekker was for me most definately the best lineout lock (for want of a better term) over the course of the entire seaon. Horwill was good though as well. Great in the final. its all subjective really but can't see how Matfield got into the Planet Rugby side over the other two lads didnt think he was great at all this year. Been outshone by Bekker at this level 2 years straight now. Shouldnt be guranteed his shirt for the world cup but will be

Horwill best lock for me. tough call between fainga'a, fourie and freuan at 13. cooper/genia definitly best half backs. thomson started season well but tailed off then got injured. afoa and nel tough call for 3. crockett best loosehead by a long way for me.

There have been no outstanding Hookers, BDP was not exceptional by his standards but his average was good enough to be the best hooker.

I like Saai Faainga but his setpiece really lets him down. Hanson is the better all round player.

Thought TPN was exceptional starting off but faded away. Really between him and BDP. Fourie and Strauss were decent throughout the tournament as well although Fourie is lacking in his basics at times

Mealamu had a good season, great work in the loose just the odd wayward lineout throw.

Think I prefer your side Steve, seen a few banded about. Would have Bekker above Horwill and Fourie ahead of Fa'ianga. Franks was best TH by some distance and I'd stick Guildford ahead of Turner.

Looking for a openside flanker, number eight and fly half.

The main features in all sides I've seen are Crockett, Read, Higginbottom,Sharpe, Genia, SBW and Beale. Not much argument about those i wouldnt have thought

wouldnt say by some distance pooly, afoa and nel had good seasons, agreed franks is the better player, but afoa played above himself and put in some great performances.

Burger has been in every super 15 side of the season i have seen and for me was in the top 3 players of super 15 with Genia and Beale. he had a massive season

Think Kieran Reed, Higginbottom and Burger would be my backrow

Yea Ofoa had a good season but doesn't dominate in the scrum as Franks does, good player though

Looking forward to seeing Franks take on the northern hemisphere scrums in the World Cup.

Jenkins, Domingo, Sheridan etc will give him a proper test and it will be harder for him as Woodcock/Crockett whoever is a at loosehead won't get things all there own way against Jones, Cole, Mas etc

looking forward to it.

Still fancying Oz or France for the World cup

Rugby 365 awards:

Player if S15 - Cooper
Best back - Kurtley Beale
Forward - Kieran Read
Best try - Genia in final
Biggest flop - Cipriani

Matt, Burger didn't make Planet rugby team of season. Backrow was Read, Higginbottom, AJ

Agree with that Steve, a step up in scrummaging if not loose play up north. Don't think Sheridan is anything great in the scrum.

Never seen Sheridan go backwards. still the best Loosehead England have although Marler and Corbs in particular will soon overtake him.

He's a steady eddy I think Steve, not seen him dominate for a few years. A half fit Murray gave him all sorts of issues at Falcons

Sheridan is solid but nothing spectacular these days. Think this will be his last year in england. Signed a 1 year extension for this year. Think Sale may move him on though with Imolek coming on. Did very well last year for such a young lad. Not as good as Marler ball in hand though no slouch himself but much stronger in the scrum.

I played with and against Imiolek loads of times. he kept me out the Cheshire under 15's side when he was an 8. Unbelievable eye for the try line. Very confident player.


Sheridan would have left this year if Diamond hadn't have come back to Sale. If we do well he might stay.

I dunno mate think the main reason he stayed on for this season was to keep himself out of trouble before the world cup with Johno and the RFU frowning on moves to France. Wouldnt have done himself many favours moving over before the world cup with Corbisero and Stevens breathing down is neck

If Imolek keeps going the way he has this year doubt you will need Sheridan anyway. Imolek and Thomas could well be looking at England honours down the line. Both fantastic prospects for Sale

No it is well known over here that he would have left and joined Toulon after the WC. But he rejected the Toulon deal when Diamond was put in charge

Well fair play to Diamond then! Done wonders so far with his signings though I question Buckley and Dickinson not the greatest scrummagers. What you reckon of the moldovan lad or whatever he is you signed from Russia?

Lions v Pumas on SS4....currie cup game

cheers pooly will catch that now!

I had to turn it off. Was upsetting me the standard of it although there were good players on show

The ITM is usually a better watch but I don't think the standard in the CC is any worse than the AP myself, just very forward orientated.

Both sides look dead on there feet at the moment to be honest. AP a step up for me to this

I think that's pretty much the Lions S15 side bar a couple (doesn't say much!)

Maybe I'm too used to watching Falcons, both of these are streets ahead!

AP is streets ahead of the CC.

I don't enjoy that competition at all. Much rather watch the kids play 7's on ESPN

Sharks team that won CC last year:

15 Louis Ludik
14 Ndungane
13 Stefan Terblanche
12 Andries Strauss
11 Mvovo
10 Patrick Lambie
9 Charl McLeod
1 Beast Mtawarira
2 Bismarck du Plessis
3 Jannie du Plessis
4 Steven Sykes
5 Alistair Hargreaves
6 Keegan Daniel
7 Willem Alberts
8 Ryan Kankowski

For a league much worse than the AP that's a pretty impressive side that would do some serious damage in the AP.   

Think the likes of Sarries, Saints, Tigers are as good as that side Pooly. Think for overall quality AP is a better standard

How many of those players played for the whole tournament?

It runs with the 3N so not all. Same as the AP and the 6N. I think it's a good watch anyway, AP is hit and miss usually but around the same standard IMO

Aus team for tomorrow:

Australia (revised): 15 Mark Gerrard, 14 Rod Davies, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 Matt Hodgson, 6 Rocky Elsom(c), 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Sitaleki Timani, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Sekope Kepu

Replacements: 16 James Hanson, 17 Pek Cowan, 18 Dan Vickerman, 19 Scott Higginbotham, 20 Beau Robinson, 21 Will Genia, 22 Kurtley Beale.

Interesting side. A few there playing for a World Cup place for sure.

Interested to see what Rod Davies can do, he's looked very good in s15 this year. Samoa have put out their best team, so could be a very interesting game, espc as Samoa have played games together over the last 3 weekends.

Japanese rugby must be improving as they won the Pacific Nations Cup - would love to go and watch a game out there.

Looks might Mitchell might make it back for the WC too

Rod Davies gives Oz an option as a man with genuine pace. Something which JOC, AAC, Mitchell etc don't have. They are quick but the aren't rockets like Davies, Ashton, Habana et al

Would like to see him go to the WC

I'm never sure how much Deans rates Mitchell. He was behind the continually injured Hynes last year and only got in the TN squad because Hynes was injured (surprise surprise)