Silly Season Transfer Rumours 19/20

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mikey_dragon wrote:It’s an unfortunate coincidence I think, but his injury record was exemplary before he linked up with Bath.

His last lengthy injury was a collarbone issue suffered in a Wales training camp. Probably a bit of a mixed bag. It's hard once you start getting injuries to get out of the cycle as often one leads to another, Falatau managed to break the same arm some four or five months apart. Something Billy Vunipola managed as well.

I think Carlos is right. With the financial squeeze clubs are going to look for more value for money and less marquee names. Johnny May certainly found that when he went to discuss his new contract as did Ben Youngs.

Margin_Walker wrote:He's pretty agile tbf. Might be able to get past Cokanasiga on the outside Geordie

i was waiting for that ...

Margin_Walker wrote:He's pretty agile tbf. Might be able to get past Cokanasiga on the outside Geordie

I once had a dream that Tony Underwood got past Jonah Lomu by running through his legs.

It turns out Greg Bateman is only WQ via a grandparent being adopted, or something, which was why Wales couldn’t cap and run when he was in good form for Tigers. That rule has been amended now though so he is WQ and for that reason would be a good addition for a region given there are some sort of quota’s in place. I’d love for Dragons to get him, not so keen on him being capped just so we get more availability to his services...

LI sign Charlton Kerr from England 7s. Only 22 with 90 appearances on the circuit. Doesn't appear to have played 15s seriously though since U18s.

Bit of a project.

Margin_Walker wrote:LI sign Charlton Kerr from England 7s. Only 22 with 90 appearances on the circuit. Doesn't appear to have played 15s seriously though since U18s.

Bit of a project.

I reckon a few Jeff clubs will pickup England Sevens players on a punt if they lose their pro contracts. The level of talent and athleticism on the World Series is exceptional these days.

The older Sevens specialist such as Mitchell, Bibby, Norton, Burgess, de Carpentier will presumably target another Olympics in 2021.

Younger, more recent converts might move back to Prem clubs though. Hassell-Collins, Will Edwards, Calum Waters. There's a lot of talent in the wider England training squad.

A few clubs could do worse than Ollie Lindsay-Hague as a fullback/wing option.

Yeah, guessing they aren't going to be massively expensive initially and there's a recent example in Ruaridh McConnochie of it working out very well.

Hassell-Collins is very much still in the 15s setup for LI. Only played a bit of sevens for England for a bit of experience when the front line players were being rested.

Just happened in France. Clermont have signed a player from the French 7's squad as a medical joker for Pecelli Yato, who is recovering from a knee op. Tavite Veredamu plays wing in sevens but learnt his trade playing 8 for Nimes, in Federale 1, for 7 years, before getting picked up by the french national 7's team. He joined the french foreign legion as an 18 year old and was persuaded to give rugby a go, which seems to have gone quite well! He doesn't look as physically imposing as Yato but is clearly extremely quick and as a back up to Fritz Lee he could make a great impact player coming on with 20 to go.

We have signed lock Marco Fuser from Beneton.

Could be a useful signing if he can bring some steel to the engine room.

GeordieFalcon wrote:We have signed lock Marco Fuser from Beneton.

Could be a useful signing if he can bring some steel to the engine room.

I'll take that, certainly an improvement on what we have. A few more good additions and Tigers will start worrying about their 11th position coming under attack

Well two signings...and both internationals..which we certainly werent expecting.

Another announcement on Friday and another renewal at 9am tomorrow morning.

Plus theres some more players signed which are still to be announced (we know one is Lucock the centre) . So its looking good.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:We have signed lock Marco Fuser from Beneton.

Could be a useful signing if he can bring some steel to the engine room.

I'll take that, certainly an improvement on what we have. A few more good additions and Tigers will start worrying about their 11th position coming under attack

Maybe, but........


....we have at least tried to address our coaching issues

So have we...we've signed Natals attack and forwards coach to be our....... defence coach...

GeordieFalcon wrote:We have signed lock Marco Fuser from Beneton.

Could be a useful signing if he can bring some steel to the engine room.

