Starting XV next season

[ellis9]

My starting XV for next season:

Ayerza
T. Youngs
Cole
Williams
Barrow
Croft
McCaffery
O'Connor
B. Youngs
Burns
Toomua
Tuilagi
Betham
Piertersen
Veianu

It was actually difficult picking this. Leaving players out such as Owen Williams, Mike Williams, Kitchener, Fitzgerald, Thacker, Tait and Genge, plus others I haven't mentioned, shows our strength in depth.

Would anyone choose a different team?

[Stu_F]

My starting XV for next season:

Ayerza
T. Youngs
Cole
Williams
Barrow
Croft
McCaffery
O'Connor
B. Youngs
Burns
Toomua
Tuilagi
Thompstone
Piertersen
Veianu

It was actually difficult picking this. Leaving players out such as Owen Williams, Mike Williams, Fitzgerald, Thacker, Tait and Genge, plus others I haven't mentioned, shows our strength in depth.

Would anyone choose a different team?

I'd actually put Williams in back row and Kitchener in at lock. Sadly that probably puts Croft onto bench which pains me a bit.

[strawclearer]

My starting XV for next season:

Ayerza
T. Youngs
Cole
Williams
Barrow
Croft
McCaffery
O'Connor
B. Youngs
Burns
Toomua
Tuilagi
Thompstone
Piertersen
Veianu

It was actually difficult picking this. Leaving players out such as Owen Williams, Mike Williams, Fitzgerald, Thacker, Tait and Genge, plus others I haven't mentioned, shows our strength in depth.

Would anyone choose a different team?

I think I'd put Fitzgerald in the second row instead of Mike Williams (which is who I think you have there!) and I'd put Croft on the bench with Williams at 6 - and Betham in place of Thompstone (thank you FenTiger!)

[fentiger]

Betham??

[ellis9]

Completely forgot Betham. Will edit my opening post with him instead of Thompstone.

[RagingBull]

All fit and playing to best of their abilities.

Front Row
1) Ayerza, 2) Youngs, 3) Cole
Picks itself for me.

Second Row
4) Slater, 5) Kitchener
Again depends on Kitcheners form, if this seasons form then prefer Barrow but if 2014/15 form would go with him. Slater Is a leader and IMO suffered from his injures this season.

6) Williams, 7) O'Connor, 8) Hamilton
Williams is prob the player i'm most looking forward to watching the guy is a beast and a monster tackler.
O'Connor looked very promising in his limited game time.
Not sold on anyone at 8 ATM, Hamilton and McCaffrey will do a fine job im sure but can't see them taking it that next step.

9) Youngs, 10) Burns
Youngs for me similar to Kitch, his form this season has not been good enough esp when it comes to distribution.
Burns in excellent form, great to see pre injury.

12) Toomua, 13) Manu
Picks itself.

11) Betham, 14) JPP, 15) Veainu
Quite a nice balance IMO, although might struggle kicking back.


Bench:
16) McGuigan, 17) Genge, 18) Logo
19) Fitzgerald/Barrow, 20) Evans
21) Harrison, 22) Williams, 23) Thompstone

[strawclearer]

Julian White??

Or - more seriously - I guess Fonua, Balmain and Tait are the main ones to lose out..?

[L Smith]

All fit and playing to best of their abilities.

Front Row
1) Ayerza, 2) Youngs, 3) Cole
Picks itself for me.

Second Row
4) Slater, 5) Kitchener
Again depends on Kitcheners form, if this seasons form then prefer Barrow but if 2014/15 form would go with him. Slater Is a leader and IMO suffered from his injures this season.

6) Williams, 7) O'Connor, 8) Hamilton
Williams is prob the player i'm most looking forward to watching the guy is a beast and a monster tackler.
O'Connor looked very promising in his limited game time.
Not sold on anyone at 8 ATM, Hamilton and McCaffrey will do a fine job im sure but can't see them taking it that next step.

