Who is likely to be your clubs best signing?

Just wondering who you see as your clubs major signing for this coming season. I follow three clubs so mine would be...

Scarlets:- Not many but I'd say Timani. One thing Scarlets lacked was some dog in the pack. They'll be hoping that the big man will be able to give them that.
Glasgow:- Kiwi Centre Troy Nathan is probably Glasgows biggest signing. plenty of experience and a decent back who can cover various positions. Actually I think Glasgows best move is Hefin O'Hare leaving...
Saints:-Noah Cato. He is going to be awesome in the Saints team. If they can be as powerful up front as they were last year he will score plenty of tries. with ashton on the other wing they are going to be serious contenders.

Also a note on Martin Roberts. He could make a massive difference to Saints backline. I think Scarlets will miss him, especially with so many scrum halfs out.

It's certainly set to be an interesting season with so many players away at the world cup. there will be plenty of players left behind wanting to show why they should have been there as well. let me know what you think...

Munster - Ian Keatley
Leinster - Jamie Hagan
Ulster - Jared Payne
Connacht - Henry Fa'afili

Leinster: Jamie Hagan, with Ross gone for the WC and sure to be wrapped in cotton wool by player management schemes for almost everything but our HC and Munster games we will rely on him heavily for the Pro12.

For Ulster it has to be John Afoa.

red_stag wrote:Munster - Ian Keatley
Leinster - Jamie Hagan
Ulster - Jared Payne
Connacht - Henry Fa'afili

I don't know anything about Fa'afili but I've seen some dismissive posts elsewhere on other forums. I suppose it's all relative and he'll add much needed beef, but I'd say George Naoupu or even Vainikolo would be the better bet for Connacht.

Agree with Keatley for the same reasons as I gave for Hagan, excellent understudy with bags of talent.

I think Afoa for Ulster, but maybe I'm buying the hype.

I think Roberts will offer a good option off of the bench for Saints but they have a very good scrum half in Dickson. What will have bothered the Head Coach Jim Mallinder would be the way the side lacked direction when Dickson was injured, Roberts should help that.

Sarries have done some cracking business bringing in Charlie Hodgson, his defensive issues are less of a problem these days and the ferocious backrow at Sarries will help but what he will offer in the way of tactical nous and attacking intent will give another dimension to Sarries play they missed last season.

Tigers have recruited Mat Tait to the back three and with a backline that desperately missed Geordan Murphy's running lines from deep last season this could be a brilliant weapon in the Tigers arsenal. Combining the power of Alesana Tuilagi, the flair and genius of Geordan Murphy with the explosive pace of Tait could hopefully bring to life a backs division that looked a little short on ideas at times last season.

I've got a feeling we're going to be hearing the name Carl Fearns a lot this season as well. Despite the big name foreigners and Attwood joining I think Fearns is likely to make the biggest impression this season.

I had actually forgotten about Afoa. I agree with that.

Reason I suggested Faafili is that Connacht lack strong options at centre.

Lot of experience playing for the likes of Biarritz and Rugby League. Very physical guy and will/should allow the creative outside backs like McCrea, O'Hallornan, Griffin, Tuohy, Duffy and Vainakolo to do well. All those guys play a faster game rather than physicality. He will compliment them well.

Fair enough, I'd still think with Naoupu there, Muldoon can move to his better position at 6, he played a lot at 8 last year when he wasn't injured and he's not really a ball carrying 8. That frees up Browne to move to second row and their pack becomes much more dynamic. For me, Naoupu was the reason they got to the Amlin semi-final two years ago.


But they definitely need bosh in the centres, Griffen is tiny and Keith Matthews is never going to set the world on fire.

for the dragons the promotion of mike poole from within the region will prob be our most successful new addition to the squad

formerly known as Sam wrote:I think Roberts will offer a good option off of the bench for Saints but they have a very good scrum half in Dickson. What will have bothered the Head Coach Jim Mallinder would be the way the side lacked direction when Dickson was injured, Roberts should help that.

Roberts is a very good scrum half with extremely good service. I know Lee Dickson is good but I expect them to be equal partners. should be a very strong season from Saints

red_stag wrote:I had actually forgotten about Afoa. I agree with that.

Even though I said Afoa, I'm now wondering if it's Payne

Like I said, is it hype? Not about Afoa himself, but about how the tighthead is almost the de factor most important player on your team?

You have to think in relation to rest of team. Payne is a good player but Ulster have a good backline as it is.

red_stag wrote:Munster - Ian Keatley
Leinster - Jamie Hagan
Ulster - Jared Payne
Connacht - Henry Fa'afili

Not convinced about Keatley is he that much more promising than say Cusack? Could turn out to be a brilliant signing and that will shut me up which I really hope will be the case. Also Botha is questionable given his injury record. If nothing else though his experience will bring a lot to the younger props.

As we agreed yesterday a backrow has to be number one priority on our shopping list.