That’s a loss for Benetton, their pack was a lethal weapon. And no offence... but Falcons are a big step down. This Benetton team can still make the play-offs, and good for them. 

Ospreys were supposedly linked with Nasi Manu so I wonder if the Italians are struggling to hold onto players? Would be a shame if Benetton became less competitive.

mikey_dragon wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:We have signed lock Marco Fuser from Beneton.

Could be a useful signing if he can bring some steel to the engine room.

That’s a loss for Benetton, their pack was a lethal weapon. And no offence... but Falcons are a big step down. This Benetton team can still make the play-offs, and good for them. 

Ospreys were supposedly linked with Nasi Manu so I wonder if the Italians are struggling to hold onto players? Would be a shame if Benetton became less competitive.

Any side in the Premiership is a step up from Italian rugby, in quality of the league and I would imagine cash too. This is why the best players in the Pro whatever move from there to English or French leagues.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:We have signed lock Marco Fuser from Beneton.

Could be a useful signing if he can bring some steel to the engine room.

That’s a loss for Benetton, their pack was a lethal weapon. And no offence... but Falcons are a big step down. This Benetton team can still make the play-offs, and good for them. 

Ospreys were supposedly linked with Nasi Manu so I wonder if the Italians are struggling to hold onto players? Would be a shame if Benetton became less competitive.

Any side in the Premiership is a step up from Italian rugby, in quality of the league and I would imagine cash too. This is why the best players in the Pro whatever move from there to English or French leagues.

On the money, yes, more than likely. But I think most sensible people might question why a hand-on-heart Italian moves from a good set-up where his club can make the play-offs, to someone who has just been promoted and could go back down (unless you're ringfenced now?). That's what I had in mind.
Whenever I've seen Falcons they've been a good team tbh, they show up in the european competitions too so I wasn't knocking them in that regard.

The Italian clubs, especially Benetton are more competitive now but I'm wondering if they'll start to go backwards and go back to 'Italian Rugby'.

mikey_dragon wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:We have signed lock Marco Fuser from Beneton.

Could be a useful signing if he can bring some steel to the engine room.

That’s a loss for Benetton, their pack was a lethal weapon. And no offence... but Falcons are a big step down. This Benetton team can still make the play-offs, and good for them. 

Ospreys were supposedly linked with Nasi Manu so I wonder if the Italians are struggling to hold onto players? Would be a shame if Benetton became less competitive.

Any side in the Premiership is a step up from Italian rugby, in quality of the league and I would imagine cash too. This is why the best players in the Pro whatever move from there to English or French leagues.

On the money, yes, more than likely. But I think most sensible people might question why a hand-on-heart Italian moves from a good set-up where his club can make the play-offs, to someone who has just been promoted and could go back down (unless you're ringfenced now?). That's what I had in mind.
Whenever I've seen Falcons they've been a good team tbh, they show up in the european competitions too so I wasn't knocking them in that regard.

The Italian clubs, especially Benetton are more competitive now but I'm wondering if they'll start to go backwards and go back to 'Italian Rugby'.  

It's good to see Benneton making progress but players are always looking at their career lifespan. You've got a guy who's 29 and who has only played in Italy, he's got 31 caps for the national team. If he ever wants to take a chance outside of Italy it is now because another two year deal and he's 31 and his options then will be a lot more limited. Covid has created all sorts of problems for players globally. He'll be acutely aware of his being a good chance to increase his bank balance and experience life outside of Italy, he doesn't take it and it might not be there again. If he does have a couple of good years at Newcastle then he'll have opportunities to see out his career there with another two year deal or move to France or maybe Japan. 

You can romanticise national pride all you like but that isn't going to create him a future post rugby. I don't know much about him but not many rugby players in the modern era have a professional to fall back to. He's not ruling himself out of international rugby and it should create the opportunity for Benneton to promote someone else from the Italian league system below the two Pro14 clubs.

Seb de Chaves and Ross Neal both return to LI on short term deals until the end of the season.

Money and the chance to prove himself in a stronger league, there's not much more to it I would imagine.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Money and the chance to prove himself in a stronger league, there's not much more to it I would imagine.

