Preseason thread.

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I think if the player has been in the club system since they where 16 (Or 18 and wasn't in another clubs system before hand) they should be cap exempt.

But i would at the same time lower the cap aswell then.

 

[ncurd]

Personally....

Academy Player (Who is England Qualified) = Cap Exempt
England Qualified Player (EQP) = 50% towards cap
Elite Player Squad (EPS) = 80% towards cap

I'd lower the cap by an according average.

 

[curtbob7]

I like that ncurd.

 

[ncurd]

Should add players % is decided at the point of them signing a contract. So if you're not part of the EPS when you sign you're at the 50% rate until you sign a new one.

That way no horrible maths as players change status but one team has to manage their cap accordingly to keep established England players. Hopefully then the top players will be more evenly distributed.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Part of the reason for a cap is to ensure competitiveness across the competition.

This would actively harm that.

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

Personally....

Academy Player (Who is England Qualified) = Cap Exempt
England Qualified Player (EQP) = 50% towards cap
Elite Player Squad (EPS) = 80% towards cap

I'd lower the cap by an according average.

why would teams sign an EPS player who's not only going to cost more but have a disproportionate amount of their salary count towards the cap... they are also available for less games than the players who have higher cap discounts

 

[ncurd]

why would teams sign an EPS player who's not only going to cost more but have a disproportionate amount of their salary count towards the cap... they are also available for less games than the players who have higher cap discounts

In theory an EPS player should be better than the other option available.

Fair enough on the games missing a discount can be applied for the ratio of games a player will miss due to England duty.

In terms of signing its designed to stop poaching of a squads top players (remember if they were an academy player they be exempt). But also to stop squads unless it was home grown hoarding all the talent.

I don't think you'll find the players won't get signed.

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

In theory an EPS player should be better than the other option available.

Fair enough on the games missing a discount can be applied for the ratio of games a player will miss due to England duty.

In terms of signing its designed to stop poaching of a squads top players (remember if they were an academy player they be exempt). But also to stop squads unless it was home grown hoarding all the talent.

I don't think you'll find the players won't get signed.

They'll get signed, but teams would expect a discount.

 

[BPM]

It's pretty rare that established EPS members change clubs though TBH.

May is an obvious example, but I'm struggling to think of many others in the recent past?

I'd say players move to try to get in to the EPS/cement their spot (like JJ or Watson to Bath) rather than moving once they're in.

Kvesic is another example where you could argue he's moving to improve his chances of breaking back in to the EPS.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

It's pretty rare that established EPS members change clubs though TBH.

May is an obvious example, but I'm struggling to think of many others in the recent past?

I'd say players move to try to get in to the EPS/cement their spot (like JJ or Watson to Bath) rather than moving once they're in.

Kvesic is another example where you could argue he's moving to improve his chances of breaking back in to the EPS.

Ford's a pretty major one.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/41037231

big move by Sale

 

[TRF_Olyy]

He said the same when he first took over sale, I imagine they've made another offer since the stadium had to take out another loan from the council a few weeks back

I don't mind the AJ Bell as a stadium but access is shocking. Hopefully the new bridge will help but I'm not so sure it'll make enough of an improvement.

 

[BPM]

Ford's a pretty major one.

True. I thought of Ford after I posted but I've been busy at a national burger day event eating and drinking since! I'm sure I'm probably forgetting someone obvious but other than Ford and May there really haven't been many more in recent seasons.

 

[curtbob7]

Ford's a pretty major one.

Both May and Ford have signed for a bigger, more successful club with better chances of Prem and European success.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I thought they signed for Leicester?

 

[curtbob7]

Thought you would appreciate the arrogance Olyy?

To be fair you cant argue with it..

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Ford mostly went back because he wants to be around other people who speak funny

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

15 Telusa Veainu, 14 Tom Brady, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Matt Toomua, 11 Jonny May, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs
1 Ellis Genge, 2 Tom Youngs (c), 3 Logovi'i Mulipola, 4 Dom Barrow, 5 Graham Kitchener, 6 Mike Williams, 7 Luke Hamilton, 8 Sione Kalamafoni

Greg Bateman, Harry Thacker, Ben Betts, Mike Fitzgerald, Harry Wells, Tom Croft, Will Evans, Valentino Mapapalangi, Sam Harrison, Joe Ford, Nick Malouf, Charlie Thacker, Matt Smith, Jonah Holmes, Mathew Tait

 

[BPM]

Sounds like Saints absolutely butchered Ulster last night 55-15. Looking at the lineups, Saints' side was much closer to their first XV than Ulster's but scoring 9 tries is no mean feat.

I see Ludlam started at 7. Did anyone see the game?

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

tigers looked pretty damn impressive last night.