Avivia Premiership - EQP Status

Ok, following on from discussions on another post.

Some questions:

1) What is your clubs strongest 23 - how many EQPs in it (note this will ignore injuries)
2) What team is being selected this season in teh Premiership (I am using statbunker to provide me with teh starts players make)
3) What is recruitment looking like for next season re EQP status
4) Are you comfortable with your sides efforts?

1) Genge, Youngs, Cole, Kitchener, Barrow, Williams, O'Connor, Kalamafoni, Youngs, Ford, May, Toomua, Tuilagi, Malouf, Veainu; TPN, Bateman, Mulipola, Fitzgerald, Hamilton, Harrison, Tait, Thompstone (11 EQP starting, 4 on bench so under the 16 minimum)

2) Bateman, Youngs, Cole, Kitchener, Fitzgerald, Williams, O.Connor, Kalamafoni, Youngs, Ford, Malouf, Toomua, Tuilagi, Thompstone, Veainu, Thacker, Genge, Mulipola, Wells, Harrison, Tait, May (Very similar, especially when TPN overtakes Thacker in appearances)

3) AFAIK all recruits announced so far are EQP (Spencer, Thompson), but also losing EQPs in Thacker and McGuigan (and maybe Barrow)

4) I think we can do more. Still too much reliance on guys like Hamilton, or SH players who are EQP through parentage.

In the ideal world, based on what is currently happening with ins and outs) the following would start the season for us next year:

Genge, Youngs, Cole, Kitch, Spencer, O'Connor, Evans, Thompson**, Youngs, Ford, May, Toomua, Tuilagi, Thompstone, Veainu

This would be a team which is mostly EQP (13) with a sprinkling of SH class. I woudl however prefer a stronger 6 and 8.

1 and 2 you've covered, maybe with TPN and Youngs reversed.

3) David Denton is coming in, but the rumours suggest it'll be to replace Hamilton so it shouldn't change much there.

4) Probably not going to be popular, but I really don't care about developing players for the national side. In terms of rugby priorities Leicester are so far ahead of England for me that I wouldn't mind a team with 0 EQP. Not that I'd want a team of mercenaries - I get much more enjoyment from players which develop and grow at Tigers, but that comes just as much from players like Ayerza, Mulipola, Malouf, etc. as if does EQP.

Fuzzy Dunlop wrote:1 and 2 you've covered, maybe with TPN and Youngs reversed.

3) David Denton is coming in, but the rumours suggest it'll be to replace Hamilton so it shouldn't change much there.

4) Probably not going to be popular, but I really don't care. In terms of rugby priorities Leicester are so far ahead of England for me that I wouldn't mind a team with 0 EQP. Not that I'd want a team of mercenaries - I get much more enjoyment from players which develop and grow at Tigers, but that comes just as much from players like Ayerza, Mulipola, Malouf, etc. as if does EQP.

I like to feel that I am watching a team largely made up of those we have developed. So yes the guys you mention fit that bill. Not sure how much I would enjoy watching a side built Toulon style - though expecting to win would be nice.

Forgot Denton.

Chiefs this season:

Moon, Yeandle, Francis, Hill, Lees, Armand, Simmonds, Waldrom, White, Steenson, Woodburn, Hill, Slade, Whitten, Turner (13 EQP/2 Aussies?)

Aye that's the point I was trying to make, I want to see developed players but I don't care whether they are EQP or plucked from a semi-pro Argentinian side that nobody has heard of. I'd take an entire 40 man squad of Ayerzas without issue.

I certainly wouldn't want Tigers to prioritise one player over another because he happens to be EQP, especially when the national side has shown it's happy to overlook home-grown English players in favour of people with a dubious connection to the country. Thomas Waldrom, for example.

Anyway, just wanted to provide a view from the other side. Not looking to derail your thread.

Wasps:

McIntyre, Johnson, Cooper-Wooley, Gaskell, Launchbury, Haskell, Young, Thompson, Robson, Cipriani, Bassett, Gopperth, De Jongh, Wade, Le Roux (10/5 split?)

Sarries:

Barrington, George, Figallo, Isiekwe, Kruis, Burger, Clark, Wray, Spencer, Lozowski, Wyles, Barritt, Bosch, Earle, Goode (11/4)

Falcons this season:

Vickers, Cooper, Welsh, Green, Witty, Wilson, Welch, Latu, Takulua, Flood, Sinotti, Socino, Harris, Goneva, Hammersley (7/8?)

