Silly Season Transfer Rumours 19/20

First topic message reminder :

New year, new thread, new scuttlebutt, rumour and misdirection.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Looks like we will still sign Philip van der Walt the sa number 8 despite our relegation.

That would be some signing!!

I see Sale sharks have signed another south African aswell...a prop.

Are they a franchise of the Natal Sharks now?

Which prop is that GF? I was aware they signed Oosthuizen after the Kitshoff deal fell through, wasn't aware of another though.

The method that Diamond is using doesn't actually frustrate me that much. They've built a very competitive squad whilst operating well below the cap, now they are going to the cap and using it to sign players most clubs wouldn't be able to afford due to that increase in squad spend.

It will give them 3-5 years (there are some long term contracts being signed there) to drip feed the really talented academy players such as Sam Moore into the side.

1.Harrison 2.Akker van der Merwe 3.Oosthuizen 4.Lood de Jager 5.Beaumont 6.Ross 7.T Curry 8.Jean-Luc du Preez/Wilson
9.Faf de Klerk 10.Rob du Preez 11.Yarde 12.Rohan Janse van Rensburg 13.James 14.Solomona 15.Ashton

16.Webber 17.Morozov 18.Cooper-Wooley 19.Nott 20.B Curry 21.Cliff 22.MacGinty 23.McGuigan

It's a highly competitive side that Diamond has put together. Wilson on the face of it seems a futile signing given he's at the RWC, then likely the 6 Nations. He should cover the period when Jean-Luc du Preez returns to Super Rugby very well though.

They also have Dan du Preez who is meant to be as good, if not better, than his brother.

SirBurger wrote:They also have Dan du Preez who is meant to be as good, if not better, than his brother.  

I've got a very contrasting view to you there, SB. Jean-Luc is the standout of the twins. He's a physical freak at 6 and 8 who looked at home in the Boks pack and is only missing out now due to the strength in depth of Vermuelen, Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Louw, Smith and Coetzee.

Dan on the other hand is solid utility forward who covers blindside and lock to a good Prem standard.

Not transfer news as such, but good news on a player staying put. AWJ has signed a new contract with Ospreys.

LordDowlais wrote:Not transfer news as such, but good news on a player staying put. AWJ has signed a new contract with Ospreys.

About time that he was offered a new contract. The way he has been messed around is appalling.

king_carlos wrote:

SirBurger wrote:They also have Dan du Preez who is meant to be as good, if not better, than his brother.  

I've got a very contrasting view to you there, SB. Jean-Luc is the standout of the twins. He's a physical freak at 6 and 8 who looked at home in the Boks pack and is only missing out now due to the strength in depth of Vermuelen, Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Louw, Smith and Coetzee.

Dan on the other hand is solid utility forward who covers blindside and lock to a good Prem standard.

I would have agreed with you prior to this Super Rugby season. Dan was very good for the Sharks playing at number 8. However, it is much of a muchness.

LondonTiger wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:Not transfer news as such, but good news on a player staying put. AWJ has signed a new contract with Ospreys.

About time that he was offered a new contract. The way he has been messed around is appalling.

In fairness the Ospreys nearly folded a month or two ago!

That's a heck of a Sale team there king, my word.

Roelof Smit the Bulls flanker who has been offered a contract by Tigers has apparently been offered a deal by Glasgow as well.

If Denton isn't going to play this season then I really hope Tigers get that deal over the line. He'd be a pretty ideal replacement.

Exeters Mitch Lees is off to Brive with immediate effect

Wasn't Lees name dropped in one of Eddies first squad announcements? Or was that Will Welch?
He was unfortunate with injuries at the time.

Yeah he was linked with the England squad at times. Wasnt he even in one at one time?

Good player Lees but makes sense for both parties. Simmonds being fit means that Skinner will play in the row with Hill. Chiefs have also signed Will Witty who could become quite some player in the Exeter set-up.

With Sale acquiring more props from SA I think the bargain buckets (Welsh Regions) should try and get Willgriff John back home. I know he’s not world class but a strong LH with his experience would be a good addition to any of the teams if they aspire for strength in depth.

Good news on AWJ but I don’t think he’ll feature for Ospreys that often. That team now loses 3 locks to Wales and sold one to Cardiff - why aren’t they recruiting?

That's a point actually. We don't seem to talk about the Welsh regional recruitment much on these boards. What is the WRU policy now on recruiting foreign players? Is there one?

I'm not sure there is a policy as such now. I haven't got much time to search, but I found this line.

PRB wrote:This means that budgets have subsequently been approved and player contracting can be concluded, with an emphasis on securing Welsh talent.