9) Youngs, 10) Burns
Youngs for me similar to Kitch, his form this season has not been good enough esp when it comes to distribution.
Burns in excellent form, great to see pre injury.

12) Toomua, 13) Manu
Picks itself.

11) Betham, 14) JPP, 15) Veainu
Quite a nice balance IMO, although might struggle kicking back.


Bench:
16) McGuigan, 17) Genge, 18) Logo
19) Fitzgerald/Barrow, 20) Evans
21) Harrison, 22) Williams, 23) Thompstone

No full back option on the bench? In terms of balance, you'd be better off with Tait as a replacement; he can cover 15 and 13 (maybe wing at a push) and Manu and Toomua could move to 12 and 10, respectively, if needed.?
Also, pretty harsh to leave McCaffrey out of the 23.

[RagingBull]

All fit and playing to best of their abilities.

Front Row
1) Ayerza, 2) Youngs, 3) Cole
Picks itself for me.

Second Row
4) Slater, 5) Kitchener
Again depends on Kitcheners form, if this seasons form then prefer Barrow but if 2014/15 form would go with him. Slater Is a leader and IMO suffered from his injures this season.

6) Williams, 7) O'Connor, 8) Hamilton
Williams is prob the player i'm most looking forward to watching the guy is a beast and a monster tackler.
O'Connor looked very promising in his limited game time.
Not sold on anyone at 8 ATM, Hamilton and McCaffrey will do a fine job im sure but can't see them taking it that next step.

9) Youngs, 10) Burns
Youngs for me similar to Kitch, his form this season has not been good enough esp when it comes to distribution.
Burns in excellent form, great to see pre injury.

12) Toomua, 13) Manu
Picks itself.

11) Betham, 14) JPP, 15) Veainu
Quite a nice balance IMO, although might struggle kicking back.


Bench:
16) McGuigan, 17) Genge, 18) Logo
19) Fitzgerald/Barrow, 20) Evans
21) Harrison, 22) Williams, 23) Thompstone

No full back option on the bench? In terms of balance, you'd be better off with Tait as a replacement; he can cover 15 and 13 (maybe wing at a push) and Manu and Toomua could move to 12 and 10, respectively, if needed.?
Also, pretty harsh to leave McCaffrey out of the 23.

JPP can cover 15, as can Betham.
Betham and JPP both can cover 13.

Harsh on McCaffrey prob more realistic bench option but Evans has looked brilliant when given chance and was on the bench for the Semi final so coaches obviously rate him.

[FrontRowUnionMember]

1. Ayerza
2. Youngs
3. Cole
4. Slater
5. Kitchener
6. Williams
7. O'Connor
8. McCafferey
9. Youngs
10. Burns
11. Pietersen
12. Toomua
13. Tuilagi
14. Betham
15. Veianu

16. McGuigan/Thacker (depends on opposition and how we want to play).
17. Genge
18. Cilliers/Mulipola (depends on opposition and how we want to play).
19. Barrow/Fitzgerald
20. Hamilton/Fonua (depends on opposition and how we want to play).
21. Kitto
22. Williams
23. Tait

Some players unfortunate to miss out there. Second row was a tough call. But a fit Slater can be talismanic. Kitchener gives us a lineout leader. Fitzgerald and Barrow could easily slot in though.
Back row, depends if we want outright head on horsepower off the bench in the shape of Fonua, or if we want all round dynamism across the park. Similar for Thacker & Mulipola or McGuigan & Cilliers really, do we want open play game breakers, or strangle the life out of the opposition power?? As much as historically I rate Croft, I just think Williams is an animal you have to have out on the park, he's a beast.
Owen Williams covers 10/12 and Tait covers 13/15, with Veianu able to cover 11/14. Backline covered for all eventualities.

