Pro12 Dream Team 2015

[simonokeeffe]

May as well throw this out before they field usual team half based on 6 nations instead of league only
(Very difficult to pick Glasgow players with the level of rotation theyve had)

1. Dennis Buckley (Connacht)
2. Duncan Casey (Munster)
3. Wiann Herbst (Ulster)
4. Franco Van Der Merwe (Ulster)
5. Aly Muldowney (Connacht)
6. Josh Strauss (Glasgow)
7. Josh Navidi (Blues)
8. Stander (Munster)
9. Rhys Webb (Ospreys)
10. Dan Biggar (Ospreys)
11. Simon Zebo (Munster
12. Scott Williams (Scarlets)
13. Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster)
14. Gilroy (Ulster)
15. Liam Williams (Scarlets)

Luke might be there as token Leinster player over Cave

[munster#1]

Fairly surprised that I'm typing this, but Imo Holland deserves to be included in this list.

His improvement this season has been massive.

[All Blacks nil]

May as well throw this out before they field usual team half based on 6 nations instead of league only
(Very difficult to pick Glasgow players with the level of rotation theyve had)

1. Dennis Buckley (Connacht)
2. Duncan Casey (Munster)
3. Wiann Herbst (Ulster)
4. Franco Van Der Merwe (Ulster)
5. Aly Muldowney (Connacht)
6. Josh Strauss (Glasgow)
7. Josh Navidi (Blues)
8. Stander (Munster)
9. Rhys Webb (Ospreys)
10. Dan Biggar (Ospreys)
11. Simon Zebo (Munster
12. Scott Williams (Scarlets)
13. Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster)
14. Gilroy (Ulster)
15. Liam Williams (Scarlets)

Luke might be there as token Leinster player over Cave

interesting that you find it difficult to select Glasgow players on account of their rotation policy, yet you can justify selecting Luke at outside centre despite the fact he has played a total of 308 or 3 starts and 68 minutes as a replacement in that position.

He must have made a big impression in his three starts, at home to Connacht and Ulster and away to Munster. Or else it was his 68 minutes as substitute in the home match v Dragons.

I'd have issues with Muldowney and Navidi (or any other Cardiff player) as well. Did you not remember the Scarlets backrow who seem to dominate the breakdown, Barclay and the openside who's name escapes me.

Casey threw a crooked lineout 4 games ago so should not be included.

if your team is based on Pro12 performances it is a little strange to see the top 4 teams providing only 9 of the team. or is it one for everyone in the audience.

[simonokeeffe]

Luke has also played on the wing but I did admit there was some sentiment/wanting one Leinster player in there, also coming back from brink of retirement etc

Barclay would be another solid candidate but Navidi has been outstanding and all the while in a rubbish team

Kind of hard in a way to pick from some of the biggest teams as some of the players miss 70% of the league games according to MOC

No Edinburgh or Italian players in there and if I was more objective no Leinster players

[Xanthippe]

Luke has also played on the wing but I did admit there was some sentiment/wanting one Leinster player in there, also coming back from brink of retirement etc

Barclay would be another solid candidate but Navidi has been outstanding and all the while in a rubbish team

Kind of hard in a way to pick from some of the biggest teams as some of the players miss 70% of the league games according to MOC

No Edinburgh or Italian players in there and if I was more objective no Leinster players

Would you not have a place in your team for the winner of the Golden Boot?

[simonokeeffe]

Luke has also played on the wing but I did admit there was some sentiment/wanting one Leinster player in there, also coming back from brink of retirement etc

Barclay would be another solid candidate but Navidi has been outstanding and all the while in a rubbish team

Kind of hard in a way to pick from some of the biggest teams as some of the players miss 70% of the league games according to MOC

No Edinburgh or Italian players in there and if I was more objective no Leinster players

Would you not have a place in your team for the winner of the Golden Boot?

Nope, poor Madigan cant even get into an imaginary team at outhalf

dont think you can say he was the best 12, not ahead of Williams or Cave or Henshaw or Dunbar

[Xanthippe]

I agree but I still think that if he wins the Golden Boot that the Pro12 will pick him - it wouldn't be the first time they picked 'undeserving' fantasy team members

[Vamos los azules]

Luke has also played on the wing but I did admit there was some sentiment/wanting one Leinster player in there, also coming back from brink of retirement etc

Barclay would be another solid candidate but Navidi has been outstanding and all the while in a rubbish team

Kind of hard in a way to pick from some of the biggest teams as some of the players miss 70% of the league games according to MOC

No Edinburgh or Italian players in there and if I was more objective no Leinster players

Would you not have a place in your team for the winner of the Golden Boot?

He may have - Biggar could nail it in the last couple of rounds.

I'd agree with Navidi shining in the mediocrity of Cardiff.

I wouldn't quibble with Rhys Webb but if we are giving honourable mentions to Edinburgh players, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne has had a very good season and looks like one for the future.

[olaf the fat]

Gopperth will get there.

He gets blamed here for ALL the woes of the backs - from the outside he has been good this season.

[Xanthippe]

Luke has also played on the wing but I did admit there was some sentiment/wanting one Leinster player in there, also coming back from brink of retirement etc

Barclay would be another solid candidate but Navidi has been outstanding and all the while in a rubbish team

Kind of hard in a way to pick from some of the biggest teams as some of the players miss 70% of the league games according to MOC

No Edinburgh or Italian players in there and if I was more objective no Leinster players

Would you not have a place in your team for the winner of the Golden Boot?

He may have - Biggar could nail it in the last couple of rounds.

I'd agree with Navidi shining in the mediocrity of Cardiff.

I wouldn't quibble with Rhys Webb but if we are giving honourable mentions to Edinburgh players, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne has had a very good season and looks like one for the future.

