while cats are away........

[jamesbrown]

with players missing from the welsh/scotish/irish clubs + long term injury what would be your starting 15 whilst the world cup is on at your club. As a blues supporter this is mine.

1.John Yapp
2.Goodfield
3.G.Powell
4.Bradley Davies
5.***o (unless he arrives late then deniol jones)
6.Mark Lewis
7.Robin Sowden Taylor (should be going to the world cup but won't be)
8.Rush
9.Ritche Rees
10.Nicky Robinson
11.Tom James
12.Macleod (he always impresses me when he plays there, although dai might keep him on the bench,so Tom Riley to outside and stich up the middle)
13.Stcherbina
14.Rhys williams
15.Ben Blair

16.G.Williams
17.Filise
18.Deniol Jones
19.Andy Powell
20.Spice
21.Dai Flanagan (or macleod if hes the bench warmer)
22.Mosese Luveitasau (or mooose to his friends)

 

[jsp_clarke]

As a Leinster fan I'd rather they didn't have to play at all. Mind you given how poorly the 'gallacticos' played in Cardiff Arms Park maybe they'll be better off without them.

 

[Cymro]

with players missing from the welsh/scotish/irish clubs + long term injury what would be your starting 15 whilst the world cup is on at your club. As a blues supporter this is mine.

1.John Yapp
2.Goodfield
3.G.Powell
4.Bradley Davies
5.***o (unless he arrives late then deniol jones)
6.Mark Lewis
7.Robin Sowden Taylor (should be going to the world cup but won't be)
8.Rush
9.Ritche Rees
10.Nicky Robinson
11.Tom James
12.Macleod (he always impresses me when he plays there, although dai might keep him on the bench,so Tom Riley to outside and stich up the middle)
13.Stcherbina
14.Rhys williams
15.Ben Blair

16.G.Williams
17.Filise
18.Deniol Jones
19.Andy Powell
20.Spice
21.Dai Flanagan (or macleod if hes the bench warmer)
22.Mosese Luveitasau (or mooose to his friends) [/b]

Filise and the Moose will be with Tonga and Fiji respecitvely

 

[PeeJay]

Scarlets
15: Morgan Stoddart
14: Dafydd James
13: Matthew Watkins
12: Regan King
11: Darren Daniel
10: Ceiron Thomas
9: Liam Davies
1: Iestyn Thomas
2: Ken Owens
3: Ben Broster
4: Adam Jones
5: Adam Eustace
6: Dafydd Jones
7: James Bater
8: Nathan Thomas

 

[nenagh man]

our heineken cup "winning" team cant even play properly in the bulmers league, whats the point in playin our second string

 

[MunsterMan]

Our second team plays brilliantly in the Celtic league (Ulster in Ravenhill), it's when we mix the two together that we look dodgy.

Munster.
1. Freddie Pucciarello
2. Denis Fogarty
3. Tony Buckley
4. Donnacha Ryan
5. Chris Wyatt
6. Alan Quinlan*/John O'Sullivan
7. Niall Ronan
8. Anthony Foley ©/John O'Sullivan
9. Tomás O'Leary
10. Paul Warwick
11. Ian Dowling
12. Lifemi Mafi/Kieran Lewis
13. Barry Murphy*
14. Mossy Lawlor
15. Shaun Payne/Denis Hurley

That pack is as good as a few ML teams first choice pack! Connacht are all ready in pre-season training and will only have G.Duffy at the world cup and have JO'C back sp should have a good head start but i would tip that team to beat them.
*if not at world cup (which they probably won't be even though Quinny should!)

 

[Drahcir]

1. Le Puc
2. Sean Cronin
3. Tony Buckley
4. Donncha Ryan
5. Chris Wyatt (Mick O'Driscoll if available)
6.Quinlan
7. John O'Sullivan
8. Foley
9. Tomas O'Leary
10. Jeremy Manning
11. Ian Dowling
12.Rua Tipoki
13. Lifeimi Mafi
14.Barry Murphy
15.Paul Warwick

 

[xxdansigxx]

Scarlets
15: Morgan Stoddart
14: Dafydd James
13: Matthew Watkins
12: Regan King - should be in the new zeland setup one of the best centres around at the moment....
11: Darren Daniel
10: Ceiron Thomas - Cant kick for **** it wont be him it will be hercus
9: Liam Davies
1: Iestyn Thomas
2: Ken Owens
3: Ben Broster
4: Adam Jones
5: Adam Eustace
6: Dafydd Jones
7: James Bater
8: Nathan Thomas [/b]

^^^^^^^^^^^^

omg we are so going to loose so many games with this team lmao

 

[diom]

I support Connacht...we may have to do without Gavin Duffy, and Gavin Williams (Fiji). Oh Ray Ofisa as well.

We can muddle along without them although they are all starting XV. At least we got Johnny O'Connor back.

 

[edinburgh_gunner]

Edinburgh will probably be in a better position than recent years given that we've lost a few players who would normally be leaving, and replace them with competant players who probably won't leave. Larkham doesn't arrive till after the RWC, which is a pain but Hodgey will get us through with his fantasticly long drop goals.

