Leicester Tigers - Ins and Outs

So, an attempt to be a "one-stop-shop" with all the latest on who is going, who is coming, who is staying - and heck even some rumours.

In
In usual form, nothing confirmed yet but latest rumours circle around:

Dan Bowden - has confirmed on Twitter he is leaving LI to join some old friends and one of the best teams in Europe.
Miles Benjamin - Tigers failed to entice his team mate Mullan, can they sign the winger?
Adam Thompstone - A big strapping winger/centre of the type that cockers loves.

Staying
Anthony Allen
George Ford
Ed Slater
Sam Harrison
Thomas Waldrom
Dan Cole

have all signed new contracts.

Going
Billy Twelvetrees - Gloucester
George Skivington - London Irish
James Grindal - Bristol
Lee Robinson - released

Unconfirmed exit also for Alessana Tuilagi and doubts over Horacio Agulla

Marcos Ayerza has also signed a new contract, he did so earlier in the season. I presume the interest in Mullan was somewhat limited to whether Ayerza would stay and completely ended when Mulipola turned out to be such a great find. Logo is staying as well it's just when his contract starts that is being discussed.

I'd expect Bucknall to be off and maybe Hamilton as well.

Also rumours linking us with the Dragons full back Thomas.

Full back is a potential area of weakness. Geordan is getting on, Tait keeps feeling his groin. Hamilton is looking slow and may be leaving, Morris looks more like a winger.

But getting in the Dragons second or third choice feels too much like the signing of Lee Robinson.

I think he'd be the Dragons first choice if he wasn't so injured all the time. That does nothing to induce optimism over his potential signing though. Forsyth and Lewington can both play 15 and I'd like to see both get more game time next season.

I've read that the Dragons are looking to sign up the Scarlets fullback Dan Evans. So a Leicester move for M Thomas is looking more than likely now

Sam...

Whats wrong with that picture......ah yes...none from your feeder club...

Could that change though...

Martyn Thomas the Dragons fullback isn't too far from the Welsh squad, probably would have been capped now if it wasn't for two horrific injuries. He has a really good rugby brain, and has a fair bit of gas on him. Really good coming into the line and particulary dangerous when play is lose. He has also improved on his defensive game. One of the Dragons most dangerous players. Would be a really exciting signing for the Tigers IMO

I think he would improve a lot too from joining a set up like Leicester.

Can't see use swooping for any Falcons players Geordie. The squad for next season is pretty well stocked:

Looseheads - Ayerza, Stanko, Mulipola, Harris
Hookers - Chuter, T Youngs, Hawkins, Stevens
Tightheads - Castro, Cole, Brookes, Bower
Locks - Deacon, Parling, Slater, Kitchener, Green
Blindside - Croft, Mafi, Pienaar
Openside - Salvi, Newby, Woods, Armes
8 - Crane, Waldrom, de Carpienter
9 - Youngs, Harrison, Young, Steele
10 - Flood, Ford, Lynn
IC - Allen, Bowden, Forsyth
OC - Manu, Smith
Wing - Thompstone, Benjamin, Hamilton (?), Lewington, Morris
FB - Murphy, Tait

Thomas maybe to come in as a bit more back three depth and allow for one or two backrowers (Pienaar and possibly Woods or Armes) to go. Green is yet to sign a new deal but that is probably more to do with the nasty injury he's coming back from.

So unless you've got an exceptional OC or FB kicking about up there I think you're pretty safe.

I think he would improve a lot too from joining a set up like Leicester..

We've had a number of talented full backs come to the club and try to replace Murphy and all have failed. Morris the latest one it seems. Hamilton and Johne Murphy before him also learnt that Geordie is just such a great all round footballer that even though his skills are waning there is so much he brings to the team it's hard to see past him. Johne Murphy left much improved and Morris will too. Thomas will learn but he better be something special if he expects to play every week.

But remember that both Hamilton and Johne Murphy are back three players. Not specialist fullbacks while Thomas is. I think hes got a pretty similar skill set to Murphy. Hes a silky runner and has an accurate kicking game.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Can't see use swooping for any Falcons players Geordie. The squad for next season is pretty well stocked:

Looseheads - Ayerza, Stanko, Mulipola, Harris
Hookers - Chuter, T Youngs, Hawkins, Stevens
Tightheads - Castro, Cole, Brookes , Bower
Locks - Deacon, Parling, Slater, Kitchener, Green
Blindside - Croft, Mafi, Pienaar
Openside - Salvi, Newby, Woods, Armes
8 - Crane, Waldrom, de Carpienter
9 - Youngs, Harrison, Young, Steele
10 - Flood, Ford, Lynn
IC - Allen, Bowden, Forsyth
OC - Manu, Smith
Wing - Thompstone, Benjamin, Hamilton (?), Lewington, Morris
FB - Murphy, Tait

Have you heard if Brookes is anywhere near coming back from injury? I was hoping to see how he would work out for your guys, it's been a stinker the way things have worked out for him so far.

Hooker really is the obvious problem for Tigers, as well as a lack of any real top class stand out stars in the backs.

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:Hooker really is the obvious problem for Tigers, as well as a lack of any real top class stand out stars in the backs.

I think i'd put Tuilagi as a big star...