I think he's done very well for Connacht. He's also earned a couple of Irish caps. Botha I am hoping will be a bigger influence off pitch than on it and help create a culture of scrummaging within Munster. Its no coincidence to me that Paddy McAllister and Declan Fitzpatrick are now good young scrummaging props.

I think it's definitely Afoa. If he can help provide a solid scrum and add more ball carrying ability in the lose then he can have a massive impact.

I think our backline is already bristling with talent and the main area where we struggled in the HEC QF and in the magners SF was in the pack and our ability to get over the gainline and the set piece.

Roberts is a very good scrum half with extremely good service. I know Lee Dickson is good but I expect them to be equal partners. should be a very strong season from Saints.

Saints major failing last year was their coaches tendancy to maintain a winning team an not rest the valuable first teamers. Matt Cornwall the former England under 20 centre left at the end of the season saying that it was nigh impossible for squad players to get an opportunity other than through injuries or in the LV Cup. Last season there were 25 players that were in and around the first team and the rest were largely ignored unless there was an emergency. Predicting the Saints team was laughably easy because it was always the same. They've added a number of players this off season it will be interesting to see if the tactics are changed.

BlueMuff wrote:

red_stag wrote:Munster - Ian Keatley
Leinster - Jamie Hagan
Ulster - Jared Payne
Connacht - Henry Fa'afili

Not convinced about Keatley is he that much more promising than say Cusack? Could turn out to be a brilliant signing and that will shut me up which I really hope will be the case. Also Botha is questionable given his injury record. If nothing else though his experience will bring a lot to the younger props.

As we agreed yesterday a backrow has to be number one priority on our shopping list.

Munster have a great signing with Keatley. He loves to take the ball at speed and has an really good conversion percentage with his kicks, so he'll be just as adept at keeping the score ticking over as ROG is.

His versatility will come in handy. I can see him as our 2nd choice #10 but our first choice #12 by seasons end.

For Leinster Matt Berquist.
For Munster Jaque Fourie

For a outside shot, I'd love to see Leo Auva make an impact at Leinster. He is going into the most competitive part of our side (the backrow) but I hope he really keeps the rest of the backrow players on the best game by putting the cat amongst the pigeons.

Well, for the Blues I think our best signing will be...........ummm....*cough*

thebandwagonsociety wrote:For a outside shot, I'd love to see Leo Auva make an impact at Leinster. He is going into the most competitive part of our side (the backrow) but I hope he really keeps the rest of the backrow players on the best game by putting the cat amongst the pigeons.

I'd say the back three is our most competitive spot. We're strong in the back row, but the main three are firmly nailed on.

I'd say your back 3 may not be all that nailed on:

Fitzgerald, Carr, Conway, Kearney, Nacewa, Horgan.

I think by end of year your as likely to see:

11 Carr
14 Horgan
15 Kearney

11 Fitzgerald
14 Conway
15 Nacewa

That's what I meant... Starting back three aren't nailed on, starting back row is.

I see where you are coming from greybeard, but if everyone is fit and on form then our back 3, in my opinion, reverts to Nacewa-Kearney-Fitz. Horgan is a legend but an aging force at this stage, Carr won't get further than the bench unless there is injuries and Conway to me is a great white hype type of a player.

Back row with Heaslip, SOB, Jennings, McLaughlin, Ruddock, Ryan has better strength at the end of the depth chart (McL, Ruddock, Ryan) than the back 3 (Conway, Horgan, Carr).

I don't include McFadden as I see him as a centre, not a wing

Think Doran Jones could be a great signing for the saints as well. I know he can prop both sides but which is his strongest?

Glasgow - Seymour

Edinburgh - Hmmmm, Sep Visser maybe, or Glichrist stepping up.....

red_stag wrote:You have to think in relation to rest of team. Payne is a good player but Ulster have a good backline as it is.

Afoa doesn't arrive until December though. He may well not be involved in our Heineken Cup team until the 4th round of that competition and he will have missed the first 10 games of our Pro12 season. A bad start in those two competitions and we would be playing catch-up by the time he arrives. So the fact that Payne has just arrived in Belfast and will be available for all bar the opening one or two games makes me favour him.

For the , probably Gonzo Camacho from Quins

Would have said Craig Mitchell, but then we've got plenty of strong cover at tighthead (Budgie, Tui & Andress). Could be Peter Short tho, cos we lacked serious 2nd row cover last season - hmm, tricky one

As much as I like Cato and think he is a great talent for the future for this season at least I would say Tom May is going to be our best signing. I thought he had a great game on Sunday, the odd mistake but that is expected in a new team. He added some dynamism to the centres that Ashton and Foden will thrive on when they get back. Jon Clarke is a good player but May just has abit more threat about him in my opinion.

On the opposite side of things I wasn't impressed by PDJ at all, I expected him to be seriously fired up playing against Glos but he was solid at best. Will not be a starter which is not good for someone with international aspirations. (different situation to Dan Cole as Castro is one of the best tightheads in the world so 50/50 game time with him is still impressive)

I wish I could say the Ospreys had signed someone worth while.
We didnt really need the Samoan scrum half as he will only block Rhys Webb. I'm not sure we needed the Samoan number 8 either!

