Silly Season Transfer Rumours 23/24

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I need rumours.....and I need them now!

van der Merwe resigns for Edinburgh on a 2 year deal.......

Sam Underhill to La Rochelle in the summer doing the rounds....

Harry Simmonds retires at 27 following an eye injury sustained Vs Leinster in January. He played 9/wing/fullback for Tigers and is taking up a coaching role with the club.

Paula Latu from Southland to Dragons.

Will Spencer from Northampton to Ospreys.

Will Spencer is a good enforcer style lock if you can keep him fit. Big if. He's had a lot of injuries, poor bloke has no luck at all.

Marcus Smith re-signed to Quins until 2028 at the earliest.

Northampton, Bristol and Sale are apparently interested in signing Taine Basham, whose contract is up at the end of this season.

RiscaGame wrote:Northampton, Bristol and Sale are apparently interested in signing Taine Basham, whose contract is up at the end of this season.

He's below the 25 Wales caps he needs, should he wish to continue playing for Wales. But he's been overlooked a few times lately so maybe he's not bothered I'm sure he could earn a lot more away from the Dragons.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Will Spencer is a good enforcer style lock if you can keep him fit. Big if. He's had a lot of injuries, poor bloke has no luck at all.

Not ideal as he’s actually there as injury cover. McNally had been great for Cardiff so it could work.

Will Spencer and Josh McNally are two guys who I'd honestly forgotten were still playing. Good players in their day but with injuries they'd just drifted entirely off the radar for me.

A bit like Matt Kvesic or Biyi Alo surfacing in the PRC with Championship clubs in the last couple of seasons.

Or going back further, Richard Kahui reappearing with Western Force around COVID, even though he largely disappeared from the high profile game soon after the 2011 RWC win due to all his shoulder reconstructions.

I'd genuinely missed that Spencer was with Saints at all or that McNally hadn't retired after his injuries.

A shame that some get blighted by injury (Leon Brown springs to mind), it really does hamper their career. Ben Donnell has also been a good signing for Cardiff. It's usually our players going the other way, so on that, any spare props going? The Dragons need a few.

Not a transfer as such, but Felix Jones has been released by the RFU effective today.
So he's free to go..... Munster??? Lions??? Wales???? Who knows but I have a feeling it will be announced by someone soon

Toby Booth departs Ospreys with immediate effect, a bit sooner than planned. Mark Jones takes over. I would get rid of Gatland and put Booth as interim coach.

Fin Baxter and Henry Pollock staying put at their respective clubs. Good business all round.

Ollie Chessum confirmed as signing a new deal at Tigers yesterday, followed by Will Hurd today. Starting the re-signings with two local lads, supposed to be another signing Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this week. Hopefully JvP, OHC and Steward as they've all been rumoured to have agreed new deals.

Rumours Lancaster is looking at the Munster job as his spell in charge of Racing has been a disaster and it's a probably jump before you're pushed sort of move. Munster fans in sure will be really looking forward to the prospect of Dan Lancaster somehow getting game time despite a serial lack of ability.

Falcons have signed Max Clark on a 3 month deal.

Arnold out long term...

Solomone Kata signs a new deal at Tigers.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Rumours Lancaster is looking at the Munster job as his spell in charge of Racing has been a disaster and it's a probably jump before you're pushed sort of move. Munster fans in sure will be really looking forward to the prospect of Dan Lancaster somehow getting game time despite a serial lack of ability.

Rugby Paper reckons Bath might be after Arundell for next season. Wonder if Owen Farrell is thinking Racing was the wrong option in France.

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/henry-arundell-lined-up-for-early-england-homecoming/

Rugby Fan wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:Rumours Lancaster is looking at the Munster job as his spell in charge of Racing has been a disaster and it's a probably jump before you're pushed sort of move. Munster fans in sure will be really looking forward to the prospect of Dan Lancaster somehow getting game time despite a serial lack of ability.

Rugby Paper reckons Bath might be after Arundell for next season. Wonder if Owen Farrell is thinking Racing was the wrong option in France.

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/henry-arundell-lined-up-for-early-england-homecoming/

Arundell has family from the Bath area. They've been interested before. Tigers are shopping for a winger as well. I think he's got another year on his contract though.

Racing are a hot mess under Lancaster I can't see him lasting much longer. Farrell only signed a two year deal so one more season after this and he can wander off. He's on a whopping salary.

Bomber's time at Racing has got outright comical since he developed a fascination with picking his son who couldn't nail a starting shirt at Ealing. It raised eyebrows when Lancaster Jnr signed with everyone expecting him to not feature. He's played every game this season as far as I know. Starting 7 of them. When Dan left Tigers I didn't think we were likely to see him in the Prem again. And I don't rate the Premiership at the moment! It's utterly bizarre for a coach who's generally renowned for being level headed. Craig Willis, still at Ealing, is a better player than him. Someone such as Pat Pellegrini, who was at Coventry last season, is massively better. I'd guess just about every ProD2 club has a better 10 and 12.

Curious to know what Owen Farrell thinks about Dan Lancaster. He's not very tolerant of underperforming teammates.

I know it is Ruck, but they are reporting that Quins are looking at signing Junior Kpoku. Now that would be interesting.

