Silly Season Transfer Rumours 17/18

First topic message reminder :

Rumours are that I want to move to another company because my boss is an @rse.

And there's something to those rumours, I can assure you.

Falcons have signed Nemani Nagusa, a Fijian 7's backrower.

Looks like he's the 8 we were needing with Hogg and Latu retiring fluxy. 6'2 and 110kg.

Another quiet signing...hope it's another one of Dean's successes.

Welly wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:
In more realistic news Brendan Macken considering offers from Bristol and Tigers.

Baffles me that Ulster haven't made a move for him especially now given they will have maybe 3 options availabl to start the season at centre

Couldn't see him moving to Ireland anyway.

He's EQP now which doesn't mean much for his international chances, but it does mean he is worth even more as a player in the Premiership.

Ulster are desperate for a centre, an IQ one even better, so a good negotiating position

marty2086 wrote:

Welly wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:
In more realistic news Brendan Macken considering offers from Bristol and Tigers.

Baffles me that Ulster haven't made a move for him especially now given they will have maybe 3 options availabl to start the season at centre

Couldn't see him moving to Ireland anyway.

He's EQP now which doesn't mean much for his international chances, but it does mean he is worth even more as a player in the Premiership.

Ulster are desperate for a centre, an IQ one even better, so a good negotiating position

Depends how much money is in it I suppose and how much game time he'd get. Bristol have several good centres so they'd be competition there and at Tigers he'd be third choice at best with Toomua and Manu wearing 12 and 13 when fit.

Don't Ulster have Marshall, McCluskey, Addison and Cave for next season?

Aparently Basham is about to be announced aswell...as part of the Senior Academy whilst he studies at Durham. Hope he's not another Beaumont who disappears as soon as he finishes uni.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Welly wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:
In more realistic news Brendan Macken considering offers from Bristol and Tigers.

Baffles me that Ulster haven't made a move for him especially now given they will have maybe 3 options availabl to start the season at centre

Couldn't see him moving to Ireland anyway.

He's EQP now which doesn't mean much for his international chances, but it does mean he is worth even more as a player in the Premiership.

Ulster are desperate for a centre, an IQ one even better, so a good negotiating position

Depends how much money is in it I suppose and how much game time he'd get. Bristol have several good centres so they'd be competition there and at Tigers he'd be third choice at best with Toomua and Manu wearing 12 and 13 when fit.

Don't Ulster have Marshall, McCluskey, Addison and Cave for next season?

Marshall will miss most of the reason and Ludik who could cover 13 is a long term injury worry too but he was going to be first choice at 15 so Addison will be needed there leaving us Cave and McCloskey

marty2086 wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Welly wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:
In more realistic news Brendan Macken considering offers from Bristol and Tigers.

Baffles me that Ulster haven't made a move for him especially now given they will have maybe 3 options availabl to start the season at centre

Couldn't see him moving to Ireland anyway.

He's EQP now which doesn't mean much for his international chances, but it does mean he is worth even more as a player in the Premiership.

Ulster are desperate for a centre, an IQ one even better, so a good negotiating position

Depends how much money is in it I suppose and how much game time he'd get. Bristol have several good centres so they'd be competition there and at Tigers he'd be third choice at best with Toomua and Manu wearing 12 and 13 when fit.

Don't Ulster have Marshall, McCluskey, Addison and Cave for next season?

Marshall will miss most of the reason and Ludik who could cover 13 is a long term injury worry too but he was going to be first choice at 15 so Addison will be needed there leaving us Cave and McCloskey

Since when are fullbacks scarce in Ireland? With the GAA background Irish back three players are normally great under the high ball. There must be a young one somewhere ready to step up.

Attwood confirmed that he's coming back to Bath next season. Massive news for us. We are a better side with him fully fit.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Welly wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:
In more realistic news Brendan Macken considering offers from Bristol and Tigers.

Baffles me that Ulster haven't made a move for him especially now given they will have maybe 3 options availabl to start the season at centre

Couldn't see him moving to Ireland anyway.

He's EQP now which doesn't mean much for his international chances, but it does mean he is worth even more as a player in the Premiership.

