Your 'one that got away' XV

[TRF_Olyy]

It's been far too long since we've had a random XV thread (GN10 is fighting the good fight with his ANZAC one).

Soooooooo what would your club/province/region/franchise XV (or 23 if you can) be, made solely out of players who have buggered off.
Rules:
1) Must still be playing pro rugby
2) Must have come through your clubs system (academy -> academy still counts, so Miller would count for Sale as he moved from Falcons academy to Sale's academy).



Sale:

1. Simon McIntyre (Wasps)
2. Neil Briggs (Leicester Tigers)
3. Henry Thomas (Bath)
4. Dean Schofield (London Welsh - dual registered with us and Wakefield at his start)
5. Christian Day (Northampton Saints)
6. Sean Cox (London Irish)
7. Carl Fearns (Bath)
8. James Gaskell (London Wasps)
9. Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens)
10. Charlie Hodgson (Saracens)
11. David Strettle (Saracens - bit of a stretch, he played in our age grade academies, but then went to Rotherham ***ans)
12. Mark Atkinson (Gloucester)
13. Fergus Mulchrone (London Irish)
14. Rob Miller (London Wasps)
15. Ben Foden (Northampton Saints)


Front row is pretty poor, but other than that there's some very good players in there. Struggled a bit at inside centre (Atkinson was never great for us at 10, which is where he wanted to play all his rugby, but apparently has been excellent since being moved to 12 at Bedford - looking forward to seeing him more of Gloucester) and on the wings.

 

[big ginger 8]

Nobody likes XV threads they said.

Interesting exercise, tough enough for Leinster (especially the whole still playing thing) and I know I'm going to forget a lot of players.

1. Jack O'Connell (Bristol)
2. Jason Harris-Wright (Connacht)
3. Jamie Hagan (London Irish)
4. Eoin Sheriff (Saracens)
5. Mark Flanagan (Mont de Marsan) not sure if that's the right club name
7. Conor Gilsenan (London Irish)
9. Paul O'Donohue (Connacht)
10. Ian Keatley (Munster)
11. Andrew Conway (Munster)
12. Dave McSharry (Connacht)
13. Eamonn Sheridan (London Irish)
14. Fionn Carr (Connacht)
15. Niall Morris (Leicester)

A bit easier than I thought. Others who I could have put in Darren Hudson, Shane Monahan, Stewart Maguire, PDJ, Ruaidhri Murphy, James Downey and Felix Jones. As far as I'm aware Mick Kearney was only in the sub-academy and Copeland was never in the academy. If anyone can think of a 6 and/or 8 who's still playing that'd be helpful. Young enough team overall.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Nobody likes XV threads they said.

Maybe "they" just said that so that they'd stop appearing and then they could make a storming return when no one was expecting it


Jersey have a no.8 called Michael Noone, who's from Dublin/played for Blackrock and Ireland u20s - presumable he was involved in the Leinster academy setup before moving to Doncaster in 2011?

 

[big ginger 8]

Maybe "they" just said that so that they'd stop appearing and then they could make a storming return when no one was expecting it


Jersey have a no.8 called Michael Noone, who's from Dublin/played for Blackrock and Ireland u20s - presumable he was involved in the Leinster academy setup before moving to Doncaster in 2011?

Yeah Noone I can vaguely remember hit maybe being in it. I'd be quiet about saying he's from Dublin as he's from Greystones in Wicklow. Same county as Feic, although they are Dublin lite in fairness.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Take it up with Wikipedia!

 

[big ginger 8]

I'd say he was born in a hospital in Dublin but didn't spend too long here. In the text wiki has him being from Greystones.

Really need something else to talk about!

 

[Peat]

Ulster XV...

1. Paddy MacAllister
2. Niall Annett
3. Adam Macklin
4. Ryan Caldwell
5. James Sandford
6. Neil Best
7. Sean Dougall
8. Scott LaValla

9. Ian Porter
10. Gareth Steenson
11. Conor Gaston
12. Ian Whitten
13. Chris Farrell
14. Tommy Seymour
15. Charlie Simpson

Bench - Brady?, Cromie, Andress, ?, ?, ?, McKinney/NOC (oh my god), ?

I am cheating a lot with LaValla, who only ever played Ravens, but eh, that counts for now. Simpson was only ever Ulster age-grade/schools - as far as I'm concerned, that counts - and I think Steenson might never have made the academy either.

Surprisingly decent team. Seymour the highlight of it of course. A lot of it's young enough that we might be able to bring them back if they make their potential.

I should have probably included McIlwaine, but MEH. I should definitely include Faloon, particularly as I have a back rower that shouldn't be there, but I'm too lazy to fix it and want to find out who read this far. Team would be far stronger for the inclusion of premature retirements but there we go.

 

[Thingimubob]

Cardiff are actually a bit awkward to pick one, bar the established internationals abroad.

1. Rhys Gill (Saracens)
2. T Rhys Thomas (Dragons)
3. Jake Cooper-Wooley (Wasps)
4. James Down (London Welsh)
5. Bradley Davies (Wasps)
6. Thomas Young (Wasps)
7. Rhys Shellard (Pontypridd)
8. Ben Morgan (Gloucester)
9. Wayne Evans (Coventry)
10. Nicky Robinson (Bristol)
11. Tom James (Exeter)
12. Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro)
13. Tom Riley (Cornish Pirates)
14. Harry Robinson (Scarlets)
15. Halfpenny (Toulon)

Replacements - Nick Macleod (Sale), Chris Czekaj (Colomiers), Dai Flanagan (Pontypridd)

Had to scrape the barrel for a few positions, especially outside centre, no.7 and scrum half (although I did quite like Evans)! Possibly cheating a bit with Shellard as he's technically playing semi-pro rugby with Ponty rather than pro rugby. Ben Morgan just about counts since he played a few games for the Blues u20's before the Scarlets signed him, Cooper-Wooley might not be 100% as I'm not sure if he'd graduated the Quins Academy when we picked him up.
Also Halfpenny is probably more of a missed opportunity for the Ospreys rather than us, since they cut him at u18 level for being "too small".