 

[ospreys1987]

15. Martin Roberts
14. Stephen Terblaunche
13. Jonathon Spratt
12. Andrew Bishop
11. Johnny Vaughton
10. Shaun Conner
9. Justin Marshall
1. Paul James
2. Barry Williams
3. Andrew Millward
4. Brent Cockbain
5. Mike Powell
6. Richie Pugh
7. Steve Tandy
8. Filo Tiatia

 

[Rugby_Cymru]

15. Martin Roberts
14. Stephen Terblaunche
13. Jonathon Spratt
12. Andrew Bishop
11. Johnny Vaughton
10. Shaun Conner
9. Justin Marshall
1. Paul James
2. Barry Williams
3. Andrew Millward
4. Brent Cockbain
5. Mike Powell
6. Richie Pugh
7. Steve Tandy
8. Filo Tiatia
[/b]

I'd agree with a lot of that, but i wouldn't have Martin Roberts starting full back.
For me Terblanche to play full back and Mustoe to come in on the wing.
Has Huw Bennett been chosen for Wales?
If not, then i'd choose him over Barry Williams.

 

[PeeJay]

<div class='quotemain'> Scarlets
15: Morgan Stoddart
14: Dafydd James
13: Matthew Watkins
12: Regan King - should be in the new zeland setup one of the best centres around at the moment....
11: Darren Daniel
10: Ceiron Thomas - Cant kick for **** it wont be him it will be hercus
9: Liam Davies
1: Iestyn Thomas
2: Ken Owens
3: Ben Broster
4: Adam Jones
5: Adam Eustace
6: Dafydd Jones
7: James Bater
8: Nathan Thomas [/b]

^^^^^^^^^^^^

omg we are so going to loose so many games with this team lmao [/b][/quote]
Hercus hasn't been a Scarlets player for over a year now. Ceiron really is our <strike>best</strike> only backup at 10.

 

[ospreys1987]

<div class='quotemain'> 15. Martin Roberts
14. Stephen Terblaunche
13. Jonathon Spratt
12. Andrew Bishop
11. Johnny Vaughton
10. Shaun Conner
9. Justin Marshall
1. Paul James
2. Barry Williams
3. Andrew Millward
4. Brent Cockbain
5. Mike Powell
6. Richie Pugh
7. Steve Tandy
8. Filo Tiatia
[/b]

I'd agree with a lot of that, but i wouldn't have Martin Roberts starting full back.
For me Terblanche to play full back and Mustoe to come in on the wing.
Has Huw Bennett been chosen for Wales?
If not, then i'd choose him over Barry Williams.
[/b][/quote]

Richie Mustoe has been loaned out, so thats why I put Roberts at 15. And yeah, Huw Bennett and Richard Hibbard were in the 40 man squad

 

[arxlupus]

15. Martin Roberts
14. Stephen Terblaunche
13. Jonathon Spratt
12. Andrew Bishop
11. Johnny Vaughton
10. Shaun Conner
9. Justin Marshall
1. Paul James
2. Barry Williams
3. Andrew Millward
4. Brent Cockbain
5. Mike Powell
6. Richie Pugh
7. Steve Tandy
8. Filo Tiatia
[/b]

I would go with this one. This season is really going to show where the strength in depth lies in the league. Things aren't going to get better in the latter part with the Internationals notback for long before another call up.

What are the feelings on the relative strength between this team line up and the 'first choice' of last season?

 

[ospreys1987]

I think that the Ospreys have the strength in numbers to cover small gaps in the first XV due to injury, exhaustion etc... but I dont think that we have enough depth, plus loaning out players, to field a second string team like this and compete to win the Magners league again this season

 

[Valleyboy]

I would love to but I am still a bitter Celtic Warriors supporter.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I think Leinster will line up like this while players are on World Cup duty:

15.Kearney
14.Brown
13.Berne
12.Warner
11.Fitzgerald
10.Sexton
9.Whitaker
1.Gomez
2.Jackman
3.Knoop
4.Hogan
5.Cullen
6.Keogh
7.Gleeson (Jennings if fit)
8.McLoughlin

I'd rather see some experimentation in the backline though. Kearney is fine at fullback. Keep Gary Brown on the right wing and bring in either Fionn Carr or Ross McCarron on the left. McCarron was poor at fullback in the Churchill Cup and is probably best suited to the wing long term. Mick Berne is a very average player and doesn't provide much spark. I'd like to see Luke Fitzgerald given a run at 13. Leinster need a viable option in the centre (ie better than Shane Horgan) if BOD or Darcy are injured and Fitzgerald has the skillset to provide that. Warners experience will be needed at 12. I'd allow open competiton at 9 and 10. Whoever comes out best between Whitaker, Keane and Willis should play halfback. I'd love to see Ian Keatley afforded the chance to challenge Sexton at flyhalf.

 

[An Tarbh]

Gleeson and Hogan will be in with a decent shout of making the 30 moreso Gleeson with Jennings out injured. Luckily for Leinster though we don't start till September 22 whereas the Welsh teams have 2 more rounds beforehand.

 

[stalefish1]

as a blues fan, mine would be:

1. John Yapp
2. Gareth Williams
3. Gary Powell
4. Deiniol Jones
5. Paul ***o/Rob Sidoli
6. Andy Powell (if he's fit to play)
7. Maama Molitika
8. Xavier Rush (the ledgend)
9. Richie Rees
10. Nicky Robinson
11. Tom James
12. Mark Stcherbina
13. Dai Hewitt
14. Rhys Williams
15. Ben Blair

16. Duane Goodfield
17. Ben Evans
18. Rob Sidoli/Paul ***o
19. Mark Lewis
20. Jason Spice
21. Tom Riley
22. Nick Macleod

looking at it now, it doesn't look like the best team we've ever fielded, but everyone else is going to be under-strength as well...

btw, blues fans, Wayne Evans has gone to the Dragons, and i don't know if it's true, but i read somewhere that 'Moses' has gone back to Fiji, and i don't mean internationally; supposedly it's for a club, but i'm not sure.