Interestingly if Madigan does not take a single kick in our remaining two games then Biggar would have to get 16/16 to overtake him

[Vamos los azules]

Would you not have a place in your team for the winner of the Golden Boot?

He may have - Biggar could nail it in the last couple of rounds.

I'd agree with Navidi shining in the mediocrity of Cardiff.

I wouldn't quibble with Rhys Webb but if we are giving honourable mentions to Edinburgh players, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne has had a very good season and looks like one for the future.

Interestingly if Madigan does not take a single kick in our remaining two games then Biggar would have to get 16/16 to overtake him

Ok, so, probably not then

[simonokeeffe]

I agree but I still think that if he wins the Golden Boot that the Pro12 will pick him - it wouldn't be the first time they picked 'undeserving' fantasy team members

yeah normally its roughly 5 guys who did well, 5 big names who werent great and 5 guys who had great 6n

[Donny B.]

Gopperth will get there.

He gets blamed here for ALL the woes of the backs - from the outside he has been good this season.

Really? He's very error-prone and almost always wilts under pressure, particularly towards the end of tight games. I've lost count of the times he's ignored numbers out wide to blindly take the ball up the middle. The poorly chosen and poorly executed cross-kick is another speciality of his along with hoofing the ball down the middle to make sure to bring opposition back three into play.

Apart from that, he's fine.

[Xanthippe]

GUINNESS PRO12 Dream Team of the 2014/15 Season
11 May 2015 12:28pm

The Ospreys slipped into the narrowest of leads at the top of the table on Friday night and the Welsh region can boast three players in this season's GUINNESS PRO12 Dream Team.

The GUINNESS PRO12 Dream Team 2014/15 was voted on by a Media Panel of 11 journalists from all four countries and was chaired by Rory Sheridan, Head of Sponsorship - Western Europe, Diageo.

Before they were whisked away on international duty in February, half-backs Rhys Webb and Dan Biggar ruled the roost in the GUINNESS PRO12.

Webb shot out into an early lead in the try-scoring table, while Biggar's unerring boot saw him set the standard for the competition's kickers.

Now they have returned to aid Ospreys' title push, Steve Tandy's side beating Glasgow Warriors 21-10 - Webb among the scorers - to go top of the pile heading into the final round.

They have been joined in the Dream Team by captain Alun Wyn Jones, just one of three players - Biggar and Scarlets full-back Liam Williams the other two - to retain their place in the Dream Team from last season.

The only man with more GUINNESS PRO12 tries this season than Webb is Ulster wing Craig Gilroy, who is one of three entrants from Belfast.

The other two come from a powerful Ulster pack, captain and hooker Rory Best joined in the Dream Team's tight five by influential South African second row Franco van der Merwe.

Munster - another side still well in the title hunt - make up two thirds of the back row, with the province's player of the season CJ Stander on the blindside.

He is joined by Tommy O'Donnell on the other flank, the 27-year-old enjoying a productive season in both the green of Ireland and the red of Munster.

Glasgow Warriors make up the top four, though they were knocked off top spot by Ospreys on Friday night, and also boast three entrants - meaning this year's play-off quartet make up 11 of the 15 players selected.

Tommy Seymour takes his place on the right wing after another bright campaign, while Peter Horne is at inside centre.

Horne has shown his versatility this season, starting at full-back, fly-half and in the centres on various occasions, as well as regularly taking on kicking duties in the absence of Finn Russell and Duncan Weir.

And in the pack Josh Strauss takes the No.8 shirt, the South African going from strength to strength in his third season at Scotstoun.

There is another South African at tighthead in Edinburgh's WP Nel, while Connacht prop Denis Buckley is rewarded for an impressive campaign with the No.1 shirt.

His teammate Robbie Henshaw is at outside centre, the 21-year-old having established himself as a regular fixture in Ireland's midfield, while Wales international Liam Williams is again at full-back.

Guinness PRO12 Dream Team of the 2014/15 Season

PRO12 in 2014/15 (including round 21):

15 - Liam Williams - Scarlets
11 starts, 6 tries, 800 mins played

14 - Tommy Seymour - Glasgow Warriors
11 starts, 1 rep, 4 tries, 888 mins

13 - Robbie Henshaw - Connacht
11 starts, 1 try, 874 mins

12 - Peter Horne - Glasgow Warriors
19 starts, 6 tries, 15 conv, 13 pens, 99 pts, 1274 mins

11 - Craig Gilroy - Ulster
15 starts, 2 reps, 11 tries, 1258 mins

10 - Dan Biggar - Ospreys
13 starts, 1 rep, 3 tries, 29 conv, 27 pens, 154 pts, 945 mins

9 - Rhys Webb - Ospreys
11 starts, 2 reps, 10 tries, 804 mins

1- Denis Buckley - Connacht
20 starts, 1 rep, 1 try, 1443 mins

2- Rory Best - Ulster
11 starts,1 rep, 2 tries, 822 mins

3 - WP Nel - Edinburgh
13 starts, 8 rep, 1 try, 1159 mins

4- Alun Wyn Jones - Ospreys
11 starts, 2 reps, 902 mins

5- Franco van der Merwe - Ulster
19 starts, 1 rep, 2 tries, 1459 mins

6- CJ Stander - Munster
17 starts, 1 rep, 8 tries, 1350 mins

7- Tommy O'Donnell - Munster
11 starts, 2 reps, 1 try, 770 mins

8- Josh Strauss - Glasgow Warriors
16 starts, 4 reps, 3 tries, 1297 mins


http://www.pro12rugby.com/news/17304.ph ... ezXA6ey.97

[simonokeeffe]

I got 8

Zebo a bit hard done by, 8 tries in 12 games
Henshaw, Best and AWJ seem to be in on 6n form