Bath this season:

Obano, Dunn, Perenise, Stooke, Charteris, Garvey, Grant, Mercer, fotuali'i, Priestland, Brew, Tapuai, Joseph, Banahan, Watson (7/8?)

LondonTiger wrote:Chiefs this season:

Moon, Yeandle, Francis, Hill, Lees, Armand, Simmonds, Waldrom, White, Steenson, Woodburn, Hill, Slade, Whitten, Turner  (13 EQP/2 Aussies?)

Of those Francis, White, Whitten and Turner are Non-EQP.

Yep Whitten has played for Ireland

Welly wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:Chiefs this season:

Moon, Yeandle, Francis, Hill, Lees, Armand, Simmonds, Waldrom, White, Steenson, Woodburn, Hill, Slade, Whitten, Turner  (13 EQP/2 Aussies?)

Of those Francis, White, Whitten and Turner are Non-EQP.

No idea how I missed Whitten as he is so clearly Irish, Francis well I may have written his name, but was thinking Williams.

Best XV IMO - Reid, Faingaa, Franks, Van Der Merwe, Coman, Botha, Cowan, Treviranus, Van Zyl, Marshall, Lewington, Williams, Fowlie, Cokanasiga, Bell (10 non EQ, 5 EQ)

Regular XV - Franks, Paice, Du Plessis, Van Der Merwe, Paulo, Cowan, Northcote-Green, Treviranus, Steele, Tonks, Lewington, Williams, Fowlie, Cokanasiga, Marshall (8 non EQ, 7 EQ)

LondonTiger wrote:Bath this season:

Obano, Dunn, Perenise, Stooke, Charteris, Garvey, Grant, Mercer, fotuali'i, Priestland, Brew, Tapuai, Joseph, Banahan, Watson (7/8?)

Not far off. But Thomas, Roko, Clark, Ewels, Atwood would come in first choice if not injured. But as would Louw

I’d expect us to be

Obano, Dunn, Thomas, Stooke/Ewels, Garvey/Charteris, Mercer, Louw, Faletau,
Kahn, Priestland/Burns, roko, Clark, Joseph, Banahan, Watson

So that’s 10 definitely, be up to 12 possibles if Burns and Garvey started

Saracens

1)

Vunipola,George,Koch,Kruis,Itoje,Rhodes,Clark,Billy,Wigglesworth,Farrell,Maitland,Barritt,Taylor,Williams,Goode

Barrington,Brits,Figallo,Isiekwe,Burger,Spencer,Lozowski,Wyles

14/23 EQP

2) You already answered that Londontiger though some academy youngsters are getting some gametime in the IW like Earl, Malins and Segun.

3) 2 EQP wingers coming in - Strettle and Lewington - Earle out. Wyles retiring, Brits retiring, Longbottom leaving.

If Sinckler rumour comes true it will help.

4) Could be utilising the youngsters a bit more.

Some positions better than others.

LondonTiger wrote:Falcons this season:

Vickers, Cooper, Welsh, Green, Witty, Wilson, Welch, Latu, Takulua, Flood, Sinotti, Socino, Harris, Goneva, Hammersley (7/8?)

Yeah pretty accurate.

Micky Young has been starting at 9 for most of the games recently, and Matavesi is now 1st choice 12
A look at the deeper squad (1st choice players 1st)

Vickers (EQ) / Lockwood (EQ) / Benjamin (EQ) / Mavinga (NEQ)
Cooper (NEQ) / Lawson (NEQ) / Sowery (EQ) / Socino (NEQ)
Welsh (NEQ) / Scott Wilson (EQ) / Davey Wilson (EQ)
Green (EQ) / Olmstead (NEQ) / Davidson (NEQ) / Davies (EQ)
Witty (EQ) / Robinson (EQ) / Young (NEQ)
Welch (EQ) / Graham (EQ) / Uzokwe (EQ)
Wilson (EQ) / Chick (EQ)
Latu  (NEQ) / Burrows (EQ) / Hogg (NEQ)

Takulua (NEQ) / Young (EQ)
Flood (EQ) / Hodgson (EQ)
Matavesi (NEQ) / Socino (NEQ)
Harris (NEQ) / Penny  (EQ) / Stevenson (EQ)
Goneva  (NEQ) / Radwan (EQ) (DTH hasn't played one game)
Tait  (EQ) / Hammersley (EQ)

I would say the vast majority of youngsters coming through the academy are EQ local lads...and we don't no anything about signings...other than Socino is off to Edinburgh.