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Cardiff are actually a bit awkward to pick one, bar the established internationals abroad.

1. Rhys Gill (Saracens)
2. T Rhys Thomas (Dragons)
3. Jake Cooper-Wooley (Wasps)
4. James Down (London Welsh)
5. Bradley Davies (Wasps)
6. Thomas Young (Wasps)
7. Rhys Shellard (Pontypridd)
8. Ben Morgan (Gloucester)
9. Wayne Evans (Coventry)
10. Nicky Robinson (Bristol)
11. Tom James (Exeter)
12. Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro)
13. Tom Riley (Cornish Pirates)
14. Harry Robinson (Scarlets)
15. Halfpenny (Toulon)

Replacements - Nick Macleod (Sale), Chris Czekaj (Colomiers), Dai Flanagan (Pontypridd)

Had to scrape the barrel for a few positions, especially outside centre, no.7 and scrum half (although I did quite like Evans)! Possibly cheating a bit with Shellard as he's technically playing semi-pro rugby with Ponty rather than pro rugby. Ben Morgan just about counts since he played a few games for the Blues u20's before the Scarlets signed him, Cooper-Wooley might not be 100% as I'm not sure if he'd graduated the Quins Academy when we picked him up.
Also Halfpenny is probably more of a missed opportunity for the Ospreys rather than us, since they cut him at u18 level for being "too small".

Darren Allison and Ryan Powell are other option at 9 also.
Lee Thomas at center.
Robin Sowden-Taylor at 7? Went to the Dragons.
Andrieus Pistorious another option in the backrow.

 

[nickdnz]

I picked players who either played a few seasons but left very young/or were part of the regional systems before not getting selected/leaving.

Hurricanes:

1. Sona Taumololo
2. Ged Robinson
3. Ben Tamiafuna
4. Sam Whitelock
5. Ross Filipo
6. ?
7. Chris Masoe
8. Alex Tulou
9. Aaron Smith
10. Aaron Cruden
11.
12. Lifemi Mafi
13. Robbie Fruean
14. Zac Guildford
15. Israel Dagg

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

A XV thread where I can do a hypothetical WP team! You made my day, OP!

We don't have an academy per se since we are provincial so I'll take players that played for WP in age groups (and maybe a few seasons if allowed?) but aren't playing for us anymore.

1 Guthro Steenkamp (Toulouse)
2 Schalk Brits (Saracens)
3 WP Nel (Scotland) / Marcel van der Merwe
4 Juandre Kruger (Stade Francais) / PSdT
5 Andries Bekker (big in Japan)
6 Francois Louw (Bath)
7 Bernard le Roux (RM92)
8 Ernst Joubert (Saracens)
9 Francois Hougaard (Bulls)
10 Morne Steyn (Bulls) / Handre Pollard (Bulls)
11 JJ Engelbrecht (Bulls)
12 Gavin Hume
13 DTH van der Merwe
14 JP Pietersen (Sharks)
15 Willie le Roux (Cheetahs)

 

[Geordie]

Partial for the moment...i think of some others when i get ten mins.

1 Jon Golding (Retired)
2 Ross Batty (Bath) or at a REAL push...(Rory Best Ireland hooker who was in our Academy all through his Uni studies)
3 Davy Wilson (Bath)
4
5 Geoff Parling (Tigers)
6 Phil Dowson (Saints)
7 Ben woods (Is he still with Tigers or did injury finally get to him)
8 Alex Gray (L.Irish then England 7's)

9 Lee Dickson (Saints) / Joel Hodgson (Saints)
10 Toby Flood (Tigers)
11 Tim Visser (Edinburgh)
12
13
14 Michael Stephenson (Bath now Percy Park, North Shields)
15 Rob Miller (left for Sales)

 

[Geordie]

PS Is there a maximum time someone should have played for your club before buggering off? Ie Jamie Noon Left...but we had years of amazing service from him...likewise Johnny W.

Are you thinking more players brought through the academy and maybe played 1 or two seasons then left for "bigger and better" things.

 

[Thingimubob]

Darren Allison and Ryan Powell are other option at 9 also.
Lee Thomas at center.
Robin Sowden-Taylor at 7? Went to the Dragons.
Andrieus Pistorious another option in the backrow.

Ah completely forgot about Allinson! He's still pretty tidy last time I.saw him play in the Prem. I faintly remember Ryan Powell, and didn't even realise Lee Thomas was still playing.
Did think about Sowden-Taylor, but he retired a few years ago, and I never rated Pretorious (distracted by the Pistorious trial are we? ) so no wonder I skipped him.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I thought Thomas retired last season?

 

[Peat]

Pretty sure that Ben Woods retired.

Newcastle team could have a Tom May-Matthew Tait centre partnership iirc. Stick Kieran Brookes in for the retired Golding.

 

[SixteenSixtySix]

Tamati Ellison anyone?