Ulster are desperate for a centre, an IQ one even better, so a good negotiating position

Depends how much money is in it I suppose and how much game time he'd get. Bristol have several good centres so they'd be competition there and at Tigers he'd be third choice at best with Toomua and Manu wearing 12 and 13 when fit.

Don't Ulster have Marshall, McCluskey, Addison and Cave for next season?

Marshall will miss most of the reason and Ludik who could cover 13 is a long term injury worry too but he was going to be first choice at 15 so Addison will be needed there leaving us Cave and McCloskey

Since when are fullbacks scarce in Ireland? With the GAA background Irish back three players are normally great under the high ball. There must be a young one somewhere ready to step up.

I'd need to go into the politics of NI to explain all that

Bathite wrote:Attwood confirmed that he's coming back to Bath next season. Massive news for us. We are a better side with him fully fit.

And hopefully means we are keeping McNally which is just as important for us.

marty2086 wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Welly wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:
In more realistic news Brendan Macken considering offers from Bristol and Tigers.

Baffles me that Ulster haven't made a move for him especially now given they will have maybe 3 options availabl to start the season at centre

Couldn't see him moving to Ireland anyway.

He's EQP now which doesn't mean much for his international chances, but it does mean he is worth even more as a player in the Premiership.

Ulster are desperate for a centre, an IQ one even better, so a good negotiating position

Depends how much money is in it I suppose and how much game time he'd get. Bristol have several good centres so they'd be competition there and at Tigers he'd be third choice at best with Toomua and Manu wearing 12 and 13 when fit.

Don't Ulster have Marshall, McCluskey, Addison and Cave for next season?

Marshall will miss most of the reason and Ludik who could cover 13 is a long term injury worry too but he was going to be first choice at 15 so Addison will be needed there leaving us Cave and McCloskey

Since when are fullbacks scarce in Ireland? With the GAA background Irish back three players are normally great under the high ball. There must be a young one somewhere ready to step up.

I'd need to go into the politics of NI to explain all that

fair enough. I presume that as per usual none of the other regions want to share?

Anyone got an AP level 9 going spare, we seem to be running short suddenly with Kessel going, only Reinach and Mitchell left and Mitchell has only featured in 9 AP games. We also have Emery who has featured once I believe for a very short time. Unless Mitchell and Emery push on a long way quickly, we are going to be in trouble if Cobus gets injured.

Please take Allinson off our hands! He's isn't AP level though.

Cardiff Blues has signed up Arhip from Ospreys, bit of a blow for the Ospreys?

Fluxy wrote:Cardiff Blues has signed up Arhip from Ospreys, bit of a blow for the Ospreys?

Ospreys had thought they were losing him to Montpelier I believe, so not really a blow to them. Possibly a blow to any young Blues props though?

Will be when he mullers their scrum

Chris Ashton has signed for sale. He must be seen as full back.

englishborn wrote:Chris Ashton has signed for sale. He must be seen as full back.

Yarde, Ashton, JOC, Solomona......slight overkill.

A little bit, but JOC is still recovering from long term injury so that likely played into the decision making.
The back 3 at sale is now very well covered, the tight 5 however is where they really need to improve to be challenging for top 4, but things really looking up.

Last time I watch Sale on TV they were talking about JOC as a 12

JOC as a winger? Not these days, Yarde, Ashton and Solomona competing for the wing positions will be interesting, unless they do want to play CA at 15, which if successful would be a good thing for England. He ripped EJ's team against the Barbarians a new one in the last game playing from 15 and didn't look out of position at all.

geoff999rugby wrote:Last time I watch Sale on TV they were talking about JOC as a 12

They've signed the South African 12 RJVR, who is an absolute machine, so I doubt JOC will be seeing much of the 12 shirt when he's around....13 possibly. A bit of Rohan in action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqZ4WGAeOPg

Apparently Ashton at 15, JOC at 13. With Solomona, Yarde, van Rensburg and de Klerk a good backline if their pack can deliver ball and McGinty not mess it up.

Can't see then dropping Sam James. JOC to 10?

As you say LT - a great backline, if their pack can secure them decent ball.
JOC could well move to 10 - on form he is too good a player to leave out. Means there will be strong options coming off the bench too.
Sale on paper should be very strong next season if all players are fit to start.

