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Starting 23s for the new season.

Don't Skip Leg Day

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Just wondered with all the leavers and movers, what the starting 23s are predicted for the coming season. I'll start with saints predicted 23, let me know your teams.

1. Iyogun
2. Langdon
3. Davison
4. Temo or Hunter-Hill (new)
5. Coles
6. Kemeny (new)
7. Pearson
8. Augustus
9. Mitchell
10. Smith
11. Freeman
12. Stephenson
13. Dingwall (Burger is injured)
14. Sleightholme
15. Furbank


16. R Smith
17. T West (new)
18. Milner-Mills
19. Munga
20. Graham/ Scott-Young
21. James
22. Savala/ Makepeace-Cubitt
23. Sleightholme

The only areas really changed by the new season are the second and back row. We could see Temo, Hunter-Hill or Munga take that 4 shirt, will have to see and the backrow could all change on form with Scott-Young and Graham playing pivotal roles last year.


Centre is only changed due to the Burger O injury and there is a chance that Dawson wants Freeman back at 13 to give more bulk to the centre partnership but I'm hoping that Stephenson has been bulking up this summer.

We might also see another season of a 5/2 bench split with Furbank providing the 10 cover. We've got two 10s cover in the squad but I just don't think we'll see them that much.
 
Tough to say with Sale, especially the centres where we've spent big on a guy who's past is prime so will probably be wanting him to be starting

My guess:
Rodd, LCD, Schonert
JLdP, Roets
T. Curry, B. Curry (c)
DdP
Warr, Ford
O'Flaherty, Bedlow, RdP, Roebuck
Carpenter

Taylor, McIntyre, Harper, Bamber, Dugdale, Quirke, Nayacalevu, L.James

Though I wouldn't be surprised to see one of RdP/Nayacalevu shoehorned in at 12 and the other at 13

Schonert is out until October so start of the season will have Harper starting and Asher on the bench,
Not seen DDP in any preseason shots but think he's due back by season start - if he's not then JLdP to 8, Beaumont to start

Think Reed has probably effed himself by getting capped by Scotland - with him and Warr both losing EQP status and Warr being a first choice starter I think he's going to be starting or not involved at all, and Flats was first choice at the end of the season
 
Just wondered with all the leavers and movers, what the starting 23s are predicted for the coming season. I'll start with saints predicted 23, let me know your teams.

1. Iyogun
2. Langdon
3. Davison
4. Temo or Hunter-Hill (new)
5. Coles
6. Kemeny (new)
7. Pearson
8. Augustus
9. Mitchell
10. Smith
11. Freeman
12. Stephenson
13. Dingwall (Burger is injured)
14. Sleightholme
15. Furbank


16. R Smith
17. T West (new)
18. Milner-Mills
19. Munga
20. Graham/ Scott-Young
21. James
22. Savala/ Makepeace-Cubitt
23. Sleightholme

The only areas really changed by the new season are the second and back row. We could see Temo, Hunter-Hill or Munga take that 4 shirt, will have to see and the backrow could all change on form with Scott-Young and Graham playing pivotal roles last year.


Centre is only changed due to the Burger O injury and there is a chance that Dawson wants Freeman back at 13 to give more bulk to the centre partnership but I'm hoping that Stephenson has been bulking up this summer.

We might also see another season of a 5/2 bench split with Furbank providing the 10 cover. We've got two 10s cover in the squad but I just don't think we'll see them that much.
Do you mean Hutchinson? Been a while since Stephenson was at Saints.
 
Main question for Quins is who plays 12.

Given the injuries to Marler and Murley, I am expecting to start the season something like:

1. Baxter
2. Walker
3. Lamositele
4. Launchbury
5. Lamb
6. Cunningham-South
7. W. Evans
8. Dombrandt
9. Care
10. Smith
11. David
12. Northmore
13. Joseph
14. Green
15. Halfpenny

16. Riley
17. Jones
18. Lewis
19. Hammond
20. Kenningham
21. Porter
22. J. Evans
23. Beard

Personally, I'd prefer to leave Green at 15 and give Cleaves or Zheng the opportunity to step up rather than bring in Halfpenny who is just a weird addition.

I also prefer Riley and Jibulu to Walker but I think he will retain the starting berth.