.

Given that the pro teams get rewarded for players produced for Wales and the U20s (I believe), it obviously makes sense for them to have more Welsh qualified players in their squads.

Lima Sopoaga to return to NZ after his poor showing up north doing the rounds. Suggestions that he will join the Hurricanes to replace Beauden Barrett (who has finally been confirmed as moving to Auckland)

Think Sopoaga and Wasps were unlucky Jimmy Gopperth was out last season. He could have helped the player settle down.

LondonTiger wrote:Lima Sopoaga to return to NZ after his poor showing up north doing the rounds. Suggestions that he will join the Hurricanes to replace Beauden Barrett (who has finally been confirmed as moving to Auckland)

Got a source on that, LT? Can't see anything yet...

LondonTiger wrote:Lima Sopoaga to return to NZ after his poor showing up north doing the rounds. Suggestions that he will join the Hurricanes to replace Beauden Barrett (who has finally been confirmed as moving to Auckland)

Can't see it. His mate Fekitoa has just joined him at Wasps. You'd also expect the Barrett move to start a merry-go-round of flyhalfs in NZ. Black at Blues is a regular for the NZ Maori and left the 'Canes to escape the shadow of Barrett so will probably move again (maybe back to the 'Canes). The Blues have two young talented age grade flyhalfs in addition.

Gatland Jnr at the Highlanders might want to go and work with dad whilst 'Canes Garden-Bachop may use the opportunity to go and work with uncle Aaron.

Could be right fun and games.

Rinsure wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:Lima Sopoaga to return to NZ after his poor showing up north doing the rounds. Suggestions that he will join the Hurricanes to replace Beauden Barrett (who has finally been confirmed as moving to Auckland)

Got a source on that, LT? Can't see anything yet...

Was a NZ rugby site. Probably just throwing out worms to see which fishes were biting - me

Saints signed a couple of academy lads from Gloucester, JJ Tonks and Tommy Mathews anyone know much about them?

Jonathan Davies is being sounded out as a possible replacement for Manu Tuilagi at Leicester.

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:Saints signed a couple of academy lads from Gloucester, JJ Tonks and Tommy Mathews anyone know much about them?

Vaguely remember Tonks from the age grade England teams, was a pretty good centre at that level from what I remember, but didn't break through

Edit- ignore me, I'm thinking of Mason Tonks 

LordDowlais wrote:Jonathan Davies is being sounded out as a possible replacement for Manu Tuilagi at Leicester.

Manu just signed a new contract?

This was a rumour from March when it looked like tuilagi was going to racing. Could be a plan for a midfield of tuilagi 12 to go with his apparent england position?

No 7&1/2 wrote:This was a rumour from March when it looked like tuilagi was going to racing. Could be a  plan for a midfield of tuilagi 12 to go with his apparent england position?

Old rumour. I'd be amazed if a) Tigers had the cap space to afford Davies, b) if they had the cap space spent it on another back and c) given the options available to the club signed another centre (even as one as talented as Davies).

Manu signed up and going nowhere.

I've been thinking leicester needed to strengthen the pack with 1 or 2 world class players for while so wouldn't surprise me if they did go for another back!

No 7&1/2 wrote:I've been thinking leicester needed to strengthen the pack with 1 or 2 world class players for  while so wouldn't surprise me if they did go for another back!

Starting pack for next season;

1. Genge
2. Youngs/TPN/Kerr
3. Cole
4. Spencer
5. Lavanini
6. Taufua
7. Thompson
8. Liebenburg

Half are full internationals, Liebenburg captained SA at under 20s level and Taufua would be capped by Samoa if he wasn't holding out for a shot at the AB shirt. There's some decent back up behind that as well;

1. Bateman
2. As above
3. Leitagaga (allegedly Mulipola MK2)
4. Green
5. Wells
6. Denton
7. Coghlan/Reffell
8. Kalamafoni

Even so one or two more quality additions wouldn't go amiss though we still have two capped Argie props and Heyes who was Cole's understudy last season at 19 and did a very good job.

Backline should be fine. If a little young in places. I think we've learnt the lesson of the star studded backline.

I do like the signing of Lavanini. And from.what I've seen of Heyes hes another exciting young prop you've got on your hands. I remain like warm to your back row though. A settled coaching staff will go a long way.

Tigers played the worst rugby in the Prem last season and survived largely by virtue of George Ford playing outstandingly behind abysmal pack performances. Jonny May managing to be joint top Prem try scorer despite missing many matches helped a fair bit too.

It won't be an overnight turnaround but I'm far more positive about the squad for this season than last. Particularly in the pack.

