RugbyRebels

Having had a quick look back at the predictions thread to see how badly I'd done, this occurred to me as an interesting exercise.

1. Ellis Genge
2. Tommy Taylor
3. Halani Aulika
4. Luke Charteris
5. Will Spencer
6. Luke Hamilton
7. Schalk Burger
8. Louis Picamoles

9. Kahn Fotuali'i
10. Danny Cipriani
11. Sean Maitland
12. Kurtley Beale
13. Ben Te'o
14. Vereneki Goneva
15. Jason Woodward

Looks pretty good, though I can't say I've been impressed with Hamilton. Hamilton's worked hard and looked good in the Leicester back row, but it's the Leicester back row so it's not much of a bar to clear, then again who else, Dennis maybe?

Fotuali'i bar his kicking has truly been excellent, might even be my AP player of the season, Picamoles has been superb too.

Makes you wonder what Saints were asking Fotuali'I to do during his time there.

It's a head scratcher ... I'm finding it hard to to disagree much with that XV.

There's a few obvious ones, but then there are a few who are pretty much default picks by virtue of the fact that there weren't that many major moves in some positions.

Th only change I'd make is picking Lozowski over Cipriani at 10. Cipriani has had lots of good moments, but also lots of poor ones this season. Lozowski has been consistently good IMO as well as showing that he has the versatility to play at 12 or 15 if needed. He's been a very good signing for Saracens.

Yup Loz seemed the obv one for me too but then I was a fan anyway and was gutted when he left Wasps. Can only see him getting better and better. Quite how Sarries are gonna accommodate him and Faz is going to be interesting.

Vincent Koch at TH is arguably a better signing than Aulika. I'd also make a case for Symons at lock.

Yeah - good call on Symons. He's been very good and has probably had more of an impact than Charteris.

Beasties wrote:Yup Loz seemed the obv one for me too but then I was a fan anyway and was gutted when he left Wasps. Can only see him getting better and better. Quite how Sarries are gonna accommodate him and Faz is going to be interesting.

Vincent Koch at TH is arguably a better signing than Aulika. I'd also make a case for Symons at lock.

Sarries rotate pretty well and Goode/Barrett must be getting on too, much as we don't want him to become an average utility player.

Beasties wrote:Yup Loz seemed the obv one for me too but then I was a fan anyway and was gutted when he left Wasps. Can only see him getting better and better. Quite how Sarries are gonna accommodate him and Faz is going to be interesting.

Vincent Koch at TH is arguably a better signing than Aulika. I'd also make a case for Symons at lock.

Agreed Lozowski vs Cipriani is the most debatable one, felt like I was reaching a bit in the tight five so Symons a good shout.

Koch's now looking like an excellent signing but I marked him down in this for not actually playing that much, 4+3 Prem and 1+3 CC vs 14+6 AP and 3+3 CC. Aulika's not as good a player but Sale got a bigger contribution to the season from him.

Otherwise, potential argument over Faletau vs Picamoles at 8, technically Hougaard was a transfer from SA Sevens to Worcester this season I think, could certainly debate some other wings and at a stretch maybe WLR for 15.

Guwuffle wrote:

Beasties wrote:Yup Loz seemed the obv one for me too but then I was a fan anyway and was gutted when he left Wasps. Can only see him getting better and better. Quite how Sarries are gonna accommodate him and Faz is going to be interesting.

Vincent Koch at TH is arguably a better signing than Aulika. I'd also make a case for Symons at lock.

Agreed Lozowski vs Cipriani is the most debatable one, felt like I was reaching a bit in the tight five so Symons a good shout.

Koch's now looking like an excellent signing but I marked him down in this for not actually playing that much, 4+3 Prem and 1+3 CC vs 14+6 AP and 3+3 CC. Aulika's not as good a player but Sale got a bigger contribution to the season from him.

Otherwise, potential argument over Faletau vs Picamoles at 8, technically Hougaard was a transfer from SA Sevens to Worcester this season I think, could certainly debate some other wings and at a stretch maybe WLR for 15.

Possibly the biggest stretch you could possibly make. As in, he could be put in the worst signings of 2017 from recent showings.

Nitpicking, but Genge was a signing from last season.

Timbo wrote:Nitpicking, but Genge was a signing from last season.

And not particularly good (yet).

hugh_woatmeigh wrote:

Timbo wrote:Nitpicking, but Genge was a signing from last season.

And not particularly good (yet).

How many buckfasts deep were you when you made this incorrect post?

twitchy wrote:

hugh_woatmeigh wrote:

Timbo wrote:Nitpicking, but Genge was a signing from last season.

And not particularly good (yet).

How many buckfasts deep were you when you made this incorrect post?

One might say it was balls, though there might be some reasoning to come?

I'd also say Matt Scott has been pretty darn effective in an often-ropey Gloucester side.