Both points are debatable, and on the whole not that simple. Falcons don't strike me as one of the English clubs with bags of money, but may have been able to offer him more than Benetton could. If the league was as strong as some with the 'inferiority complex' think, the majority of your teams wouldn't get turned over by the Pro14 types so often. Looking at both leagues, it's just Leinster and Saracens who are way ahead of the rest. Exeter seem to be catching up, whilst I expect Munster and Scarlets will catch back up next season.

Dont forget Mikey, the toons a canny place to live like

mikey_dragon wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Money and the chance to prove himself in a stronger league, there's not much more to it I would imagine.

Both points are debatable, and on the whole not that simple. Falcons don't strike me as one of the English clubs with bags of money, but may have been able to offer him more than Benetton could. If the league was as strong as some with the 'inferiority complex' think, the majority of your teams wouldn't get turned over by the Pro14 types so often. Looking at both leagues, it's just Leinster and Saracens who are way ahead of the rest. Exeter seem to be catching up, whilst I expect Munster and Scarlets will catch back up next season.

Falcons pay decent wages, around the 300k mark for their better earners.

You're confusing sides with the league. No doubt that Pro14 have great sides but the league in general is pretty poor with many top players rested. Week to week I find the Pro14 pretty hard watching tbh.....anyway that's a whole different debate!

If ring fencing comes in here Sgt...it might go the same way...

GeordieFalcon wrote:Dont forget Mikey, the toons a canny place to live like

Never been, but always hear good things!

Sgt_Pooly wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Money and the chance to prove himself in a stronger league, there's not much more to it I would imagine.

Both points are debatable, and on the whole not that simple. Falcons don't strike me as one of the English clubs with bags of money, but may have been able to offer him more than Benetton could. If the league was as strong as some with the 'inferiority complex' think, the majority of your teams wouldn't get turned over by the Pro14 types so often. Looking at both leagues, it's just Leinster and Saracens who are way ahead of the rest. Exeter seem to be catching up, whilst I expect Munster and Scarlets will catch back up next season.

Falcons pay decent wages, around the 300k mark for their better earners.

You're confusing sides with the league. No doubt that Pro14 have great sides but the league in general is pretty poor with many top players rested. Week to week I find the Pro14 pretty hard watching tbh.....anyway that's a whole different debate!

Falcons have money then, just not as much as Bristol I guess...

I would disagree that the league is poor. The officiating is definitely some of the worst I've seen if you want to go down that route... The teams in the Pro14 have more internationals and have built more depth over the last few years - Cockerill for example has done a fantastic job with Edinburgh who have a strong squad. Even Benetton have a strong squad on the whole. Leinster have two matchday teams, mostly Irishmen, that beat everyone. I'd say it's some of the Welsh teams, the Kings and Zebre who can make the league seem poor at times. Hopefully that improves with the Welsh teams improving their coaching staff and playing squad.

Players need rest anyway and we aren't the only ones to do it. A global season could help...

mikey_dragon wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:Dont forget Mikey, the toons a canny place to live like

Never been, but always hear good things!

There's some very nice coastline north of the city. Beer and food are cheaper for the same quality as you get down south (beer is better). Well worth visiting. Newcastle night out is apparently a right laugh though I didn't get a chance to fit one of those in.

Not sure I'd pick it over Italy though, especially Treviso which is within reach of the mountains and Venice but there you go.

Tynemouth is a hell of a town. Spent a few weekends there when my ex lived in Durham. Riley's Fish Shack is a brilliant meal.

In Newcastle you've got Trakol and Cookhouse which served up some of my favourite meals in the UK over the last year. Sushi me rollin' serves up some incredible food that defies the name as well. Cracking city with a growing restaurant/indy bar/craft beer (*) scene as well as the well renowned night life.

* I know that wee artisanal cocktail bars and craft brewers get a bad rep and fairly so as when they are bad they are ******* awful and painfully pretentious. When they are good they can be banging fun though and Newcastle has a growing number of good'uns.

