Rob Andrew set to sign on at Tigers?

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Leicester-Tigers-sign-lock-forward-Robert-Andrew/story-16143663-detail/story.html

Had a tour of the facilities already and looks to be a goer. He should add some much needed bulk to the pack as Tigers have some second row issues ahead of next year what with Deacon's on going injury issues, Slater's knee injury and Parling's international career finally taking off. With Green leaving for a guarenteed starting berth at Leeds and Skivington wanting to be closer to his family in London and hence moving to LI. Tigers were starting to look a tad short in that area particularly with Croft injured for the opening exchanges of the season and academy lock Tom Price still very raw, a lot would have been asked of Kitchener and Mafi.

At 6 foot 6 and 18 and a half stone this Saffa should offer some squad player bulk to the team which is never a bad thing to have in case we need it. 25 is still young enough to improve but he should have some good experience having been playing in France.

Lookin at the title at first i thought it was the other Rob Andrew

Sam,

You are a git.

Well played Sir, well played indeed!

Sam,

You are a git.

I report a possible transfer for Tigers and this is the response I get...

In all seriousness the RFU's Rob Andrew wouldn't last five minutes at Tigers. This lock on the other hand is supposed to be a big, tough, ball carrying second row so he might just fit right in.

This could be yet another canny signing for the Tigers.

Very smart, low risk (because of likely low salary), will be involved during international window.

I was getting ready for a real dose of scahdenfreude, I should've known better!

Got me when I first saw it on the Tigers forum, the title is about as scary as it gets.

Onto the player, obviously dont know much about him but with him being a South African forward and 6'6, 18 stone and with our record of signing unknowns recently, I am quietly confident this could be another steal to go along with Mafi, Mulipola, Agulla etc

This could be yet another canny signing for the Tigers.

Very smart, low risk (because of likely low salary), will be involved during international window

He's going to initially be the 5 th choice so he should get a little bit of time to bed in and then be looked to during the AIs and the first round of LV Cup and HEC games where the internationals and the lads playing in the HEC will need a rest occasionally and he might be given a chance to shine. It takes second rows a few months to settle at Tigers as they learn to balance the work load Cockers expects with the famously complex lineout calls and the running game the team play. It took Skivs, Slater and Kitchener about 3 months to settle in so probs the same for this guy.

Hopefully be another canny signing, have a feeling the winger/centre we've signed Goneva could be a cunning one as well. Cockers has been pretty astute so far during his reign.

Sam

Is Goneva officially signed now?

Is Goneva officially signed now?

Since when do we 'officially' sign players before the end of the season. The club will basically agree the commonly held wisdom some time over the summer. I'd be suprised if he isn't coming as Cockerill was asked about him and actually responded. Cockers has a rule doesn't talk about players joining Tigers unless the deal is done (or as good as).

Ah yeh that is true. With so much talk about players moving it had slipped my mind about nothing being done before the end of the season.

As far as I know the signings for next season are:

Mulipola (long term deal) - prop
Andrews - lock
Bowden - 10/12
Benjamin - wing
Thompstone - wing
Goneva - wing/centre

Ironic that the team who scored more tries than anyone is changing half of its backline, good to see some young talent being added though. Still very unfortunate we won't be keeping Agulla but excited to see what the three new wingers and Bowden can bring.

Anyone seen that Faosiliva guy who plays for Samoa 7's on rugbydump, what a frikkin monster. I think he plays on the flank, but he could have easily been a like for like replacement for Alessana

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vereniki_Goneva

Is it me or does five foot 9 and just over 15 stone seem more like the build of a backrower/small hooker rather than a winger. Apparently he has pace as well having played for the Fijian sevens.

gowales, I think Cockerill wasn't hesitant to bring in a potential like for like Alesana signing as Tigers need to increase the football skills and work rate in the back three. Murphy was the only tactical kicker of the back three this season and Alesana and Agulla aren't the biggest workers (or weren't, someone has put a rocket up Agulla's ar$e in the last two months). Benjamin and Thompstone are both big, fast workhorses and should provide more cover for Murphy as well as offering more coming into the line as Alesana hasn't done that as much this season. Not sure how it sorts the kicking issues though.

Players out this summer:

Bucknall - prop
Skivington - lock - LI
Green - lock - Leeds
Armes - backrow - Bedford
Pienaar - backrow - unknown
Grindal - 9 - Bristol
Staunton - 10 - unknown
Twelvetrees - 10/12 - Gloucester
Agulla - wing - unknown
Tuilagi - wing - Japan
Robinson - wing - unknown (released to Wasps in the season and now released by them, expect him back in the Championship next season)