Transfer Tips: Gallagher Premiership Round 4
Round 4 of the 2018-19 Gallagher Premiership is approaching, and Fantasy League points are accumulating fast and exponentially, like an avalanche or my student debt. Ahead of this weekend’s action, we offer some pointers on who to sign and who to cut in order to make your Fantasy team bring home the proverbial bacon.
IN: Alex Cuthbert (Exeter)
After not featuring at all in Round 1, and warming the bench in Rounds 2 and 3 Exeter’s star (and indeed only) summer signing Alex Cuthbert is preparing for his first start on the wing against Newcastle on Friday night. After a stellar career in Wales, the former British Lion will be hoping to make his mark on the English game in the same way as international team mates such as George North, Jamie Roberts and Richard Hibbard. Exeter play an expansive, meticulously planned attacking game (as we’ve discussed in the past), and having been given a couple of weeks to find his feet Cuthbert should slot seamlessly into the Chiefs’ back line. A real potential points-machine here.
OUT: Denny Solomona (Sale)
1 try in the first three games isn’t a particularly bad return by any stretch, but Solomona isn’t quite hitting the points tallies that justify his 4.8m salary just yet. With Sale struggling somewhat, and a game against the formidable (Round 1 aside) Wasps, it seems unlikely that Big D will be adding to his haul to the same extent as other wingers this weekend. Obviously since I’ve said this, Solomona will now score a hat trick, be awarded Man of the Match and save a family of kittens from a house fire.
IN: Danny Cipriani (Gloucester)
Despite some phenomenal performances in the early rounds of the Premiership, Cipriani has (somewhat) surprisingly not been named in the England training squad this week. England boss Eddie Jones has claimed that his selections were made on form, though eyebrows were raised when Chris Ashton made the cut despite, you know, not actually playing this season. Nonetheless, Cipriani has a habit of reacting to critics by upping his game, so this omission might actually turn out to be a catalyst for even better performances. With seemingly no international commitments on the horizon, Cipriani is someone you can build your team around for the next few weeks. Provided nobody asks him to return his drink to the bar.
OUT: George Ford (Leicester)
A very controversial suggestion here, with Ford currently the MVP of the tournament so far on a hefty 66.1 points. However, despite our love of using statistical analysis to judge elite athletes whilst we sit on our sofas covered in crisps and remnants of Chocolate Digestives, it’s not all about the numbers. To paraphrase Grace Jones, one mustn’t be a slave to the algorithm. Leicester have delivered some decidedly mixed performances so far this season, and whilst the Tigers (and Ford) will most likely impress this weekend against struggling Worcester, it’s difficult to see Ford sustaining this form throughout the season. Given that he will almost certainly be absent due to his England duties for several weeks, you may wish to reconsider whether Ford forms part of your long term plans.
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Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments