SILLY SEASON TRANSFER RUMOURS 20/21

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GeordieFalcon wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:I think Schoeman has been injured for nearly all his time at Bath. Can play 10 and 15 though.

Chiefs look set to sign Leinster second row Dunne a 6ft8 122kg 21 year old for next season. Hasn't played this season yet due to an ankle injury. Replacement for one of the outgoing internationals it seems.

Just what we need!

At least your youngsters will get lots of game time.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Folio I assumed it would be Ospreys or Dragons. Ospreys makes sense given Myler is really not getting any younger.

If Bristol need to cut costs then you'd assume the WRU will be willing to help and look to bring Sheedy and Ioan Lloyd over the bridge and back to Wales. Which Welsh region needs a flyhalf most.

I don’t know but the most likely destination for Walsh would be Ospreys. Nobody else needs a fly-half really, but any of them would accept Sheedy or Lloyd, would love for Dragons to get Lloyd. Anscombe shouldn’t be in Wales contention but seems to be another favourite.

Perhaps Scarlets are looking at Dan Thomas now, James Davies has been forced to retire.

mikey_dragon wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:Folio I assumed it would be Ospreys or Dragons. Ospreys makes sense given Myler is really not getting any younger.

If Bristol need to cut costs then you'd assume the WRU will be willing to help and look to bring Sheedy and Ioan Lloyd over the bridge and back to Wales. Which Welsh region needs a flyhalf most.

I don’t know but the most likely destination for Walsh would be Ospreys. Nobody else needs a fly-half really, but any of them would accept Sheedy or Lloyd, would love for Dragons to get Lloyd. Anscombe shouldn’t be in Wales contention but seems to be another favourite.

Perhaps Scarlets are looking at Dan Thomas now, James Davies has been forced to retire.

Good they can focus on him and forget all about Tommy Reffell.

Whoever is cheapest. Reffell will probably be capped by England anyway…

mikey_dragon wrote:Whoever is cheapest. Reffell will probably be capped by England anyway…

I doubt it, he's a proud Welshman and there's rumours he's turned down the chance to be an apprentice in the England squad before now. Would certainly be better for Tigers if he were to be capped by England and remain EQ.

The rugby paper is saying will Haydon Wood has signed for Wasps....all completed

This better not be true.

GeordieFalcon wrote:The rugby paper is saying will Haydon Wood has signed for Wasps....all completed

This better not be true.  

Be a weird move for both clubs to be honest. Wasps have three flyhalfs under the age of 25 currently. Umaga, Atkinson and Matthews. Not sure in the contract situation with Matthews but he was playing Championship rugby at the start of the season do is probably quite cheap. Why sign another young flyhalf? Haydon-Wood is rotating first choice for Falcons so you'd assume any deal Falcons will have offered him will have been representative of that, he won't be a cheap signing that is only a flyhalf. Unless one of Umaga and Atkinson off it's an odd use of cap by Wasps and potentially a move to less game time for Haydon-Wood.

One of those Wasps flyhalfs must be off, I'd be very surprised if this was the Gopperth replacement.

Well if its true or not...its causing a lot of frustration up here. We finally have a real gem starting to come through and he's possibly off??

And Connon who funnily enough is finally starting to show signs of consistency is out of contract in the summer aswell....

These are out of contracts in the summer....barely a thing heard....its a potential horror story....

Hookers
Robbie Smith 2022
George McGuigan 2022

Props
Adam Brocklebank 2022
Kyle Cooper 2022
Trevor Davison- 2023 but rumoured to be off to Wuss

Locks
Marco Fuser 2022

Back Row
Josh Basham 2022
Connor Collett 2022
Rob Farrar 2022
Philip van der Walt 2022
Mark Wilson 2023 - retired

Scrum Halves
Louis Schreuder 2022 - confirmed to Bath

Fly Halves
Brett Connon 2022
Toby Flood 2022 - Uni and coaching
Will Haydon-Wood academy rumoured to Wasps
Joel Hodgson 2022

Centres
Matias Orlando 2022
Luther Burrell 2022

Wingers
Mateo Carreras 2022
Morgan Passman (A) rumoured to have been released
Iwan Stephens (A) 2022

Full Back
Mike Brown 2023 - confirmed leaving
Tom Penny 2022
Alex Tait 2022

That's a lot of players, I suspect quite a few have already been renewed and there's going to be a big announcement day or two on the way soon.

Quite possibly..maybe at the upcoming Q&A night..

But if not it needs to be soon..as the fans aren't happy...

The majority of those are the youngsters we need to build the team around....

Good to have good news to announce before the Q&A night. Might help shift focus onto positive lines of questioning.

Munster's John Ryan is off to Wasps

At 33, his international ambitions are now closed. Have to ask a Munster fan what their view of his play is.

Rumours that Bath and Tigers are battling for Anthony Watson's signature.

De Klerk and Jager to leave Sale at end of season. De Klerk is off to Japan according to BBC website

Wuss have signed Argentian prop Santiago Medrano ...hopefully that puts to bed the Davison rumours.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Wuss have signed Argentian prop Santiago Medrano ...hopefully that puts to bed the Davison rumours.

They also signed an EQ Aussie lock from the Western Force Fergus Lee-Warner the other day as well. Maybe Diamond starting to put his stamp on the squad. The Western Force are probably hoping he sods off and does it somewhere else now.

Diamond will have a good "pull" attraction for players now. And if they have some money from the owner aswell...then they will become a decent side.

They do produce lots of good kids aswell...

Bath have finally confirmed a new two year contract for Joseph.
On the assumption he can remain injury free, his experience will be important, as he will be, (with Roko leaving) the old man in the backline at 30 with Bailey 20, Ojomoh 21, Redpath 22, De Glanville 22, Will Butt 22 and even big Joe C is only 24. That leaves Spencer, McConnochie and looks like Cipriani will stick around, as the other senior backs. Watson will be a loss if he leaves as he rarely plays badly when has made an appearance for Bath, which hasn't been much over the last few years admittedly.

Yeah it's the international games that tend to eat up Watson's rugby. Well bar this season when he's just been injured.

21/22 - 2 for Bath
20/21 - 22 total games but 12 for Bath
19/20 - 23, 12 for Bath
18/19 - 3 games all Bath
17/18 - 23, 16 for Bath
16/18 - 19, 14 for Bath
15/16 - 32, 17 for Bath

20 odd games sounds like a good return for some of those seasons until you realise so many are for England particularly in recent seasons.

"Northampton Saints can today confirm that Ahsee Tuala, Api Ratuniyarawa, Piers Francis and Taqele Naiyaravoro will depart the Club this summer."

I just heard, plus Harrison so Saints are going to have to do some recruiting this summer. Taqele especially is irreplaceable, just no one else like him about. Api as well to an extent, this season he has been awesome.

Ace and Piers I can understand, Ace struggles to get a game and Piers, well just always injured. 79 appearances is not a lot in 5 years.

Rumour is Ratuniyarawa is on the way to Irish ...

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:I just heard, plus Harrison so Saints are going to have to do some recruiting this summer. Taqele especially is irreplaceable, just no one else like him about. Api as well to an extent, this season he has been awesome.

Ace and Piers I can understand, Ace struggles to get a game and Piers, well just always injured. 79 appearances is not a lot in 5 years.

Take a thirty minute drive north and you'll find a slightly bigger and more skillful version. Glasgow have got a massive Tongan winger that can't seem to break into the side. They are rare beasts and never short on options when it comes to employers. Saints aren't short on back three options, they seem to be churning them out the academy with Hendy now likely to want game time as well.

Probably similar with Francis going and being replaced internally by Lichfield and Grayson the even younger.

Well same again for Api and then various locks Saints have with Ribbans, Moon, Coles and Lawes plus the new lock/6 from Australia.

Might free up some cash for a high end Harrison replacement.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:I just heard, plus Harrison so Saints are going to have to do some recruiting this summer. Taqele especially is irreplaceable, just no one else like him about. Api as well to an extent, this season he has been awesome.

Ace and Piers I can understand, Ace struggles to get a game and Piers, well just always injured. 79 appearances is not a lot in 5 years.

Take a thirty minute drive north and you'll find a slightly bigger and more skillful version. Glasgow have got a massive Tongan winger that can't seem to break into the side. They are rare beasts and never short on options when it comes to employers. Saints aren't short on back three options, they seem to be churning them out the academy with Hendy now likely to want game time as well.

Probably similar with Francis going and being replaced internally by Lichfield and Grayson the even younger.

Well same again for Api and then various locks Saints have with Ribbans, Moon, Coles and Lawes plus the new lock/6 from Australia.

Might free up some cash for a high end Harrison replacement.

Sam, I should have said "about and available". I assume you referring to Nadolo, give you the skills bit, but I don't think he is bigger, Naiyaravoro is down as 135kg. He has actually got some silky skills especially offloading, but probably does rely on power a bit much.

Saints have plenty of lock options but none like Api, similar to England a lot of very good athletic locks, but no big lumps. Nansen is the nearest but again a hybrid, they could possibly convert Willemsen at 128kg he fits the size requirement, but is a backrow and not even a hybrid. I don't think Lawes can be considered a lock any more, he has dropped too much weight, he can drop in in a emergency as he showed for England, but he is an out and out 6 these days.

