Premiership 'Ones to Watch' XV 2017/18

[Mellsblue]

As a Wasps supporter, I really hope that Cooper-Woolley gets a decent run free of injury, I think he could be a good option in the future. Decent scrummager, big tackler and not awful carrier.

You are Stephen Jones and I claim my £5. Your resignation from the Sunday Times would be even better.

[Which Tyler]

Don't forget that Henry Thomas was doing pretty well before his injury - seemed to thrive under Hatley especially.
Obviously remains to be seen how he recovers. He's unlikely (understatement) to get ahead of Sinkler at any stage, but when we're talking about 4th/5th choice cover...

[Digby]

As a Wasps supporter, I really hope that Cooper-Woolley gets a decent run free of injury, I think he could be a good option in the future. Decent scrummager, big tackler and not awful carrier.

You are Stephen Jones and I claim my £5. Your resignation from the Sunday Times would be even better.

Not ready today's Times but yesterday the standard of rugby writing was pretty good, though it might have been limited to caption on the photo of Warbs arriving back at Heathrow. A little odd the photo as it seems Warbs had been given a trophy, presumably Read was given one too, and it's odd as neither of them actually won anything, and anyway, who wants a trophy for not winning?

[Puja]

As a Wasps supporter, I really hope that Cooper-Woolley gets a decent run free of injury, I think he could be a good option in the future. Decent scrummager, big tackler and not awful carrier.

You are Stephen Jones and I claim my £5. Your resignation from the Sunday Times would be even better.

Not ready today's Times but yesterday the standard of rugby writing was pretty good, though it might have been limited to caption on the photo of Warbs arriving back at Heathrow. A little odd the photo as it seems Warbs had been given a trophy, presumably Read was given one too, and it's odd as neither of them actually won anything, and anyway, who wants a trophy for not winning?

The sponsor who paid for it and wants their name on it wants them to have trophies.

No doubt this will soon become part of New Zealand rugby fan folklore about how we got a trophy for the accomplishment of drawing, like the England "victory lap" from 1996.

Puja

[Banquo]

You are Stephen Jones and I claim my £5. Your resignation from the Sunday Times would be even better.

Not ready today's Times but yesterday the standard of rugby writing was pretty good, though it might have been limited to caption on the photo of Warbs arriving back at Heathrow. A little odd the photo as it seems Warbs had been given a trophy, presumably Read was given one too, and it's odd as neither of them actually won anything, and anyway, who wants a trophy for not winning?

The sponsor who paid for it and wants their name on it wants them to have trophies.

No doubt this will soon become part of New Zealand rugby fan folklore about how we got a trophy for the accomplishment of drawing, like the England "victory lap" from 1996.

Puja

1997

[Digby]

Not ready today's Times but yesterday the standard of rugby writing was pretty good, though it might have been limited to caption on the photo of Warbs arriving back at Heathrow. A little odd the photo as it seems Warbs had been given a trophy, presumably Read was given one too, and it's odd as neither of them actually won anything, and anyway, who wants a trophy for not winning?

The sponsor who paid for it and wants their name on it wants them to have trophies.

No doubt this will soon become part of New Zealand rugby fan folklore about how we got a trophy for the accomplishment of drawing, like the England "victory lap" from 1996.

Puja

1997

Points will be awarded to anyone who could name the Emerging England side who took on NZ in 1997

[Puja]

The sponsor who paid for it and wants their name on it wants them to have trophies.

No doubt this will soon become part of New Zealand rugby fan folklore about how we got a trophy for the accomplishment of drawing, like the England "victory lap" from 1996.

Puja

1997

Points will be awarded to anyone who could name the Emerging England side who took on NZ in 1997

I could do the one from the draw the week after:

Perry, Rees, De Glanville, Greenwood, Healey, Grayson, Bracken, Rowntree, Cockerill, Garforth, Johnson, Someone (Grewcock?), Hill, Back, Dallaglio.

