Six Nations 2017

[Bones]

No Anscombe? I assume a "wildcard" is a player selected from Overseas?

[Crucial]

@Bones said in Six Nations 2017:

No Anscombe? I assume a "wildcard" is a player selected from Overseas?

Yep.

WRU explain the system here http://www.wru.co.uk/eng/wales/news/wales/37155.php#.WH4Xe1WLTRY

*Seven players are captured for the 2016/17 season:
Dominic Day
Taulupe Faletau
George North
Rhys Priestland
Jamie Roberts
Nicky Thomas
Rhodri Williams

There are three wildcard selections available for each Wales campaign during the 2016/17 season from the seven names listed above.*

[Catogrande]

@Crucial said in Six Nations 2017:

@Bones said in Six Nations 2017:

No Anscombe? I assume a "wildcard" is a player selected from Overseas?

Yep.

WRU explain the system here http://www.wru.co.uk/eng/wales/news/wales/37155.php#.WH4Xe1WLTRY

*Seven players are captured for the 2016/17 season:
Dominic Day
Taulupe Faletau
George North
Rhys Priestland
Jamie Roberts
Nicky Thomas
Rhodri Williams

There are three wildcard selections available for each Wales campaign during the 2016/17 season from the seven names listed above.*

I'm not sure if I'm missing something here or not but what about Halfpenny, Tomas Francis and Thomas Young? They all play outside of Wales.

[Crucial]

@Catogrande said in Six Nations 2017:

@Crucial said in Six Nations 2017:

@Bones said in Six Nations 2017:

No Anscombe? I assume a "wildcard" is a player selected from Overseas?

Yep.

WRU explain the system here http://www.wru.co.uk/eng/wales/news/wales/37155.php#.WH4Xe1WLTRY

*Seven players are captured for the 2016/17 season:
Dominic Day
Taulupe Faletau
George North
Rhys Priestland
Jamie Roberts
Nicky Thomas
Rhodri Williams

There are three wildcard selections available for each Wales campaign during the 2016/17 season from the seven names listed above.*

I'm not sure if I'm missing something here or not but what about Halfpenny, Tomas Francis and Thomas Young? They all play outside of Wales.

FIIK.

Welsh logic?

[Catogrande]

@Crucial Ah. That explains a lot. Thanks.

[Derm McCrum]

@Catogrande said in Six Nations 2017:

@Crucial said in Six Nations 2017:

@Bones said in Six Nations 2017:

No Anscombe? I assume a "wildcard" is a player selected from Overseas?

Yep.

WRU explain the system here http://www.wru.co.uk/eng/wales/news/wales/37155.php#.WH4Xe1WLTRY

*Seven players are captured for the 2016/17 season:
Dominic Day
Taulupe Faletau
George North
Rhys Priestland
Jamie Roberts
Nicky Thomas
Rhodri Williams

There are three wildcard selections available for each Wales campaign during the 2016/17 season from the seven names listed above.*

I'm not sure if I'm missing something here or not but what about Halfpenny, Tomas Francis and Thomas Young? They all play outside of Wales.

They signed overseas before Gatland's Law was introduced so are not affected. http://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/37316886

[Catogrande]

@Pot-Hale OK, thanks PH, that makes sense of a sort.

[Stargazer]

[Stargazer]

French squad for the 6 Nations:

[gollum]

@Stargazer

Their Kiwi / Samoan prop (Atonio) is 6'5 & 155kg. I guess he balances out no Bastaraud

[Derm McCrum]

Joe Schmidt looking to extract the most from Six Nations squad hopefuls with his squad announcement not named until Sunday - after the final round of Heineken Cup matches in which Leinster, Munster and Connacht are competing for quarterfinal places and ideally home ground advantage.

[Margin_Walker]

England Squad

[Crucial]

I only just realised how big those squads are.

Scotland have 22 forwards in their squad!