Partying at places like Liverpool and Newcastle are definitely on my list... but to be honest, I'm not that type of guy any more. I'm 31 but three beers and a late night and I spend the rest of my weekend napping . So no rush. Maybe I'll go somewhere with hot sun first, before ending up back in the sunny yet very cold Canada this October.

king_carlos wrote:* I know that wee artisanal cocktail bars and craft brewers get a bad rep and fairly so as when they are bad they are ******* awful and painfully pretentious. When they are good they can be banging fun though and Newcastle has a growing number of good'uns.

Americans and Canadians love that crap. So much so they come here and bi/tch when they can't source any. It's like they're completely oblivious to Peroni on tap. I'm not a big fan of craft beer personally but it's more of a thing over their side of the world. Calgary had a few good'uns and the locals love to back local businesses. When you're over there you just tend to try and find the ones that taste like a big brand from back home...

mikey_dragon wrote:

king_carlos wrote:* I know that wee artisanal cocktail bars and craft brewers get a bad rep and fairly so as when they are bad they are ******* awful and painfully pretentious. When they are good they can be banging fun though and Newcastle has a growing number of good'uns.

Americans and Canadians love that crap. So much so they come here and bi/tch when they can't source any. It's like they're completely oblivious to Peroni on tap. I'm not a big fan of craft beer personally but it's more of a thing over their side of the world. Calgary had a few good'uns and the locals love to back local businesses. When you're over there you just tend to try and find the ones that taste like a big brand from back home...

Its a few years since I was in the states but the normal beer was uniformly awful, outside of the Mexican stuff. So it tended to be microbreweries or nothing. As for those micro breweries some were good some were average.

mikey_dragon wrote:

king_carlos wrote:* I know that wee artisanal cocktail bars and craft brewers get a bad rep and fairly so as when they are bad they are ******* awful and painfully pretentious. When they are good they can be banging fun though and Newcastle has a growing number of good'uns.

Americans and Canadians love that crap. So much so they come here and bi/tch when they can't source any. It's like they're completely oblivious to Peroni on tap. I'm not a big fan of craft beer personally but it's more of a thing over their side of the world. Calgary had a few good'uns and the locals love to back local businesses. When you're over there you just tend to try and find the ones that taste like a big brand from back home...

Peroni on tap?!? The Italians didn't drink that overpriced cack when I was in Italy, they drank Furst or Moretti. I certainly wouldn't touch the stuff here (£4+ for foul larger, if you're going to be overcharged for larger at least make it Czech). There's some fantastic breweries in this country (Northern Monk, Cloudwater, Arbor etc) and more microbreweries open every year. Got to say I've noticed being more of a thing in more places, it's always been a thing of you go down to places like Cornwall but these days increasingly you find more local beers in pubs. Almost like going back before big breweries owned every pub in the country.

This evening alone I had a beers from Barney's, Campbell's, Pilot and Tempest. All brewers in and around Edinburgh, all fantastic.

The Barney's beer was a Sherbet Sour. Banging. I'll take that with food over a glass of wine any day. Refreshing and complements most food well. For those who hear sour beer and think, disgusting, give it a try with your next roast instead of a glass of red.

Before people think I've got a touch of a problem with the beers there, I'd say trying out these types of brewers has led to me having a better relationship with booze. In the past I'd drink the cheapest lager going, drink heinous amounts of it and often be a miserable bugger by account of it. These days I'll spend a bit more on something decent, drink in moderation and my mental health has improved immeasurably by account. For anyone who's in that cycle of drinking too much by habit due to the stress of lockdown I'd advise spending a bit more on something local instead. Definitely helped me and much more realistic for some of us than trying to go cold turkey - which of course works brilliantly for many.

king_carlos wrote:Tynemouth is a hell of a town. Spent a few weekends there when my ex lived in Durham. Riley's Fish Shack is a brilliant meal.

In Newcastle you've got Trakol and Cookhouse which served up some of my favourite meals in the UK over the last year. Sushi me rollin' serves up some incredible food that defies the name as well. Cracking city with a growing restaurant/indy bar/craft beer (*) scene as well as the well renowned night life.