Puja

ETA. A google tells me that, not only did I get the team wrong (Leonard and Archer in for Rowntree and Grewcock), but that I misunderstood the question. I'd completely forgotten that there was a midweek game against a side called "Emerging England"!

[Banquo]

archer I reckon

[Digby]

It was a controversial emerging England even, selecting as it did many capped players. Clive hasn't tended to be clear on whether that was a ploy which simply didn't work

[bitts]

The sponsor who paid for it and wants their name on it wants them to have trophies.

No doubt this will soon become part of New Zealand rugby fan folklore about how we got a trophy for the accomplishment of drawing, like the England "victory lap" from 1996.

Puja

1997

Points will be awarded to anyone who could name the Emerging England side who took on NZ in 1997

Couldn't for the life of me name the whole team, but wasn't that the game Vickery put a marker down.

[Digby]

1997

Points will be awarded to anyone who could name the Emerging England side who took on NZ in 1997

Couldn't for the life of me name the whole team, but wasn't that the game Vickery put a marker down.

If you have a visual in mind then Phil Vickery might be offended as for that match it was Garforth (replaced by Yates coming off the bench)

[Digby]

I don't know all the players will be that identifiable even with video

[Scrumhead]

Don't forget that Henry Thomas was doing pretty well before his injury - seemed to thrive under Hatley especially.
Obviously remains to be seen how he recovers. He's unlikely (understatement) to get ahead of Sinkler at any stage, but when we're talking about 4th/5th choice cover...

Thinking about it, there's quite a lot of players returning from injury that could be worth keeping an eye out for - you could almost make a XV:

1. Hepburn (Exeter)
2. Dunn / Walker (both Bath)
3. Thomas (Bath)
4. ???
5. ???
6. Jones (Wasps) / Ellis (Bath)
7. Evans (Leicester)
8. ???
9. ???
10. Brophy-Clews (London Irish)
11. ???
12. Williams (London Irish)
13. Tuilagi (Leicester)
14. Lewington (London Irish)
15. Hammersley (Newcastle)

Most of those have returned or are due to, barring Ellis who I think is out for quite some time IIRC?

[Puja]

I actually rate Hammersley higher than Haley. Very pleased that he's on the mend.

Puja

[Scrumhead]

Any others for the 'Return from Injury XV'???

[bitts]

I actually rate Hammersley higher than Haley. Very pleased that he's on the mend.

Puja

Just wanted to say how good it is to see a falcon's player get a mention!

Hammeresly is a quality player mind. Makes fewer mistake than Haley, from what I've seen. Perhaps lacks some of the physical attributes people want out of an International 15.

On a separate, but related note, I always spend the off season hoping Falcons will sign so of the quality young players that aren't getting game time at bigger clubs. But every year we seem to lose our good young players instead.

[Scrumhead]

I'd actually like to see a 'loan' system like they have in football. I know we have dual registrations, but AFAIK, there isn't an option to loan players between Premiership or Championship clubs?

It would benefit everyone IMO. The parent club would be able to secure game time at the right level for young players without having to sell them, so the loan club benefits in the short term, but the parent club gains in the longer-term.

For example, if someone like Stuart Townsend were to go on loan to let's say London Irish, he could potentially be their starting 9 in all games but for those against Exeter. Irish get a high quality young scrum half that would make a big contribution to their survival effort and in return Exeter get a player with a full season of Premiership experience in return. Seems like a win-win scenario to me.

Right now, we're all worried about players like Malins or Isiekwe or Ludlam getting top level game time when a decent loan system would potentially solve that problem.

[Puja]

I'd actually like to see a 'loan' system like they have in football. I know we have dual registrations, but AFAIK, there isn't an option to loan players between Premiership or Championship clubs?

It would benefit everyone IMO. The parent club would be able to secure game time at the right level for young players without having to sell them, so the loan club benefits in the short term, but the parent club gains in the longer-term.

For example, if someone like Stuart Townsend were to go on loan to let's say London Irish, he could potentially be their starting 9 in all games but for those against Exeter. Irish get a high quality young scrum half that would make a big contribution to their survival effort and in return Exeter get a player with a full season of Premiership experience in return. Seems like a win-win scenario to me.