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/gallagher-premiership-2018-19-ins-outs

That's great - Thanks for posting Fluxy

You can see the teams with money, breaking the cap and those on a shoestring budget...ie Us!

GeordieFalcon wrote:You can see the teams with money, breaking the cap and those on a shoestring budget...ie Us!

Interestingly looking purely at the balance between ins and outs, for me most teams look to have a net reduction in their wage bill.

I am still waiting for that special link up with the AB's to bear fruit for Quins! whatever that deal may be!
On the plus side, Roberts leaving us will free up substantial wedge while the players coming in probably wont be that expensive - so I assume that the difference will have been spent on contract renewals.

No longer a rumour Billy Burns to Ulster
He has a Irish grandparent and as such is qualified.
Will make the WC squad in my view

Billy is a really good player, and having effectively seen off Owen Williams last season could have done the same with Cips this season - if the salary cap had not meant that Glaws had to lose someone. I suspect they would have rather been able to ship Williams on to a Welsh side, but they seriously overpaid him when he moved from Tigers.

I am surprised by that move - but fair play to Billy. He had a lot of competition infront of him. And when there is more international interest in the likes of Marcus Smith then he must have felt that he options are limited. Hopefully Ulster will give him plenty of opportunity.

My understanding is he was not prepared to play second fiddle to Cipriani
He will be first choice at Ulster and I believe second choice for Ireland - Id take him over Carbery any day

Can the Irish stop poaching our players please!

Do we actually have any players "poached" from the home nations? By "poached, I mean going back further than parents to become eligible.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Can the Irish stop poaching our players please!

If they are Irishmen they are fair game

Alternatively if you give Whitten, Steenson, McAllister Madigan back to name but four we might reconsider

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Can the Irish stop poaching our players please!

Pay back for Shane Geraghty.

rodders wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Can the Irish stop poaching our players please!

Pay back for Shane Geraghty.

I thought Shane Geraghty starting internationals at 12 was pay-back for that...

Pat Cilliers leaves Tigers for London Irish. Who needs props anyway? We flog Colely to death for another couple of years at least.

Seriously Cilliers was a good player when fit, mobile and aggressive and being a Bok he knew how to scrummage. If he stays fit he'll tear up the Championship.

Hope we announce a couple of prop signings tomorrow.

geoff999rugby wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Can the Irish stop poaching our players please!

If they are Irishmen they are fair game

Alternatively if you give Whitten, Steenson, McAllister Madigan back to name but four we might reconsider

You can happily take them back.

Exeter would definitely not agree with you and I don't think Bristol will either

Gloucester maybe

Samu Manoa from Toulon to Cardiff Blues. Great signing albeit a little old, and seems to have been signed as a No.8. I would mostly play him at lock. Him and Williams in the same pack is pretty tasty.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/44757419

king_carlos wrote:

rodders wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Can the Irish stop poaching our players please!

Pay back for Shane Geraghty.

I thought Shane Geraghty starting internationals at 12 was pay-back for that...

That crash ball though

mikey_dragon wrote:Samu Manoa from Toulon to Cardiff Blues. Great signing albeit a little old, and seems to have been signed as a No.8. I would mostly play him at lock. Him and Williams in the same pack is pretty tasty.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/44757419

He was equally at home at 8 for Saints. If he is anything like he was for Saints that is a great signing, strange that we did not at least make an offer bearing in mind our 8 situation. Haskell can play there, and play well, but Manoa is pure magic when on form, pace, power and no little skill.

yappysnap wrote:

king_carlos wrote:

rodders wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Can the Irish stop poaching our players please!

Pay back for Shane Geraghty.

I thought Shane Geraghty starting internationals at 12 was pay-back for that...

That crash ball though

That's why we had Noon and Tindall...

James Marshall to Hurricanes

He's not really got going in Europe makes sense for him to head home. The Hurricanes must be concerned about a post RWC exodus, particularly in the back line where there's some outstanding talent.

Schalk Birts set to end his short retirement and sign up with the Bulls up to the RWC.

Couple decent signings for LI in Sam Twomey and TJ Ioane. on paper, they should walk this league despite Ealing being a good side.