Backs, as you say coming through in profusion, another one to watch is Gillespie, Aussie born, but English bred, another product of Millfield. lightening quick in the same sort of style as Collins, but a bit bigger.

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:I just heard, plus Harrison so Saints are going to have to do some recruiting this summer. Taqele especially is irreplaceable, just no one else like him about. Api as well to an extent, this season he has been awesome.

Ace and Piers I can understand, Ace struggles to get a game and Piers, well just always injured. 79 appearances is not a lot in 5 years.

Take a thirty minute drive north and you'll find a slightly bigger and more skillful version. Glasgow have got a massive Tongan winger that can't seem to break into the side. They are rare beasts and never short on options when it comes to employers. Saints aren't short on back three options, they seem to be churning them out the academy with Hendy now likely to want game time as well.

Probably similar with Francis going and being replaced internally by Lichfield and Grayson the even younger.

Well same again for Api and then various locks Saints have with Ribbans, Moon, Coles and Lawes plus the new lock/6 from Australia.

Might free up some cash for a high end Harrison replacement.

Sam, I should have said "about and available". I assume you  referring to Nadolo, give you the skills bit, but I don't think he is bigger, Naiyaravoro is down as 135kg. He has actually got some silky skills especially offloading, but probably does rely on power a bit much.

Saints have plenty of lock options but none like Api, similar to England a lot of very good athletic locks, but no big lumps. Nansen is the nearest but again a hybrid, they could possibly convert Willemsen at 128kg he fits the size requirement, but is a backrow and not even a hybrid. I don't think Lawes can be considered a lock any more, he has dropped too much weight, he can drop in in a emergency as he showed for England, but he is an out and out 6 these days.

Backs, as you say coming through in profusion, another one to watch is Gillespie, Aussie born, but English bred, another product of Millfield. lightening quick in the same sort of style as Collins, but a bit bigger.

Yeah the Nadolo bit was tongue in cheek. Hard to find players that destructive. Well that don't get given huge contracts to play in France or stay in NZ.

Moon, Ribbans and Cole I wouldn't have down as small locks. They must all be well over 18 stone and heading towards 19 stone if not 19 stone or more. Lawes will probably stay at 6 but you could easily move into the row in case of injury, he looked good there after the Ewels red card for England.

Sean O'Brien retiring at the end of the season. What a player he is/was despite the numerous injuries.

At his peak O'Brien really was fantastic. A bull of a carrier, great over the ball, good handling skills. A very rounded, world class back row.

Saints are signing Angus Scott-Young from Queensland Reds for next year, another 6'4" back row forward (how many do we need). Also EQ as is Willemsen.

From the Falcons.....just Rumours

Will Haydon Wood to Wasps
Joel Hodgson released
Montgomery to Ealing
Fuser away...destination unknown

Rumoured to be a few more also....

And rumours Michael Youngs contract not renewed....probably due to injury...

GeordieFalcon wrote:And rumours Michael Youngs contract not renewed....probably due to injury...

Wiki has him at only 33 somehow. I thought he closer to 40 for some reason. If him and Shreuder are both off then Falcons will have to be shopping for scrum halfs this summer.

The Grayson in rumour gets more weight if Haydon-Wood is off as well.

Yeah he's still only around 33 Sam.

Still rumours of course but the WHW seems more solid now.

I'm not sure we'll be going for a few 9s. We have Stuart as the old head, and Kelemeti who has played alot this season...and James Blackett who's a great young 9 coming through.

I have a suspicion that with the financial issues and no relegation we've just said sod it...go with this kids and the few older guys we have. Fearns, Robinson, Peterson, Chick, Davison, McGuigan etc etc...

I'm still not sure on the Grayson link...its one to watch...

Will haydon Wood Confirmed to Wasps.

Bad news that for us.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Will haydon Wood Confirmed to Wasps.

Bad news that for us.

Unbelievable.

We've lost two of the most exciting back we've produced in years over the last couple of seasons, and they have barely played a game for us.

Really deflating.

But Freddie Lockwood has signed a new deal and promoted to the Full Squad now. That's good news.

I'm over Josh Hodge...think Iwan Stephens can be much better.

Carreras re-signing is good news for Falcons. Very talented winger there.