Right now, we're all worried about players like Malins or Isiekwe or Ludlam getting top level game time when a decent loan system would potentially solve that problem.

There already is a loan system - Bath loaned Allinson from Irish and Wasps loaned Doran-Jones from Glaws. Not that they're examples of what you want, but the system does exist.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

I'd actually like to see a 'loan' system like they have in football. I know we have dual registrations, but AFAIK, there isn't an option to loan players between Premiership or Championship clubs?

It would benefit everyone IMO. The parent club would be able to secure game time at the right level for young players without having to sell them, so the loan club benefits in the short term, but the parent club gains in the longer-term.

For example, if someone like Stuart Townsend were to go on loan to let's say London Irish, he could potentially be their starting 9 in all games but for those against Exeter. Irish get a high quality young scrum half that would make a big contribution to their survival effort and in return Exeter get a player with a full season of Premiership experience in return. Seems like a win-win scenario to me.

Right now, we're all worried about players like Malins or Isiekwe or Ludlam getting top level game time when a decent loan system would potentially solve that problem.

There already is a loan system - Bath loaned Allinson from Irish and Wasps loaned Doran-Jones from Glaws. Not that they're examples of what you want, but the system does exist.

Puja

Were they for injury cover or just because? Genuine question.

[Puja]

I'd actually like to see a 'loan' system like they have in football. I know we have dual registrations, but AFAIK, there isn't an option to loan players between Premiership or Championship clubs?

It would benefit everyone IMO. The parent club would be able to secure game time at the right level for young players without having to sell them, so the loan club benefits in the short term, but the parent club gains in the longer-term.

For example, if someone like Stuart Townsend were to go on loan to let's say London Irish, he could potentially be their starting 9 in all games but for those against Exeter. Irish get a high quality young scrum half that would make a big contribution to their survival effort and in return Exeter get a player with a full season of Premiership experience in return. Seems like a win-win scenario to me.

Right now, we're all worried about players like Malins or Isiekwe or Ludlam getting top level game time when a decent loan system would potentially solve that problem.

There already is a loan system - Bath loaned Allinson from Irish and Wasps loaned Doran-Jones from Glaws. Not that they're examples of what you want, but the system does exist.

Puja

Were they for injury cover or just because? Genuine question.

Injury cover. And both quite clearly players with little future at their clubs.

I think clubs are jealous about letting their talent go to rivals as much as anything else. Loan a youngster out to a Championship club and that's fine, loan him out to another club and he could make the difference with them pipping you to an ERC spot. It's the downside of having such a competitive league.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

Bath loaned Sisi back to LI for the 2015-16 season (whilst LI were still in the Prem) to get game time and develop (he didn't really do eaither there, but hey)

[Puja]

Bath loaned Sisi back to LI for the 2015-16 season (whilst LI were still in the Prem) to get game time and develop (he didn't really do eaither there, but hey)

Does anyone know if Sisi has found a new club yet? He seems like he could be a bargain for someone with the potential he has.

Puja

[Scrumhead]

How long is it before you lose faith in a player achieving their potential though?

Sisi is 24 now and hasn't kicked on for what feels like years. For example, in five years time, I'd expect the Currys to be established test players not players we're still waiting to achieve their potential.

[Puja]

How long is it before you lose faith in a player achieving their potential though?

Sisi is 24 now and hasn't kicked on for what feels like years. For example, in five years time, I'd expect the Currys to be established test players not players we're still waiting to achieve their potential.

That's not unfair, but you'd've thought someone would be willing to take a punt on him in the hope that they'd be the ones to get him to come good (or more accurately, stay fit), even if it was just Leeds.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

On Sisi specifically - I don't think he's fit to play again yet, and may never recover from that last injury (Fractured Scapula - which can be very nasty, depending on the site of the injury).

With his injuiry record, any club is going to want him passing a fitness test before signing. I hope he does, he's a talented player and deserves a decent career - but the world doesn't always work that way.