The rumour mill

First topic message reminder :

Whilst unofficial negotiations will have been taking place for some time, it is only a few weeks until official approaches can be made and so the rumour mill is in full swing. Whilst ignoring what your mate's cousin's goldfish heard, what are the rumours you've heard coming and going from your club?


Rumours so far...
Geoff Parling to Glaws staying at Tigers
Matt Garvey to Quins, Saints, Glaws & Bath...
Nick Kennedy to everyone
Dave Attwood to Glaws
Sean Cronin to Connacht
Jonathan Joseph to Bath - confirmed
Matthew Rees to Cardiff confirmed
Stephen Shingler to a Welsh club confirmed to Scarlets
Adam Warren to Glaws and Cardiff
Kahn Fotuali'I to Toulouse - leaving but to Saints
Matt Kvesic to Tigers, Glaws, Saints and Sarries - confirmed to Glaws
Castro, John Smit and Claasens to Toulon - Castro & Claasens confirmed to Toulon
Alex Corbisiero to Saints confirmed
James Johnston to numerous French clubs & Sarries - confirmed to Sarries
Anthony Watson to Tigers & Bath
Tiny to Racing Metro
Sailosi Tagicakibau to Toulon
Toby Faletau to Bath
Billy Vunipola to Sarries - confirmed
Rhys Gill, Martin Roberts, Eiffion Lewis-Roberts, Gareth Delve, Dwayne Peel to Cardiff
Chris Cochrane to Connacht
Fionn Carr to Connacht confirmed
Newcastle starting XV to Tigers
George Ford to Saints or Bath confirmed he's leaving, but to who...
Stephen Donald to anyone who'll have him
Jonny Sexton to Racing confirmed he's leaving...
PDJ to Quins & Wasps - confirmed to Quins
BJ Botha to Toulon
Mike Ross to Munster signed a new contract
Richie Gray, Rob Miller & Kearnan Myall to Glaws - [b]Gray confirmed to Castres, Myall confirmed to Wasps, Miller staying at Sale (TRP not very accurate with these ones!!)
Stephen Myler to Tigers - staying at Saints
Matt Mulan to Wasps - confirmed
Ryan Lamb to France, Exeter or Wuss
Andy Saull to Exeter or Newcastle
James Scaysbrook to Tigers - staying at Exeter
Tom Johnson to Bath - re-signed with Exeter (how many Bath rumours are actually ever true??)
Mickey Young, Kieran Brookes to Bath - Brookes gone back to Newcastle on loan
Dan Carter, SBW, Dusatoir, McCaw to Sarries & under the salary cap too...
Gareth Maule to London Irish
Andy Goode to Newcastle, Dragons, Saints or KFC. - confirmed to Wasps
Steffan Jones to Wasps or London Welsh
Nick Robinson to Worcester or Dragons - going to Bristol
Joe Carlisle to Wasps - confirmed
James Hudson to Glaws - confirmed
Ian Nagle to Glaws
David Mele & Joel Kefi to Tigers
Sione Timani to Bath
Adam Ashley-Cooper to Leinster
Isa Nacewa to...

Yes...

Yes Jenny!

Yes it does!

Actually you were right! It's a not very well known fact it used to be in Northumbria but they moved it just to confuse folks like you!

To be fair Northumbria is a long way from Umbria too, so there is scope for confusion.

Bathman_in_London wrote:To be fair Northumbria is a long way from Umbria too, so there is scope for confusion.

Just what I was thinking.

Also. How come West Ham is in the East end?

If I told you it was near to East Ham would that explain it? Although oddly there is also a Ham near to Kingston to the west of London...

One I've wondered about, there is an Essex, Sussex, Middlesex and there used to be Wessex. What happened to Northsex?


And yes I have been to Newcastle!

Why is an orange called an orange? Why wasnt it called a blue?

It was named after the juice.

It tastes very similar to OJ so it would have been a bit silly to call it a blue.

If Oranges taste like OJ, I DON'T want to taste a Blue

ChequeredJersey wrote:If Oranges taste like OJ, I DON'T want to taste a Blue

radio wales reported today that it believes LI's steve shingler has signed for the scarlets.

pioden gorllewin wrote:radio wales reported today that it believes LI's steve shingler has signed for the scarlets.

He's played really well for us, its a shame to lose him. Brian Smith seems to want to go for a larger Mapasua-Type 12 though.

mawhis:

mike catt seemed to really rate him, but like you said brian smith prefers a more physical 12.

Another part of the reason the Brian is letting him go is that he's not England-qualified.

Nevermind Gray I'm a fraction of the price and wouldn't say no to being paid to play in Northumbria. Beautiful part of the world.

Agree re Smith and his fondness for big 12s the whole Sa League convert not yet converting has hurt LI this season.

Looks like Zac Taulafo will be following Billy Vunipola and leaving Wasps in the summer. L'Equipe claim he's signed a 3 year deal with Top 14 giants Stade Francais.

Richie Gray (NOT Grey) to Glaws if Sale relegated

Sam

You'd be very welcome up here mate...even more so if you can throw in a decent lineout ball

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Richie Gray (NOT Grey) to Glaws if Sale relegated

That might explain why we lost to Irish

Not a rumour really, but Setaimata Sa has finally got his visa and is ready to start for Irish!

He'd better be worth the wait!