Give England a few more games and theyll break him dont worry.

I suppose hes the magic guy. Dont get me wrong theres solid quality through the whole squad, but wheres the real marquee signing?

After the last word cup the top NH sides were all bagging an All Black or Saffer wanting to top their pension pot up. Now they are all going to Japan.

It may be short termism and the worst of the "soccerisation" of rugby transfers but the side has suffered from not having that guy who truely intimidates the opposition.

Tigers tend now to have a very deep squad, at the expense of truely exceptional first teams. I use that as an excuse for them not winningthe hC for a while.

But remember that both Hamilton and Johne Murphy are back three players. Not specialist fullbacks

Johne played academy and A Team full back before getting to the first team and finding that he wasn't as good as Geordan but was in such good form a place was made for him on the wing. Similar for Hamilton who has an AB cap at 15, he was signed as a specialist but has turned out to be more use on the wing. Hence why I'm waiting to see Thomas in a Tigers shirt before I pass my verdict.

Have you heard if Brookes is anywhere near coming back from injury?

Doubt he'll be back much before the end of the season. He's apparently in the Jordan Crane 'Nando's Crew'.

Hooker really is the obvious problem for Tigers, as well as a lack of any real top class stand out stars in the backs.

Hooker is a worry but Tom Youngs could do a lot to ease my fears if he comes back and shows the form he had at the start of the season because he looked like the long term answer then. Chuter is fading with age and Hawkins just isn't powerful enough for a top class hooker so will always be just a bit better than average.

The backs could be a lot more explosive next year with power and pace options in Thompstone and Benjamin. Manu is one of the best OCs going these days and if Tait can get fit (and stay fit) then the backline will really have penetration. Murphy is still classy despite age and injuries taking their toll. Ford's flat on the gain line passing style and game management skills mean we actually have two excellent 10s for the first time in a while as well.

I suppose hes the magic guy. Dont get me wrong theres solid quality through the whole squad, but wheres the real marquee signing?

The Pat Howard/Daryl Gibson/Aaron Mauger style midfield magician? Dan Bowden? Hmm I do see your point there but these guys are massively expensive and Mauger was more use as the backs coach than as an inside centre when he was here (due to his back injury).

After the last word cup the top NH sides were all bagging an All Black or Saffer wanting to top their pension pot up. Now they are all going to Japan.

Maybe the top teams are prefering to put their money in to their home grown players rather than pumping money into the Southern Hemisphere guys.

Apart from the real top guys like Hayman, Macallister, Thorn, matfield etc.who can really add to the team..and the youngsters...many of the other "journeymen" dont bring a huge amount that academy players possibly could....

formerly known as Sam wrote:

I suppose hes the magic guy. Dont get me wrong theres solid quality through the whole squad, but wheres the real marquee signing?

The Pat Howard/Daryl Gibson/Aaron Mauger style midfield magician? Dan Bowden? Hmm I do see your point there but these guys are massively expensive and Mauger was more use as the backs coach than as an inside centre when he was here (due to his back injury).

Also Tuquiri fits the catagory I guess.

Dont get me wrong they seem to be recruiting some good players, but not quite in that class. Yeah Mauger was a major dissapointment on the field, due partly to his injuries. Had he been Luke Macallister instead who knows? As it is Allen is doing the same job as well or better.

I compleltely accept that Tigers simply arent in a position to borrow these guys anymore, the rugby economy and need for squad depth has seen to that. Better to be taking in the kind of "just off the england radar" young and relativley cheap players they are and hoping they kick up at least one notch.

But I dont see Tigers a serious HC frontrunners with the sort of first XVs theyll be able to put out.

But I dont see Tigers a serious HC frontrunners with the sort of first XVs theyll be able to put out..

.

I agree, there's something missing from the first 15 at the moment. That little sparkle that little something irresistable. You're right Lote Tuiquiri had that ability to just make something happen when nothing was on. As a side we are good and we'll give everyone a hell of a fight (particularly at Welford Rd) but if we want to be winning those big games away from home (particularly in the HEC) we need a game changer somewhere in the team. Manu could be that player but right now he isn't as he's still developing.

Maybe the top teams are prefering to put their money in to their home grown players rather than pumping money into the Southern Hemisphere guys.

For much of the last decade it was pretty much home grown Tigers 9 to 15 (Geordie counts as a Tiger) apart from a Tuilagi on a wing and a SH hemisphere playmaking centre at 12. No journeymen as such these guys were brought in because they had what we couldn't find locally. They were the mentioned Pat Howard/Daryl Gibson/Aaron Mauger, international class players who could read the game and bring the best out of the team. Even Mauger who was a flop on the pitch was simply brilliant off it and got the backs firing. The rugby brains these guys had added big time and helped develop the next generation.

Now if someone told me that Tigers had set up a South African company to pay wages through and bought in Daniel Carter and Nonu to replace Beeweetweetwees and Staunton Id be more optimistic, and spend less time whinging about Sarcens cap dodging

I'd just settle for Francois Steyn coming in. Good option at 10,12,13,15 and can always be relied upon to win the kicking contest. No such luck though, Castro will be the marquee signing and the additional cap that frees up will allow Salvi to slot in and help us renew some contracts.