"Scarlets:- Not many but I'd say Timani. One thing Scarlets lacked was some dog in the pack. They'll be hoping that the big man will be able to give them that."

What do you mean by dog? Tonga are 15 back-row players on the pitch, they don't do front 5's, which is what Scarlets needed, a big/strong scrummaging unit. The current pack may struggle when facing full strength opposition after the World Cup.

I'm not sure we needed the Samoan number 8 either!.

Stowers will offer a big hitting option for the backrow. Makes the gainline with ball in hand and puts in some bone rattling hits. Will add some additional power to the Ospreys backrow.

On the opposite side of things I wasn't impressed by PDJ at all

He is a tighthead covering loosehead, it's not his natural position he's just playing there because he can do it to a decent standard. He was quiet in the loose though and that wasn't often the case for Glaws.

GangGreen wrote: On the opposite side of things I wasn't impressed by PDJ at all, I expected him to be seriously fired up playing against Glos but he was solid at best.

In fairness to PDJ, he is a TH playing LH. I did expect him to cause more problems. He did seem to be fired up, he and Dawiduik had a bit of a bust up, and he won the first scrum penalty, but then Dario got the better of him. If he plays for you like he did for us, you will have a very good signing so I'd give him a bit more time.

Glaws have only made a few signings, but in the long run I expect Dario Chistolini to be our best.

For Wasps, Jonathan Poff who was McCaw's understudy at the Crusaders.

And a mention for Nicky Robinson, who is already showing well.

Some excellent signings by Wasps. Wentzel ruled the line out giving Wasps a good foot hold in the game, Poff is a scrapper at the breakdown and Robinson gave real direction from 10. Add the leadership and experience that Thompson will bring post RWC and it's looking pretty good for Wasps. Even the centre Bell and the much maligned (by Scottish fan anyway) Southwell showed up really well.

Agree Sam. Wentzel is a much needed addition, and we might see the best of Bell outside the creative NR and Flutey.

Are you going on Sunday?

Sadly not. I'm supporting my girlfriend as she runs the Robin Hood half marathon. Not that I've got the cash for away trips at the minute anyway. Will hopefully be back on the sofa for kick off though as it should be a really good game as both teams have started the season playing very positive rugby, I'm more than slightly concerned about the relative defences....

To be honest for the Scarlets Timani or Ruki Something (Tipuri??) must be the best signing. Goner-Davies has shown that catching a ball is beyond his skill set, and Aled Thomas looked pretty poor too. Rhys Jones doesn't seem anything to write home about either.

Overall the Pro 12 teams have been quiet in their recruitment compared to the English or French.

Overall the Pro 12 teams have been quiet in their recruitment compared to the English or French..

Possibley because you can't get relegated from the Pro 12 and therefore you're finances are secure. More pressure for the AP Teams to get some points on early doors otherwise there may be a shock relegation or a big name coach losing his job. Staying in the AP and qualifying for the HEC are very lucrative to the big AP clubs, who are incidentally mainly the ones who are hit hardest and who have recruited the most (Sale aside).

Wentzel for Wasps is an ingenious signing, relatively low cost and will hopefully give us a set piece from which to let loose what looks like a dangerous backline. Haven't had a chance to have a look at the new props, but if they can bring stability to the scrum then Dai Young will have had a performed a masterstroke. Very happy with the other signings after the first game, all had good games, but our lack of set piece last season had to be set right to give us any sort of chance of getting back to the play offs.

Hound, don't you think that Poff will just be back up to Rees when (if) he returns? Although he can play 8 as well. Rees, Launchberry, Poff looks pretty good with Vunipola coming off the bench for impact.

Is Launchberry going to be playing a lot of time at six this season?

I thought if Rees returned it would more likely be Poff, Rees, Hart as Hart is club captain. Vunipola and Launchberry on the bench as Launchberry can cover 4/5/6 with Vunipola covering 8 and Poff able to shift across to 7 if needed.

Not sure where he will be played, but I have liked the look of him there. In all likelihood he will be shunted around a bit to allow in senior players as they come back from injury. But I would like him to start on the flanks to have that extra bit of freedom.

I think that Hart is just filling in for Rees as captain until he returns. Having said that, Dayglo was club captain in his last season but started quite a bit off the bench.

Talking about signings but on a different tangent. Does any one know what happened to the SA Saints lock who returned to SA, is he even playing for a S15 team or anything?

Yappy, do you mean Kruger?

That's the one.

He was one of their top players last season but i've heard nothing of him since he left. I think i remember hearing he went back to SA to try and get in to the national team but i may be wrong.

I thought he went back to the Blue Bulls and I watched a chunk of the Super 15 and saw nothing of him. Quick Wiki search shows that he did nothing last season. Not sure how true that is, maybe one of the Saffa posters can fill us in because he was quite the lineout leader at Saints. Maybe we will hear more about him after Matfields retirement.

Aren't the Blue Bulls a Currie Cup team and it's just Thee Bulls for S15?