* I know that wee artisanal cocktail bars and craft brewers get a bad rep and fairly so as when they are bad they are ******* awful and painfully pretentious. When they are good they can be banging fun though and Newcastle has a growing number of good'uns.

I have lived in Tynemouth for 30 years mate (give or take the odd year working away)...great place.

Carl Hayman was a regular presence here as the beach is amazing for surfing...we often have the UK championships here now.

We dont have the weather of Italy...but you have everything you want.

Newcastle is a small compact city, with all the amenities you could think of. 20 mins drive is the coast, and 20 mins drive is the amazing Northumberland country.
You have an international airport and major train station.

A great nightlife and the girls wear nowt even in the winter...

I still think if the falcons stadium was a little more central it would attract more supporters...being out of the city, it can be a bit of a trek.

king_carlos wrote:This evening alone I had a beers from Barney's, Campbell's, Pilot and Tempest. All brewers in and around Edinburgh, all fantastic.

The Barney's beer was a Sherbet Sour. Banging. I'll take that with food over a glass of wine any day. Refreshing and complements most food well. For those who hear sour beer and think, disgusting, give it a try with your next roast instead of a glass of red.

Before people think I've got a touch of a problem with the beers there, I'd say trying out these types of brewers has led to me having a better relationship with booze. In the past I'd drink the cheapest lager going, drink heinous amounts of it and often be a miserable bugger by account of it. These days I'll spend a bit more on something decent, drink in moderation and my mental health has improved immeasurably by account. For anyone who's in that cycle of drinking too much by habit due to the stress of lockdown I'd advise spending a bit more on something local instead. Definitely helped me and much more realistic for some of us than trying to go cold turkey - which of course works brilliantly for many.

Similar story here actually. Not that I can drink large amounts anymore given a mixture of work and family (a toddler that wakes up every night is not something that mixes well with more than 3 pints if you want to feel human the next day). 

I like the more fruity sour beers, the traditional Belgian style gueuze or the super spur saisons are a bit much. In sunny weather like we have at the minute they are very refreshing. Personal preference is still towards a dark beer, who needs desert when you can have an imperial stout to sip away at. Every bit as interesting as drinking a deep complex red (costs about the same though).

GeordieFalcon wrote:
A great nightlife and the girls wear nowt even in the winter...

Ain't that the truth. Used to trek up from Teesdale to Newcastle (or Gateshead for a posh night in the Princess), and the short skirts, micro tops and purple leg blotch were a sight to behold.

Seems though that, nowadays, on Saturdays half of the city gets on the Intercity down to York for a "posh" night.

Or up to Edinburgh LT.. thats a popular route these days

formerly known as Sam wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:

king_carlos wrote:* I know that wee artisanal cocktail bars and craft brewers get a bad rep and fairly so as when they are bad they are ******* awful and painfully pretentious. When they are good they can be banging fun though and Newcastle has a growing number of good'uns.

Americans and Canadians love that crap. So much so they come here and bi/tch when they can't source any. It's like they're completely oblivious to Peroni on tap. I'm not a big fan of craft beer personally but it's more of a thing over their side of the world. Calgary had a few good'uns and the locals love to back local businesses. When you're over there you just tend to try and find the ones that taste like a big brand from back home...

Peroni on tap?!? The Italians didn't drink that overpriced cack when I was in Italy, they drank Furst or Moretti. I certainly wouldn't touch the stuff here (£4+ for foul larger, if you're going to be overcharged for larger at least make it Czech). There's some fantastic breweries in this country (Northern Monk, Cloudwater, Arbor etc) and more microbreweries open every year. Got to say I've noticed being more of a thing in more places, it's always been a thing of you go down to places like Cornwall but these days increasingly you find more local beers in pubs. Almost like going back before big breweries owned every pub in the country.

The hoops a pub or whatever have to jump through, just for peroni to be allowed to be put on tap is madness anyway,

Newcastle is definitely the best weekend I have had in the UK. Liverpool wasn't bad either, though I had the missus for that. I want to go to York and Doncaster for a beer asap, with some of my mates.