We've lost 12 forwards from last seasons senior squad. The only one I'm really disappointed with is Will Evans. I'd have also liked to see how academy graduates Harry Mahoney and Fred Tuilagi developed. So being kind that's 3 from 12 that I don't think we've improved the squad by losing. Sums it up really.

No 7&1/2 wrote:I do like the signing of Lavanini.  And from.what I've seen of Heyes hes another exciting young prop you've got on your hands. I remain like warm to your back row though. A settled coaching staff will go a long way.

If that's luke warm to you, I dread to think what you thought of our starting back row in our last game against Exeter - 6. Fitzgerald 7. Williams 8. O'Connor.

...shudder.....

Safe to say, they got played off the park.

I'm a lot more confident with this starting backrow.

No 7&1/2 wrote:I do like the signing of Lavanini.  And from.what I've seen of Heyes hes another exciting young prop you've got on your hands. I remain like warm to your back row though. A settled coaching staff will go a long way.

Taufua was an all action blindside for the Crusaders in the last three years of Super Rugby dominance. Thompson was one of our few good forwards last season and came up with crucial moments of class at desperate times. Liebenburg is a mainstay of the Bulls side at 23 and has had a brief loan spell in France, he's a big horrible all rounder who has captained his side at Curry Cup level. That should be a good step up from last season. If we could add maybe one more quality option in there that would help but we have a number of good young backrows in the development squad that are going to start wanting chances soon.

Heyes looks a massive talent. 19 yos should not be taking international looseheads to task in the scrum. Still a rough diamond but developing nicely.

Thompson was outstanding....what a player. How is he not in the england squad.

If you have Calum Green as a reserve lock then you have a very good set of starting locks.

We have signed phil de walt South african 8 from the sharks

GeordieFalcon wrote:Thompson was outstanding....what a player.  How is he not in the england squad.

If you have Calum Green as a reserve lock then you have a very good set of starting locks.

We have signed phil de walt South african 8 from the sharks

Green will push hard for a starting spot given his line-out work. Spencer should hold him off but needs to show his best form more consistently.

Phil van der Walt is a good signing for Falcons. He should fill that experienced and consistent presence at 8 that Falcons have missed without Latu or Hogg. Especially useful signing with Wilson away for the season.

With Marshall, Montgomery and Basham in the academy you aren't short of talent to feed into the back row whilst in the Championship.

With Welch, Gary Graham, Hardie, Chick and van der Walt needing game time it will be interesting to see how the likes of Collet, Uzokwe and Guy Graham fare during the Championship season.

Coventry have signed Henry Purdey, who was released by Glaws to keep them within the salary cap. This is something like their 8th signing of a former premiership player. Falcons will have to be wary of a number of sides next season.

And the du Preez twins turn their loan deal with Sale into a permanent one.

king_carlos wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:Thompson was outstanding....what a player.  How is he not in the england squad.

If you have Calum Green as a reserve lock then you have a very good set of starting locks.

We have signed phil de walt South african 8 from the sharks

Green will push hard for a starting spot given his line-out work. Spencer should hold him off but needs to show his best form more consistently.

Phil van der Walt is a good signing for Falcons. He should fill that experienced and consistent presence at 8 that Falcons have missed without Latu or Hogg. Especially useful signing with Wilson away for the season.

With Marshall, Montgomery and Basham in the academy you aren't short of talent to feed into the back row whilst in the Championship.

With Welch, Gary Graham, Hardie, Chick and van der Walt needing game time it will be interesting to see how the likes of Collet, Uzokwe and Guy Graham fare during the Championship season.

Montgomery is a lock whom we have huge hopes of.

Yeah our back row options are insane. And we also have Negussa who is currently starting 8 for Fiji. Hes a fantastic carrier.

I hope the youngsters do get the gametime they need whilst playing our strongest team to get straight back up. Its a balancing act.

De Walts leadership could be crucial. We lost too mich leadership when we lost Vickers, Lawson, hogg and latu all to retirement at the same time.

And with Wilson away with England so much and Will Welch injured for the majority of the season our captaincy and leadership experience was very low.

The plus side is they are all a tough season more experienced which should bode well in the future

LondonTiger wrote:And the du Preez twins turn their loan deal with Sale into a permanent one.

The day after their father is sacked by the Sharks? Another generation going to head to Sale as well?

Saints have now signed Michael van Vuuren from Bath. Does this mean Hartley is not expected to play much next season, if at all. We now have, Haywood, Fish, Marshal and an iffy Hartley.

I thought the same Well. Doesn't look good on Hartley's part does it?

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