Various Tigers rumours I heard over the weekend seeing family and friends in Leicestershire:

In
Phil Cokanasiga (heard it's a done deal and very happy with that one)
Olly Cracknell (again have heard this is done, we need some affordable back row depth and he fits the bill)
Anthony Watson (I variously heard this was nearly done, then dead in the water, now Fissler says it's done which probably means he'll re-sign with Bath this week )

Outs
Nadolo (due to family reasons rumours he may head back to Oz a year early)
Moroni (Tigers got him at a steal after Jags folded, hopefully can keep him but he'll be due a big raise)
Wigglesworth (WW has confirmed he'll be here next year but unsure whether in a playing or coaching capacity)
Taute (I wouldn't be surprised if Jaco retires and immediately joins the coaching staff)
Juan Pablo Socino (good player but barely played due to midfield strength)

On top of those Kobus van Wyk has been released already and Jimmy Gopperth was confirmed as coming to Tigers by Blackett but yet to be announced by Leicester.

Nadolo would be a massive loss. He has weaknesses in defence these days but in attack he still does things few others can.

Moroni is a fantastic 13 but keeping Kelly, Moroni, Porter and Scott in the same squad and all happy will be tough. Heart really hopes he stays. Head says he'll probably have too good an offer from a Top 14 club.

The important transfer in we are waiting on is a replacement for Genge. James Whitcombe is very talented at LH and deservedly second choice already on merit but we could do with an experienced signing there to help Whitcombe come through. A like for like replacement for Genge offers in a Tigers shirt is realistically unlikely. Some murmurs about James Cronin joining from Biarritz but nothing more than that yet.

king_carlos wrote:Carreras re-signing is good news for Falcons. Very talented winger there.

We're in good shape with Carerras, Stephens, Stevenson and Radwan...but pointless if we continue with our inept attack...

I am sure I read something about Deano moving to another role in Falcons.....havent been able to find it again though!

Yeah he is...probably up to Director level.

Easter off, Mark Wilson looking like taking over that spot (defence coach)

But Walder is the one who needs to up his game...Head Coach and Attack coach,.

king_carlos wrote:Various Tigers rumours I heard over the weekend seeing family and friends in Leicestershire:

In
Phil Cokanasiga (heard it's a done deal and very happy with that one)
Olly Cracknell (again have heard this is done, we need some affordable back row depth and he fits the bill)
Anthony Watson (I variously heard this was nearly done, then dead in the water, now Fissler says it's done which probably means he'll re-sign with Bath this week   )

Outs
Nadolo (due to family reasons rumours he may head back to Oz a year early)
Moroni (Tigers got him at a steal after Jags folded, hopefully can keep him but he'll be due a big raise)
Wigglesworth (WW has confirmed he'll be here next year but unsure whether in a playing or coaching capacity)
Taute (I wouldn't be surprised if Jaco retires and immediately joins the coaching staff)
Juan Pablo Socino (good player but barely played due to midfield strength)

On top of those Kobus van Wyk has been released already and Jimmy Gopperth was confirmed as coming to Tigers by Blackett but yet to be announced by Leicester.

Nadolo would be a massive loss. He has weaknesses in defence these days but in attack he still does things few others can.

Moroni is a fantastic 13 but keeping Kelly, Moroni, Porter and Scott in the same squad and all happy will be tough. Heart really hopes he stays. Head says he'll probably have too good an offer from a Top 14 club.

The important transfer in we are waiting on is a replacement for Genge. James Whitcombe is very talented at LH and deservedly second choice already on merit but we could do with an experienced signing there to help Whitcombe come through. A like for like replacement for Genge offers in a Tigers shirt is realistically unlikely. Some murmurs about James Cronin joining from Biarritz but nothing more than that yet.

Cronin rumour is based around an Irish player on the offy and Biarritz looking likely to go down. Relegation release option presumably.

Moroni has said he's happy at Tigers and wants to stay but Scott was in a similar position, they both signed on below market rate deals having been left high and dry. Scott has been renewed, presumably because he won't be away from internationals, Moroni may well be off to France or Japan for substantially more cash. Given Kelly, Cockanasiga, Scott, Porter and Gopperth look likely to be under contract, Pollard can cover there and we have England age grade centres with Cusick, Woodward and Loose coming through. The last three should be good for the PRC games next season.

Agree on Nadolo, he's such a unique player. Even amongst monster wingers very few have his kicking or offloading skills. Hopefully he passes on as much as he can to Saumaki who's certainly got the finishing skills. Hopefully we can keep hold of Nemani for one more year, then maybe bring the Cockanasiga family together in Leicestershire.

Times also now going with Richards' time as DoR being numbered, so looks pretty nailed on

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/dean-richards-to-end-his-ten-year-reign-as-newcastle-falcons-director-of-rugby-2ppn69cnz

If Walder steps up as DOR and Richards steps up to board level how much will actually change? The men in charge of the side at present will still be in roles of responsibility. Feels like a missed opportunity.

