Strauss or Masoe?

This is one more for the Glasgow fans but feel free to join in.
It was pretty well documented that the Weeg were on the brink of signing Masoe last summer but instead ended up with the Tongan guy who lasted about 2 weeks before they really landed on their feet with Strauss.
Having seen Masoe get over the gain line very time yesterday and watched him pilfering ball on the ground, are you glad you got Strauss or would you preferred it to have been Masoe?
Let's leave aside the fact that Strauss was brought over with an eye on his furture eligibility for Scotland and restrict it to playing ability, influence on team etc.

Wow didnt know Masoe could have gone to Scotland. Laporte recently said he was his most important player in his team on a tactical point of view.

Unless i horribly misunderstood the papers, whocares, it seesm that he was all but ready to sign on the dotted line and (apparently?!) it wasn't cash that swayed him in the end

Strauss was one of the best backrows of the Pro12 just gone. But Masoe on the form he's shown for Toulon would be better than any of the best players at 8 in the league.

A bold statement, Notch. Would you not rather than have an on-song Jamie Heasip?

Masoe is 34 already, give me Strauss over him any day.

InjuredYetAgain wrote:A bold statement, Notch. Would you not rather than have an on-song Jamie Heasip?

Jamie Heaslips status with Ireland is such that I don't really consider him to be a Pro12 player. In that position there are some guys who play every week in the Pro12 like Nick Williams, Josh Strauss etc. and thats where they excel and then you have test internationals who use the Pro12 as springboard to get match fitness and form for the Heineken Cup, Pro12 playoffs and Test rugby.

Pro12 is strictly routine for the likes of Heaslip until the last few months of the season.

strauss, he's there for the long term. got a feeling he will become a glasgow & scotland legend.

InjuredYetAgain wrote:This is one more for the Glasgow fans but feel free to join in.
It was pretty well documented that the Weeg were on the brink of signing Masoe last summer but instead ended up with the Tongan guy who lasted about 2 weeks before they really landed on their feet with Strauss.
Having seen Masoe get over the gain line very time yesterday and watched him pilfering ball on the ground, are you glad you got Strauss or would you preferred it to have been Masoe?
Let's leave aside the fact that Strauss was brought over with an eye on his furture eligibility for Scotland and restrict it to playing ability, influence on team etc.

Pretty frightening prospect for the rest of the pro 12 tens.

Still think that big Mike Cusack is the best signing that Glasgow have made in recent years.

Strauss is a very strong ball carrier but can be a bit loose in the contact, with a high body position. Masoe rarely loses the ball and has more of a change of pace than Strauss, even at the advanced age of 34, he is also more adept at turning ball over being the slightly shorter man: 6 1 compared to Strauss at 6 3. During this season i would rate Masoe's contribution to Toulon to be slightly higher than the excellent season enjoyed by Strauss in the weeg.

Clearly Masoe is near the end of his career (one more year at Toulon?) so Strauss is the better long term prospect.

Would much, much rather have the Beardy Beast.

Strauss will just keep getting better and better and will be SQ in a couple of years. Masoe must be about a thousand, isn't he?

Whilst Masoe is an excellent player, Strauss is a better longer term bet for Glasgow (and Scotland....).

I also think we'll see Strauss settle more at 6 next season, as Wilson continues his stellar form. I made the mistake of thinking Wilson was destined to be a club rather than international player earlier this season. But having seen his performance against Leinster I'd happily revise that view. He has comfortably outstripped Harley in terms of quality. Harley really needs to learn how to catch, pass and run with the ball. He's an outstanding defender, but less than average with ball in hand. Wilson is becoming a very complete player indeed.

funnyExiledScot wrote:Whilst Masoe is an excellent player, Strauss is a better longer term bet for Glasgow (and Scotland....).

I also think we'll see Strauss settle more at 6 next season, as Wilson continues his stellar form. I made the mistake of thinking Wilson was destined to be a club rather than international player earlier this season. But having seen his performance against Leinster I'd happily revise that view. He has comfortably outstripped Harley in terms of quality. Harley really needs to learn how to catch, pass and run with the ball. He's an outstanding defender, but less than average with ball in hand. Wilson is becoming a very complete player indeed.

Completely. On related news, last Saturday Mr Christopher Curtis Fusaro stepped onto a rugby pitch for the first time in 5 months as part of the Warriors team playing in the Glasgow 7s.

Presumably he had no awkward looking leisurewear photoshoots that day.

Fusaro has a massive role to play next season with Barclay leaving. I'm not convinced yet that Richie Vernon is going to be a top class openside for Glasgow.

Strauss, for me. Just because he's the younger man. Both have really added to thier teams, but Strauss will continue to add to Glasgow for a lot longer.

I will add my name to the Strauss pile - Masoe is probably the better player currently, but Strauss is still relatively young and is the better long term prospect.

I think the comments about Harley are pretty fair, awesome tackler but doesn't offer enough in the loose. Maybe he was left out of the touring squad to put on some muscle over the summer.

With G-Dog adding his name to the growing list of players leaving the club, can we expect anymore signings? Last year there was a lot of coming and going, the squad is a lot more settled now, and I don't see the need to add too much - an out and out 7 would be nice.

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Hate the idea of contracting players from other countries for the purpose of nationalising them on a ridiculous 3 year residency rule

Pathetic