Saints to poach Corbs as Mooj and Tiny Leave

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Being reported on the Beeb that Mujati has signed for Racing Metro with Tiny likely to join him. Then states that Saints are looking to sign Corbisiero from LI.

Big JJ stay



Little JJ go

As a Saints supporter I am authorised to say Tiny and Mujati will be huge losses to the team. They are class players, terrific with fans, and great team mates. Not quite at the level of a couple of years ago, but they also don't have quite the same pack behind them either giving that extra push. Any team who loses this pair is the lesser for it. I still don't think there is a better pair anywhere (freely admitting my bias and respect).

I certainly hope we can poach Corbs. And then we need to go to the many farms in Northamptonshire and start fattenning up some of our lads to play in the front row.

By the way, Tiny just scored against Sale on a touch line break from outside the 22. We will miss that.............

Corbs would be great at Saints, and having him scrummage regularly alongside Hartley would be a decent bonus. He needs to be in the HC playing against top front rows.

More generally, I'd like LI to get back to the level of consistency they had a few years back, but in the absence of that, it'd be good for JJ, Garvey etc to play at a higher level.

JJ would be tough to replace, similarly Garvey, but from what i've seen from Lahiff looks an excellent prospect.

Shame to see Tiny and Mooj leave the league, but if it means more English players playing regularly, i can live with it. Surely Corbs time away with England will count against Saints signing him?

Hood83 wrote:..........Shame to see Tiny and Mooj leave the league, but if it means more English players playing regularly, i can live with it. Surely Corbs time away with England will count against Saints signing him?

I agree about the chance for more English lads playing. However, for Saints certainly a mixed blessing. And as I said, not just great players, but good guys to have in a team, too.

I don't think Corbd playing for England would work against him. Saints need quality replacements, and cannot be so choosy and end up with no one.

Not sure Corbs England status will count against him as there's not many props of real quality who don't face call ups at some point in a season. Considering the large number of England loosehead options Corbs isn't even guarenteed an EPS spot in future seasons.

Looks like Richard cockerill sympathises with the current predicament that saints find themselves in. taken from planetrugby:

Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill has sympathised with rivals Northampton over the possible exits of Soane Tonga'uiha and Brian Mujati.
The prop duo are rumoured to have been offered big money moves to Racing Metro, who have already secured the services of Jamie Roberts.
And following Saints boss Jim Mallinder admitting that he cannot compete with the French spending, Cockerill added his own concerns about salaries.
"The salary cap has bitten Tigers over a number of years and, if the reports are correct, Northampton are going to lose two of the props that they have brought in, developed and made world-class," Cockerill told the Leicester Mercury.
"As much as Northampton are huge rivals, I think it is wrong that they are not allowed to compete in the market place for their players.
"Tonga'uiha came from Bedford and they have made him into what he is.
"Now they cannot afford to keep him because of the salary cap. That is harsh.
"It's a financial choice. Look at Alesana Tuilagi who has gone from us to Japan for a considerable amount of money.
"We didn't even try to compete with that because he would have taken up 25 per cent of our cap.
"For someone like Geoff Parling, who is also out of contract, he has come from Newcastle and now he is starting for England.
"He will get offers bigger than ours, so it will be down to the good will of the player to say he likes playing for you, that he is really happy here trying to win something and that he will take 25 per cent less than he could get somewhere else."

pioden gorllewin wrote:Looks like Richard cockerill sympathises with the current predicament that saints find themselves in. taken from planetrugby:

Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill has sympathised with rivals Northampton over the possible exits of Soane Tonga'uiha and Brian Mujati.
The prop duo are rumoured to have been offered big money moves to Racing Metro, who have already secured the services of Jamie Roberts.
And following Saints boss Jim Mallinder admitting that he cannot compete with the French spending, Cockerill added his own concerns about salaries.
"The salary cap has bitten Tigers over a number of years and, if the reports are correct, Northampton are going to lose two of the props that they have brought in, developed and made world-class," Cockerill told the Leicester Mercury.
"As much as Northampton are huge rivals, I think it is wrong that they are not allowed to compete in the market place for their players.
"Tonga'uiha came from Bedford and they have made him into what he is.
"Now they cannot afford to keep him because of the salary cap. That is harsh.
"It's a financial choice. Look at Alesana Tuilagi who has gone from us to Japan for a considerable amount of money.
"We didn't even try to compete with that because he would have taken up 25 per cent of our cap.
"For someone like Geoff Parling, who is also out of contract, he has come from Newcastle and now he is starting for England.
"He will get offers bigger than ours, so it will be down to the good will of the player to say he likes playing for you, that he is really happy here trying to win something and that he will take 25 per cent less than he could get somewhere else."

For me Cockerill has inadvertently given a fantastic argument to keep the salary cap. If Tuilagi truly was going to take up 25% of the cap, that means he is on an astounding £1m a year (based on the cap being £4.3m). He is right to say they couldn't compete, but they should never compete with those figures. If Japanese sugar daddy's want to cover that cost then fine, but to keep a competitive league that doesn't result in great clubs likes Richmond falling by the wayside, then a cap needs to be in place.

If it is true that Tiny is to leave and Corbs is to replace him, then that can only be good for English rugby, as he'll get more HC rugby with Saints than LI based on present form. Saints improved Tiny & Mooj to make them top class props and there is no reason why they can't do that again.

How about allowing clubs to spend something like an extra 25% of the total cap on current players new contracts once they've been with that club for three seasons?

So clubs can buy in players, coach them and make them International class and then when it comes to resign they have some extra funds to spend specifically on those players if they want to.

Means everyone is using the same amount for buying players but a bit more leeway to retain them. If they then want to spunk all of that on a large winger who's well over hyped and his biggest feature is lazyness then fair enough.

Judging by today's form they can't wait to get rid of them!

and spend the money on a reliable 10 who will kick his goals all day.

And a centre/wing who can cross the gain line.

And a new head coach...

So George Ford, M Tuilangi and Thompstone with Dean Richards in as coach

Keep yer grubby mits off.

Rob Cook to add some kicking quality to the back three as well as a good points kicking option. I think they have a good boshing centre in Luther Burrell. Maybe Rory Clegg to add some reliable direction with Cook kicking. Tim Streather the Notts centre and that still leaves the issue of signing more props.