Stringer is heading to Newcastle Falcons

Peter Stringer will move to Newcastle Falcons on a loan basis once his tenure in Saracens is over.

That will be in early March and it's expected he will be available for selection for the Falcons for their home game against Harlequins on March 12th. He will come back to Munster at the end of the season.

I think he is doing the right thing.

He's still a good player, and I'm glad he's not at Munster!
the further away he is from Welsh rugby the better and the English / Scottish border is good for us!

Munster should have brought Stringer back and ditched that dead wood TOL....

Fair play to Strings, hope he's enjoying his rugby wherever he is, wouldn't mind him up at Ulster for a season.

roddersm wrote:Munster should have brought Stringer back and ditched that dead wood TOL....

Fair play to Strings, hope he's enjoying his rugby wherever he is, wouldn't mind him up at Ulster for a season.

Presumably thats what theyll do next year if TOL is off to France.

Golden wrote:

roddersm wrote:Munster should have brought Stringer back and ditched that dead wood TOL....

Fair play to Strings, hope he's enjoying his rugby wherever he is, wouldn't mind him up at Ulster for a season.

Presumably thats what theyll do next year if TOL is off to France.

Yep, he’s cup tied now and Munster won’t miss him with TOL and Murray in their ranks. So he finishes up this season with whoever will give him a short contract, heads back to Munster for a year to pick up his tax rebate, then retires. Good plan Strings.

Good to see Newcastle are making a vague attempt to stay up this season .

Id rather see them try and bring through some more academy guys though, Tigers will miss their feeder club next season

Interesting that Stringer is pimping himself round the AP this season, would have thought he might have attempted it last year to try and force his way into the RWC squad. Apparently Tigers turned down the chance to sign him on loan before he went to Sarries.

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:Good to see Newcastle are making a vague attempt to stay up this season .

Id rather see them try and bring through some more academy guys though, Tigers will miss their feeder club next season

I think the Falcons bring through a damn good amount from our academy, Peter....and i think if Joel Hodgson doesnt grow any...then he will move from 10 to 9 and will be a cracking sh.

Oh and i think with this new owner (regardless if we go down this season)...the days of Leicester and the other teams taking their pick of our players could very well be over.

He is showing how ambitious he is already, and we have some seriously good kids comiong through on the conveyor belt.

What do teams like Newcastle need to keep players at the club if results are poor. Is it all down to money then?

Geordie, I was just joking ...weve already had 2 scrum halves form you lot in the last few years ( although if you want Grindall back ...)

Really happy for Stringer, genuine man with bucket loads of experience. Good move by the Falcons in my eyes.

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:Geordie, I was just joking ...weve already had 2 scrum halves form you lot in the last few years ( although if you want Grindall back ...)

Falcons took him from us once. Wouldthey really be silly enough to take him back?

We were, sadly.


As to Stringer - what is this tax rebate?

LondonTiger wrote:As to Stringer - what is this tax rebate?

If a sportsman retires in Ireland, they can claim back 40% of taxes they have paid to the Irish governement. If they retire abroad that option isn't available.

The idea is to keep players at home by offering tax incentives and their presence will grow the industry as a whole.

It also applies to writers, musicians and actors I believe.

Irish players based in th esouth get a tax rebate when they retire. It was set up for Artists, muscians sportspeople etc to keep them in the country, and they get a certain % of their taxes back when they retire, provided then earn it in Ireland.

Means that a player like stringer is very unlikly to move to France or England next year and lose out on the rebate, he'll finish his career in Ireland.

I hope that next year he moves to Connacht in a player coaching role, he'd get more games and is still a very very useful player, the experience would help Connacht, and he'd still be in Ireland.

Joel Hodgson doesnt grow any...then he will move from 10 to 9 and will be a cracking sh.

I does seem a running theme for small 10s to become 9s both Harrison and Youngs were 10s before the Tigers academy got them to change position. Having said that Morgan and Ford are both pretty small but are getting on well for club and age grade so small 10s aren't that out of favour.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Interesting that Stringer is pimping himself round the AP this season, would have thought he might have attempted it last year to try and force his way into the RWC squad.

Not really as the IRFU tend to favour homebased players so ironically he'd probably have had a better chance of making the RWC squad as Munster 3rd choice than as 1st choice 9 at an AP club.

Haven't watched him much this season but his agent seems pretty confident that Stringer can play for another couple of seasons at the top level.

If TOL leaves then he'll likely get another season at Munster I'd imagine.

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:Geordie, I was just joking ...weve already had 2 scrum halves form you lot in the last few years ( although if you want Grindall back ...)

Stag...

I do think it intially boils down to money. We have no problem attracting big name players...Murray, Hogg, Hayman, Burke, Tuigamala, Gary Armstrong, Doddie Weir through the years prove that. But we seem incapable of keeping hold of our british players...

If we can give a few of these top academy players some good contracts to get them to stay...it could have several effects.

1) We keep good players...so our performances will improve.
2) Other youngsters and big name players will be more willling to put pen to paper as it shows amibition.
3) It will bring back some of the crowds.

Can only benefit the club....but its that old saying " you have to speculate to accumulate" or something like that

Does he have to finish up in Ireland? As I understood it a player can take his 10 best years earnings from playing (only the playing element of the contract is eligible) on his retirement.

I was under the impression that having to be in Ireland on retirement was written into the terms, but implied as your earnings as a kid 10+ years ago would probably be less than he might make in his final season (where ever that might be) so you would keep yourself in Ireland for your prime and final years as that is when you make the big money (and get the most value out of the rebate). Not just rugby, there are about 14 sports that this applies to.

Its difficult as somebody has to be the first one to commit isn't it.

I think though that indoctrination of the young is the way to go. In football, the Magpies do a great job of getting the whole city to buy into the club. Newcastle United own the city in terms of football. There isn't even a League Two side to rival them. Its same in relation to the Falcons. You need to tap into it.

Thats where your marketing man comes in. Free seats to kids games, have the players meeting kids. Sale Sharks offer a fantastic service where if a group of kids buys a match ticket to a game they get Sale Sharks players and coaches giving them a training ground tour and a coaching session in Carrington. Falcons are the only club out there and they need to do a hell of a lot more to tap into any casual rugby fans up that direction. Have kids growing up wanting to be part of the match day experience. Why not buy a Falcon and parade him around the stadium before matches. Have a competition where the kids get to name him. Anything once it engages the youth and has them coming to your matches.

And in relation to the current players make sure they are looked after. Not just are they well paid but have everyone looking out for one another. Is everything at home ok with a player? Is a new guys kids having trouble making friends at school. Does he need a bit of time off to spend time with new baby or sick wife/father/mother. Build friendships at the club and the players will find it harder to leave. Organise group team building events - I know at Munster the entire squad went on a charity bike ride this summer.

It was said on another thread that 3 specific Ulsters players - Nigel Brady, Paul Marshall and Rory Best all said they would rather retire than represent another team in rugby. Not because they are well paid but they are comfortable with life in Belfast, they grew up wanting to play for Ulster and the club is a nice place to come to work in.