Kenningham, Lamb and Joseph will almost feel like new signings given how much rugby they missed.

I know some are expecting to see Anyanwu get a run but I think he's seen as a squad player rather than a starter.
 
Bristol, based on the previous season (but I suspect there will be a couple of changes in system/position not least due to coaching departure and reshuffle)

1. Genge
2. Oghre
3. Lahiff
4. Batley
5. Caulfield/Dun (depends on opposition)
6. Grondona
7. Harding
8. Mata
9. Randall
10. MacGinty
11. Ibitoye
12. Williams
13. Janse van Rensberg
14. Naulago
15. Malins

16. Thacker
17. Thomas
18. Kloska
19. Owen
20. Luatua
21. Marmion
22. Ravouvou
23. Heward

Overall I'm pretty stoked with the core and excited to see what impact the academy will have on the first team this season... Vakatawa is a big loss IMO plus we seem to have an over abundance of experienced quality at loose head yet questions remain around tight head. I really want Kloska to continue improving and take on the starting tight head role as a goal this season. Halliwell impressed with England u20 and has some first team experience so there could be a breakthrough there.
 
Yeah. With all the praise for Sela and AOF, Halliwell flew under the radar a bit but looked like a good prospect from what I saw of him.

Kloska is an interesting one. Whenever I see him play, I think he looks promising, but he hasn't really had much of a run in the side. It would be great to see some good young tightheads emerging who are a bit older than the U20 crop. At 24, Kloska's a good age profile. Plenty of time to grow and not too much too young.
 
Falcons.....

1 Luin De Bruin
2 Jamie Blamire
3 Eduardo Bello
4 Sebastian De Chaves
5 Tim Cardall
6 Pedro Rubiolo
7 Tom Gordon / Marcus Tiffin - very impressive youngster coming through
8 Calum Chick

9 Sam Stuart
10 Brett Connon
11 Ben Stevenson / Alex Hearle
12 Sam Arnold
13 Connor Doherty
14 Adam Radwan
15 Ben Redshaw

16. Adam Brocklebank / Connor Hancock (No idea how this lad will fair at this level)
17. Bryan Byrne
18. Murray MaCallum / Callum Hancock (No idea how this lad will fair at this level)
19. Kieran McDonald
20. Freddie Lockwood
21. Pepper
22. Wilkinson
23. Metcalf
 
Hmm reckon it will be something like

1. Nicky Smith
2. Julian Montoya
3. Dan Cole
4. George Martin
5. Cameron Henderson
6. Ollie Chessum
7. Tommy Reffell
8. Hanro Liebenberg
9. JVP
10. Pollard
11. OHC
12. Kelly
13. Perese
14. Watson (lol)
15. Steward

16. FTT
17. Cronin
18. Heyes
19. Carnduff
20. Ilione/Hatherell
21. Youngs
22. Shillcock
23. Kata
 
Hmm reckon it will be something like

1. Nicky Smith
2. Julian Montoya
3. Dan Cole
4. George Martin
5. Cameron Henderson
6. Ollie Chessum
7. Tommy Reffell
8. Hanro Liebenberg
9. JVP
10. Pollard
11. OHC
12. Kelly
13. Perese
14. Watson (lol)
15. Steward

16. FTT
17. Cronin
18. Heyes
19. Carnduff
20. Ilione/Hatherell
21. Youngs
22. Shillcock
23. Kata
I got the impression from last season that Kata was ahead of Kelly at 12.
 
Bath squad now officially announced, rather than my attempt to keep track of things above

36d878909543aabd7592adaaeaa2e80c.jpg



ETA: Oops, should have Cuckson in the "3rd choice" column, as both Du Plessis and Maloney are likely to get picked ahead of him. That comes from editing Richards from lock to backrow and not properly rearranging the locks.
 
Last edited:
Bath squad now officially announced, rather than my attempt to keep track of things above

36d878909543aabd7592adaaeaa2e80c.jpg



ETA: Oops, should have Cuckson in the "3rd choice" column, as both Du Plessis and Maloney are likely to get picked ahead of him. That comes from editing Richards from lock to backrow and not properly rearranging the locks.
Hoping that's going to be a great watch, actually going to this one.
 

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