Hard to know how much of the 'Walder favourite to replace him' is just him being next in line in the setup and how much is any inside information.

I think a younger (probably external) coach would be the way to go for them, but you're always rolling the dice a bit on that front. Certainly worked for Gloucester so far with Skivington.

Could try and poach someone like Vesty away from Saints.

Margin_Walker wrote:Hard to know how much of the 'Walder favourite to replace him' is just him being next in line in the setup and how much is any inside information.

I think a younger (probably external) coach would be the way to go for them, but you're always rolling the dice a bit on that front. Certainly worked for Gloucester so far with Skivington.

Could try and poach someone like Vesty away from Saints.

Vesty would be a great shout but he's being promoted to head coach for next season at Saints. Skivington at Glaws and Borthwick at Tigers have both born fruit. Sanderson at Sale well we'll see.

There's a few up and coming coaches they could take a punt on that wouldn't cost the earth. Louis Deacon has worked at Coventry, England under 20s and now England Women, seems a good forwards coach who could be ready to step up. 

Kevin Sorrell at Sarries guided a lot of their leading lights in the backline through their academy and then moved on to attack coach and gave Sarries a clever kicking and ruthless attacking strategy. Nearly 10 years in his current role might be tempted away for a promotion to the top job. 

Could perhaps look to bring Gustard back from his vacation in Italy for another shot at the top job. 

Steve Boden at Donny might be a consideration, even if it's as head coach under Walder as DOR. He's moved Doncaster on a bit since taking their top job.

I could see Gustard being quite a good fit for Newcastle - he did a lot of good things at Quins but ultimately fell down in trying to impose too much on the players that didn't fit the culture of the club. He'll have learned from that - but Falcons are also probably better suited to his quite structured style than Quins ever were.

Just keep your mitts off Evans, Jones and Flannery.

I really hope we don't get Gustard.

Walder is highly regarded in coaching circles so it will be interesting to see what he can do with full control. Who knows how much Deano holds him back?

I get the feeling there's something not quite right at Falcons this season though.

I don't get why people - including Quins fans - have such a downer on Gustard. Most of the Quins players have said on record that they liked him as a coach and a person (Mike Brown being the big exception - but Brown had a wider issue with how Quins handled his negotiations and departure), and his recruitment and the basics of his coaching were both good.

The big issue was that he tried to impose a style on the squad he had that didn't suit them or give them enough accountability - but that's a classic first time DoR issue and you'd hope that he'd learned from it. I genuinely believe he will be a very good DoR one day - just not for Quins.

The big issue for me is who has been dictating the type of rugby, the inept attack, the woeful defence (although that is being address) and how shocking the lineout has become.

Is it Dean or Head Coach Walder.

If its Dean and Dave has a more modern approach to the game then ill welcome it, if Dave Walder is the architect of what we see on the pitch, then major red flags come up.

When you have players like Tom Penny, Adam Radwan, Mateo Carreras, Iwan Stephens, Ben Stevenson...etc its criminal to watch how awful our attack is.

i see Luther Burrell has just tweeted, not long left in the toon now...so hes pretty much confirmed as going. Not a huge miss either really...been injured alot.

Poorfour wrote:I don't get why people - including Quins fans - have such a downer on Gustard. Most of the Quins players have said on record that they liked him as a coach and a person (Mike Brown being the big exception - but Brown had a wider issue with how Quins handled his negotiations and departure), and his recruitment and the basics of his coaching were both good.

The big issue was that he tried to impose a style on the squad he had that didn't suit them or give them enough accountability - but that's a classic first time DoR issue and you'd hope that he'd learned from it. I genuinely believe he will be a very good DoR one day - just not for Quins.

Sadly i can never forget him dummying me when i was playing RGS Newcastle and he was a prop forward! I never lived that one down...

Poorfour wrote:I don't get why people - including Quins fans - have such a downer on Gustard. Most of the Quins players have said on record that they liked him as a coach and a person (Mike Brown being the big exception - but Brown had a wider issue with how Quins handled his negotiations and departure), and his recruitment and the basics of his coaching were both good.

The big issue was that he tried to impose a style on the squad he had that didn't suit them or give them enough accountability - but that's a classic first time DoR issue and you'd hope that he'd learned from it. I genuinely believe he will be a very good DoR one day - just not for Quins.

I don't like the way he carried himself as a coach when with Quins and even less so after he left. I personally thought he looked out of his depth and came across as quite unlikable.

I'd prefer we stuck with Dean than took on Gustard.