[Margin_Walker]

@Crucial

Yeah, training squads though I guess. Will be a bunch of players released back to their clubs in the run up to each game.

For England, I think Catt, Williams and Lozowski are the only uncapped players. With Catt perhaps the best chance of getting into the 23.

[Crucial]

I wonder what the contract rules are (if any)?
In NZ if you get named in an AB squad you get paid accordingly whether used or not. That's why Hansen and Co often have to plead their case for an extra player or two to the bean counters before a tour

[Margin_Walker]

I'd be guessing, but assume for England you get a decent steady income for being part of the Elite Player Squad that's revised twice a year and a match fee for being part of the 23 on game day. Not sure how players not part of the EPS and that don't end up on the pitch are paid.

[Crucial]

Re England, I found this

"The Professional Game Agreement will see the England Elite Player Squad (EPS) increase from 33 to 45 players and greater flexibility during core international periods so 36 players can be selected for the camp instead of 33. The England head coach will now also be able to make the final selection of 45 squad members in the first week of October. A reduced number of 20 players will also be selected as part of a Next EPS squad for training camps and possible England Saxons fixtures. "

Logically I would then guess that you get paid something for being in the EPS, extra for being in the camp and extra again as match fees/image rights/win bonuses if in the 23 on game day.
Not a lot different to the NZ system where your base salary for the following year is increased if named in an AB Squad.

[Stargazer]

Prop
Pietro CECCARELLI (Zebre Rugby, 5 caps)
Dario CHISTOLINI (Zebre Rugby, 15 caps)
Lorenzo CITTADINI (Aviron Bayonnais, 53 caps)
Andrea LOVOTTI (Zebre Rugby, 9 caps)
Sami PANICO (Patarò Calvisano, 6 caps)

Hooker
Tommaso D’APICE (Zebre Rugby, 11 caps)
Ornel GEGA (Benetton Treviso, 8 caps)
Leonardo GHIRALDINI (Stade Toulousain, 82 caps)

Lock
George Fabio BIAGI (Zebre Rugby, 14 caps)
Joshua FURNO (Zebre Rugby, 36 caps)
Marco FUSER (Benetton Treviso, 16 caps)
Federico RUZZA (Zebre Rugby, new cap)
Andries VAN SCHALKWYK (Zebre Rugby, 8 caps)

Flanker/no.8
Marco BARBINI (Benetton Treviso, 2 caps)
Simone FAVARO (Glasgow Warriors, 33 caps)
Maxime Mata MBANDA’ (Zebre Rugby, 3 caps)
Francesco MINTO (Benetton Treviso, 31 caps)
Sergio PARISSE (Stade Francais, 121 caps) – capitano
Abraham Jurgens STEYN (Benetton Treviso, 6 caps)

Halfback
Giorgio BRONZINI (Benetton Treviso, 3 caps)
Edoardo GORI (Benetton Treviso, 56 caps)
Marcello VIOLI (Zebre Rugby, 2 caps)

1st five eight
Tommaso ALLAN (Benetton Treviso, 27 caps)
Carlo CANNA (Zebre Rugby, 15 caps)

Midfield
Tommaso BENVENUTI (Benetton Treviso, 37 caps)
Tommaso BONI (Zebre Rugby, 2 caps)
Michele CAMPAGNARO (Exeter Chiefs, 25 caps)
Luke MCLEAN (Benetton Treviso, 84 caps)

Wing
Giulio BISEGNI (Zebre Rugby, 5 caps)
Angelo ESPOSITO (Benetton Treviso, 8 caps)
Giovambattista VENDITTI (Zebre Rugby, 38 caps)

Fullback
Edoardo PADOVANI (Zebre Rugby, 6 caps)

[Crucial]

Big blow for France. Fofana out with a ruptured Achilles

[Stargazer]

@Crucial Yes, I just watched the Clermont v Exeter Chiefs game and it certainly looked bad! Lamerat is a great, new asset for the French though!