If you're in Yorkshire then Leeds and Sheffield are both great nights out. Big cities with a town like vibe.

Probably will do Leeds, at some point. Have never really thought of Sheffield, as I don't really nobody from there.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Or up to Edinburgh LT.. thats a popular route these days

Popular route both ways I'd say. Geordies heading up and Edinburggers heading down. I regularly got the train down to Durham and back to Edinburgh until recently. Going down to Durham you're getting off one stop after Newcastle. Coming back you're getting on one stop before Newcastle. The drop/rise in decibels when the night out parties got off/on at Newcastle was quite something!

After Melrose Sevens I once got a minibus down to Newcastle as a 72-year old retired rugby player from the Borders wanted a night out in the town he studied at for Uni. We worked out coming back to Edinburgh the next day that of the 12 guys/gals on that wee journey there was 8 different nationalities, players from 6 different rugby clubs and a largest age difference of 53 years.

Just very merry at the end of a days rugby and a bloke we'd just met fancied a night out. Another bloke knew a cab company that had just had a last minute cancellation for a minibus back up to Edinburgh. The stars aligned. We ended up in Flares. Cracking fun.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:

king_carlos wrote:* I know that wee artisanal cocktail bars and craft brewers get a bad rep and fairly so as when they are bad they are ******* awful and painfully pretentious. When they are good they can be banging fun though and Newcastle has a growing number of good'uns.

Americans and Canadians love that crap. So much so they come here and bi/tch when they can't source any. It's like they're completely oblivious to Peroni on tap. I'm not a big fan of craft beer personally but it's more of a thing over their side of the world. Calgary had a few good'uns and the locals love to back local businesses. When you're over there you just tend to try and find the ones that taste like a big brand from back home...

Peroni on tap?!? The Italians didn't drink that overpriced cack when I was in Italy, they drank Furst or Moretti. I certainly wouldn't touch the stuff here (£4+ for foul larger, if you're going to be overcharged for larger at least make it Czech). There's some fantastic breweries in this country (Northern Monk, Cloudwater, Arbor etc) and more microbreweries open every year. Got to say I've noticed being more of a thing in more places, it's always been a thing of you go down to places like Cornwall but these days increasingly you find more local beers in pubs. Almost like going back before big breweries owned every pub in the country.

Never been to Italy, sadly, but whenever I go to an Italian restaurant here they usually have Peroni on tap and it's good - probably one of those beers that needs to be at the right temperature for you to enjoy - unlike Carling which tastes like crap warm or cold. I like Birra Moretti too, but not seen that on tap anywhere. Always thought Cornwall was more of a cider place, or is that just the west country? I'm always happy to support local breweries, but there's one in Newport (Tiny Rebel) and I really don't enjoy any of their stuff so will continue to avoid.

formerly known as Sam wrote:If you're in Yorkshire then Leeds and Sheffield are both great nights out. Big cities with a town like vibe.

Leeds was alright but I probably needed to spend more than one night there to get the best out of it.

mikey_dragon wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:

king_carlos wrote:* I know that wee artisanal cocktail bars and craft brewers get a bad rep and fairly so as when they are bad they are ******* awful and painfully pretentious. When they are good they can be banging fun though and Newcastle has a growing number of good'uns.

Americans and Canadians love that crap. So much so they come here and bi/tch when they can't source any. It's like they're completely oblivious to Peroni on tap. I'm not a big fan of craft beer personally but it's more of a thing over their side of the world. Calgary had a few good'uns and the locals love to back local businesses. When you're over there you just tend to try and find the ones that taste like a big brand from back home...

Peroni on tap?!? The Italians didn't drink that overpriced cack when I was in Italy, they drank Furst or Moretti. I certainly wouldn't touch the stuff here (£4+ for foul larger, if you're going to be overcharged for larger at least make it Czech). There's some fantastic breweries in this country (Northern Monk, Cloudwater, Arbor etc) and more microbreweries open every year. Got to say I've noticed being more of a thing in more places, it's always been a thing of you go down to places like Cornwall but these days increasingly you find more local beers in pubs. Almost like going back before big breweries owned every pub in the country.

