Quins Sign Ben Botica

Full story here:

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_7679107,00.html

Apparently he covers fly half and centre and is a good attacking threat.

I'm a little dissapointed in this signing for a few reasons A) I didn't think we needed another fly half/centre B) This may mean we are not going to focus on Cleggs development, especially with O'Sheas comments on place kicking C) The money for signings should in my opinion be spent on Locks an props.

He is at least Eng qualified (has a UK passport). Has anyone seen him play? I have to admit i've never heard of him...

Related to Frano by any chance?

Jesus I have just read the article, and man I feel old now!

If he plays anything like his old man then that should be a tidy little signing, and one that really shouldn't let you down. If he is only 22, then even if he wasn't Eng qualified (as in born in Wales or Scotland, which is possible) then he would still be qualified by 25.

Frano's son, I believe. I think we will spend money on a lock at least. Though not my ultimate signing by far, I said we needed a kicker who was also a utility back and could play together with Clegg to take pressure off him, and Botica looks like that and O' Shea has been astute with signings so far on the whole so I have faith. It means we can approach games in a different manner with a kicking 12 and can actually develop Clegg as he knows he has a kicker/goal-kicker outside him/on the bench. As Evans is getting older and will need resting between games so that he can be at his awe-inspiring best on big days, this is a good thing. I envisage him more sharing 12 duties with JTH and Casson than 10 with Evans and Clegg but he can obviously cover there too.

Not ideal because he doesn't score, but nice break here- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEda5jR-TGQ

Benja is leaving so we need three fly halves.

Scarlet was his old man good then? Haven't heard of him either...

Chequered, thinking about it i'm sure you're right. He'll probably play 12 with Clegg at 10. I was thinking the other day that we're about the only club in the league with only one kicker on the pitch.

Ah I had wondered if Urdapiellata was leaving.

yappysnap wrote:Scarlet was his old man good then? Haven't heard of him either...

Chequered, thinking about it i'm sure you're right. He'll probably play 12 with Clegg at 10. I was thinking the other day that we're about the only club in the league with only one kicker on the pitch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Gs8hYIaKFE&feature=related

I thought botica had an excellant year last yaer in the ITM,and they prefferrefd him over luke McCallister.

Pat Lam should not have let him go,as I would have preferred Botica to Hobbs (another AB's son) at the Blues this year.

The question is...has Clegg progressed as much as he should have? I mean he is frustratingly inconsistant.....

Not really but I think he would play better if he ever had a second kicker outside him. He kicks the ball like he is very tight and tense and doesn't make great contact. I think he will play better with a stabiliser of sorts. But I guess we'll see!

yappysnap wrote:Scarlet was his old man good then? Haven't heard of him either...

Chequered, thinking about it i'm sure you're right. He'll probably play 12 with Clegg at 10. I was thinking the other day that we're about the only club in the league with only one kicker on the pitch.

He was one of those players that flitted between league and union for a few season (bit like Martin Offiah), and he played for Llanelli RFC for a few seasons. From what I remember he was just one of those players that stood out from the rest. That said maybe it was just the pro era being in league but not in union that made him stand out.

Can't be good news for Clegg. JTH will be 12 most of the season, so I'd expect Botica to be a regular on the bench with Chisholm, and start at 10 when Evans isn't available.

I've thought for a while Clegg should move - he needs regular starts and he's not going to get them at Quins.