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:I know it is Ruck, but they are reporting that Quins are looking at signing Junior Kpoku. Now that would be interesting.

The consensus on the Quins board is that Kpoku isn’t ready to move just yet, but does plan to come back to the UK at some point, and Quins have positioned themselves to get him when he does.

Poorfour wrote:

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:I know it is Ruck, but they are reporting that Quins are looking at signing Junior Kpoku. Now that would be interesting.

The consensus on the Quins board is that Kpoku isn’t ready to move just yet, but does plan to come back to the UK at some point, and Quins have positioned themselves to get him when he does.

He looks like he's going to be an incredible talent. I suspect he's holding out for an England central contract alongside a chunky offer from a club. He'll probably get it in a year or two if he keeps going the way he is.

JvP becomes the fifth contract extension announced by Tigers this week.

Rugby Fan wrote:Curious to know what Owen Farrell thinks about Dan Lancaster. He's not very tolerant of underperforming teammates.

Lancaster was head of player development when Faz and Ford were first used as 10-12 axis for the age grade sides. So I'd imagine he's thinking something along the lines of, "Your son is a lot sh*tter than George Ford mate".

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Rugby Fan wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:Rumours Lancaster is looking at the Munster job as his spell in charge of Racing has been a disaster and it's a probably jump before you're pushed sort of move. Munster fans in sure will be really looking forward to the prospect of Dan Lancaster somehow getting game time despite a serial lack of ability.

Rugby Paper reckons Bath might be after Arundell for next season. Wonder if Owen Farrell is thinking Racing was the wrong option in France.

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/henry-arundell-lined-up-for-early-england-homecoming/

Arundell has family from the Bath area. They've been interested before. Tigers are shopping for a winger as well. I think he's got another year on his contract though.

Racing are a hot mess under Lancaster I can't see him lasting much longer. Farrell only signed a two year deal so one more season after this and he can wander off. He's on a whopping salary.

Rumours saying he's signed for next season on a two year contract...

And potentially Haffar to Tigers Sam. I'm sure you'd be happy to take him on...

Geordie wrote:And potentially Haffar to Tigers Sam. I'm sure you'd be happy to take him on...

Certainly would, particularly if it's a replacement for Cronin who's mid thirties and frustratingly inconsistent.

Article in Times today that Henry Arundell signing for Bath from next season until 2027.

Harry Byrne joining Bristol on a three month loan as MacGinty is ruled out with a knee injury. A try before you buy perhaps? Bristol want a new 10 and Byrne is probably regretting not moving to Connacht in the summer given he's been largely forgotten by club and country since.

Bristol have signed Tom Jordan who is primarily a 10 but can do 12 and 15

Telegraph says Toulon have agreed to buy out Zach Mercer's contract. As his knee injury means he misses the rest of the season, he has probably played his last match for Gloucester.

https://archive.is/nwDHf

TJ wrote:Bristol have signed Tom Jordan who is primarily a 10 but can do 12 and 15

Bristol do like playmakers at 12 and 15 (sometimes 13 as well) in their backline. It's why the Tom Jordan signing fits so well for them. They also extended MacGinty but seeing as he's 35 a s just picked up a knee injury that one year extension might not be the best value for money. Despite the number of playmakers in the side few of them are natural flyhalfs. Adding depth at 10 is probably high in their agenda (if the cap allows).

If not other Prem clubs are looking for possible flyhalf acquisitions.

Rugby Fan wrote:Telegraph says Toulon have agreed to buy out Zach Mercer's contract. As his knee injury means he misses the rest of the season, he has probably played his last match for Gloucester.

https://archive.is/nwDHf

Mercer is supposedly out for the rest of the season and if he's got a contract at Toulon for next season then it might make sense for him to go now and rehab at his new club. Saves Glaws money and gets the player into his new surroundings quicker.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Rugby Fan wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:Rumours Lancaster is looking at the Munster job as his spell in charge of Racing has been a disaster and it's a probably jump before you're pushed sort of move. Munster fans in sure will be really looking forward to the prospect of Dan Lancaster somehow getting game time despite a serial lack of ability.

Rugby Paper reckons Bath might be after Arundell for next season. Wonder if Owen Farrell is thinking Racing was the wrong option in France.

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/henry-arundell-lined-up-for-early-england-homecoming/

Arundell has family from the Bath area. They've been interested before. Tigers are shopping for a winger as well. I think he's got another year on his contract though.

Racing are a hot mess under Lancaster I can't see him lasting much longer. Farrell only signed a two year deal so one more season after this and he can wander off. He's on a whopping salary.

This is a story which should keep us entertained for a short while.  Certainly Lancaster's time at Racing is ending badly, whether Andy Goode is right or talking out his bum.  
https://sports.yahoo.com/stuart-lancaster-accuses-andy-goode-191329241.html

Harri Byrne joins Bristol from Leinster on a 3 month loan type deal.

mikey_dragon wrote:Harri Byrne joins Bristol from Leinster on a 3 month loan type deal.

Nearly a day late on that one

It is a good deal for all parties though.

Tom Parton leaves Sarries for Panasonic Wild Knights with immediate effect.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:Harri Byrne joins Bristol from Leinster on a 3 month loan type deal.

Nearly a day late on that one

It is a good deal for all parties though.

I still don’t know what day it is tbh.