Never been to Italy, sadly, but whenever I go to an Italian restaurant here they usually have Peroni on tap and it's good - probably one of those beers that needs to be at the right temperature for you to enjoy - unlike Carling which tastes like crap warm or cold. I like Birra Moretti too, but not seen that on tap anywhere. Always thought Cornwall was more of a cider place, or is that just the west country? I'm always happy to support local breweries, but there's one in Newport (Tiny Rebel) and I really don't enjoy any of their stuff so will continue to avoid.

Tiny Rebel do have a very distinctive taste. Can be a bit marmite as a brewery. I don't mind them but they tend to be a bit overrated.

Peroni seems to being replaced by Moretti on tap round here. When I was in Italy it was First, Moretti and Peroni on tap. The locals generally drank Furst which I enjoyed most of the three unfortunately they don't export it.

Cider is West Country, you still get some cider in Cornwall and Devon but there's some good traditional real ale breweries down there as well. Tintagel is a good one to visit as they have a restaurant as part of their tap house with garden so the whole family can enjoy that one.

My missus is looking forward to doing the Healey’s tour when down Cornwall soon. She has seen something about Celtic fan taps outside, that she is looking forward to visiting. Can’t remember exactly what it is, but we get Celtic fan cyder on draught in my local, so she was excited by this tap thing she saw and having a good swill. Celtic fan used to be lethal, but probably not so much nowadays

RiscaGame wrote:My missus is looking forward to doing the Healey’s tour when down Cornwall soon. She has seen something about Celtic fan taps outside, that she is looking forward to visiting. Can’t remember exactly what it is, but we get Celtic fan cyder on draught in my local, so she was excited by this tap thing she saw and having a good swill. Celtic fan used to be lethal, but probably not so much nowadays

They spell cider as cyder. Be very wary.

I was wondering what the F Celtic fan was all about. I guess r attler has a filter on.

RiscaGame wrote:I was wondering what the F Celtic fan was all about. I guess r attler has a filter on.

Indeed it had. Guess r@ttler is a derogotary term.


Back to rugby news. Alex Goode signs an extended contract with Sarries to 2023, but will spend 2021 in Japan.

RiscaGame wrote:I was wondering what the F Celtic fan was all about. I guess r attler has a filter on.

Relating to Catholic Rosary Beads I believe. Used in areas of shall we say unrest by Protestants to describe Catholics.

LondonTiger wrote:

RiscaGame wrote:I was wondering what the F Celtic fan was all about. I guess r attler has a filter on.

Back to rugby news. Alex Goode signs an extended contract with Sarries to 2023, but will spend 2021 in Japan.

Saracens will have a strong side for their return to the prem.

They've released quite a few, all their remaining top players will be rested aside from some tough England tests to keep them on the ball....and all their new upcoming academy stars will have been toughend up in the Championship.

Win win.

GeordieFalcon wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:

RiscaGame wrote:I was wondering what the F Celtic fan was all about. I guess r attler has a filter on.

Back to rugby news. Alex Goode signs an extended contract with Sarries to 2023, but will spend 2021 in Japan.

Saracens will have a strong side for their return to the prem.

They've released quite a few, all their remaining top players will be rested aside from some tough England tests to keep them on the ball....and all their new upcoming academy stars will have been toughend up in the Championship.

Win win.

I suspect their big guns will drop in for a home game for two just to help hand out some proper kickings. Teams like Ealing and anybody else who fancies a tilt at the title. You only need to drop one or two in at a time to make a sizeable difference. Doubt the England contingent will play more than five Championship games and players like Koch not much more than that.

Even without the big guns there's still a squad of something like;

Barrington, Woolstencroft, Clarey
Kpoku, Hunter-Hill
Venter, Wray, Reffell
Davies, Vunipola
Socino, Sloan
Crossdale, Lewington, Maitland

Pifeleti, Adams-Hale, Mawi, Swinson, Rhodes, Whitely, Hooley, Taylor.

That'll batter Championship sides.

I wouldn’t be so sure with Aled at 9. You’re about to see the worst scrum half in the championship.