[Spicer]

1. Ayerza
2. Youngs
3. Cole
4. Slater
5. Kitchener
6. Williams
7. O'Connor
8. McCafferey
9. Youngs
10. Burns
11. Pietersen
12. Toomua
13. Tuilagi
14. Betham
15. Veianu

16. McGuigan/Thacker (depends on opposition and how we want to play).
17. Genge
18. Cilliers/Mulipola (depends on opposition and how we want to play).
19. Barrow/Fitzgerald
20. Hamilton/Fonua (depends on opposition and how we want to play).
21. Kitto
22. Williams
23. Tait

Some players unfortunate to miss out there. Second row was a tough call. But a fit Slater can be talismanic. Kitchener gives us a lineout leader. Fitzgerald and Barrow could easily slot in though.
Back row, depends if we want outright head on horsepower off the bench in the shape of Fonua, or if we want all round dynamism across the park. Similar for Thacker & Mulipola or McGuigan & Cilliers really, do we want open play game breakers, or strangle the life out of the opposition power?? As much as historically I rate Croft, I just think Williams is an animal you have to have out on the park, he's a beast.
Owen Williams covers 10/12 and Tait covers 13/15, with Veianu able to cover 11/14. Backline covered for all eventualities.

+1

[Downsouth]

I for one would be absolutely delighted to have any of those teams start a game. Last season I doubt any more than 12 or 13 of the side I would have selected this time last year played together. If anyone had 14 of your selected players in the same team this year, award yourself 10 points.

What is really important with the new style is that it should be increasingly easier for players to slot in to cover injuries and avoid burn out.

It looks like there is a consensus on the front row (although I can see Genge playing an increasing number of minutes as the season goes on) also at 7, half backs, centre, and the back three. 4, 5, 6 & 8 are tricky and if all are fit decent players will be out of the 23. I have to agree with FrontRowUnionMember. In the big games Mike Williams has to start for me. McCaffrey at 8, Slater and Kitch in the second row with Barrow and Fitzgerald on the bench. Rotation will be key.

[mol2]

I would have Barrow in ahead of both Slater and Kitchener. He has been our outstanding lock this season, providing the dynamism that's needed at the top level of the game. Slater hasn't looked fully fit this season to be fair to him.

[ellis9]

Half backs aren't difficult to pick. Ben Youngs at scrum and then Burns or Williams at fly half. Sam Harrison is a very good player but Youngs is world class.

[FrontRowUnionMember]

The key factor will be getting Slater and Mulipola fit.
They can be two huge players for us, if fit.
Slater hasn't looked anywhere near his previous season form, and Mulipola has limped through the season, also looking a shadow of his former self.
Hopefully some early rehab now, and a decent preseason, could see them back to the form we know they are capable of, and for me that puts them right in the 23.

I agree I can see Genge slowly being given more and more minutes/starts, as he assumes Ayerza's role as 1st choice LH over the coming season or so. It's going to be a gradual changing of the guard as in the Castro/Cole scenario, although hopefully without the fall out at the end.

As for back row, a lot will depend on how fast Hamilton integrates, and how fit/fit for purpose Fonua is by the time the season starts. If you look at Kieren Read, arguably the best no8 in world rugby (there are a number of other candidates, depends on your individual opinion), he isn't you're archetypal big ball carting wrecking ball, he plays a lot more subtly with the ball in hand, he does have power, but is a much more all round footballer, this is where I think McCafferey gives us more than Fonua, stylistically. The wide game Mauger is trying to play, requires skill on the fringes rather than head on brute force. There is still somtimes a need for that, horses for courses, but to implement Mauger's game plan, hopefully Hamilton has the same all round game. Evans gives us a second natural ground hog in the O'Connor mould.

I still think there's room for another couple of players. Backup lock to replace De Chaves, maybe more of a Williams type bruising lock/6 (unless we see Fitzgerald being that, then an out and out lock), and another outside back to replace Morris, someone capable of covering two positions out of 13/wing/15 (someone to effectively take over Tait).