Sam

You'd be very welcome up here mate...even more so if you can throw in a decent lineout ball

Wrong size for that I'm afraid Geordie. With the missus entering the GNR ballot there may be another September jaunt up north again though. I didn't consume nearly enough 'ol dog last time.

Not a rumour really, but Setaimata Sa has finally got his visa and is ready to start for Irish!

When's the earliest we'll see him in action?

The word in Glaws is that Nick Kennedy has signed for us

HongKongCherry wrote:The word in Glaws is that Nick Kennedy has signed for us

Damn! I was really hoping that he'd come back to Irish.

I would be delighted if he has as I'd see him as the perfect replacement for Alex Brown as they're incredibly similar. Maybe not strong enough in all areas to be international class, but undoubtedly masters of the lineout and strong in defence. Kennedy would come with the added bonus of being available all year round.

I still hope we're in the chase to nab another of your players as I feel Garvey would be an excellent addition.

Can't go wrong when adding a strong lineout forward to a squad soon to be lacking one. Glaws are going to lose a lot of grunt without Hamilton so I'd suspect that another lock could be on the way to Glaws. Could Attwood make a return?

L'equippe has a report that Toulon have held formal talks with Tigers to buy out Castros contract

Yeah I heard some Tigers representatives travelled out in the week. I hope the only discussion was how they weren't getting him cheap and that they could pay off the 300k+ in installments if they want.

Toulon don't carry loose change Sam.

300k+ in transfer fee plus some hefty wages won't give them much change from a million euros.

Why would the transfer fee be over 300k?

Most are about 100k for a years contract.

wales606 wrote:Why would the transfer fee be over 300k?

Most are about 100k for a years contract.

Surely it depends on the contract.

nathan wrote:

wales606 wrote:Why would the transfer fee be over 300k?

Most are about 100k for a years contract.

Surely it depends on the contract.

Not really, it is what they club will accept as a good profit. If Castro is on 300k and Toulon pay 100k for him, then they are making 400k to spend on a new player for Castro's final year.

Ben Morgan and Nigel Davies were both on more than 100k at the Scarlets, but Gloucester paid 100k each to buy out their contracts.

It's about how much you value the player, is Castro worth a 400k+ contract, or is it better to let him go and get a different player for that amount.

Wasn't Castro the marquee cap exempt signing? Given tiger's played at least one player in excess of 200k before the new rules came in and Castro extended his contract I'd well imagine he's being played in the region of 300k a year. It's also not clear how long his contract actually is.
He will be breaking that contract to leave. Tigers will expect at least the value they placed on him ( ie what they were willing to pay him) in return. Toulon will set that sum against Wilkinson hair dressing allowance

Why would the transfer fee be over 300k?

Most are about 100k for a years contract.

Castro is on 300k plus. That is the cost of top level ths these days. It's been stated there is one more season after the end of the current term left on that deal.

Also worth noting that transfer fees received do not increase the AP salary cap so the fee would just pad the Tigers bank account (they have no wealthy backer and are owned by the fans so this seriously to be considered). If Castro goes the ths on the books are young but talented and with Cole always likely to be called up Tigers would have to consider squad make up for next season.

ESPN:

"A host of Europe's leading clubs are reportedly chasing the signature of highly-rated Ospreys scrum-half Kahn Fotuali'i.

The Samoan international is out of contract with the region at the end of this season with The Rugby Paper reporting that the 30-year-old has attracted interest from Premiership sides Saracens, Northampton and Bath, Irish province Munster and French clubs Toulouse, Racing Metro and Castres. But the Ospreys are also hopeful of agreeing a new deal with the in-form No.9 who joined them from the Crusaders two years ago"

Bath makes sense as a replacement for claassens if he's Toulon bound. Could he fit into Saracens salary cap? Know they are to lose Smit and a few other but have spent big recently. Munster sounds interesting, possibly linking up with Penny again? Can't see Saints going for him if they have Dickson and Roberts.

I'm hoping he goes to Saints, so we can have Dickson please

bathie: Do you think Dickson is better than Fotuali'i?

Nope, but better value for money and probably a better fit for our gameplan

If the likes of Metro are in for him Id be surprised to see him playing in england next year. Whatever its hugely unlikely he'll still be at the Spreys

Dickson's been pretty off form for a while now.

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:If the likes of Metro are in for him Id be surprised to see him playing in england next year. Whatever its hugely unlikely he'll still be at the Spreys

Not if they can offer a really really good package with loads of support on his homework and holidays and super cool wicked trips away as a team #there'ssomethingspecialhappeningatSaracens

Not sure that was necessary Yappy

Funny though.

Can't see Khan going to Munster. He would be behind Murray (even though Khan is a better SH) plus the French clubs would be offering more money.

Steve Shingler's return to Wales is confirmed:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/21044107

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Can't see Khan going to Munster. He would be behind Murray (even though Khan is a better SH) plus the French clubs would be offering more money.

I khan see it happening. Duncan Williams is definitely the worst scrumhalf in the country. Stringer is on the way out. Murray will be away at every available Irish camp (especially given that Boss and Reddan both turn 33 this year and havent much time). Murray will be in big demand and another option will be handy. Same as when we had Paul Warwick and Ronan O'Gara.

red_stag wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Can't see Khan going to Munster. He would be behind Murray (even though Khan is a better SH) plus the French clubs would be offering more money.

I khan see it happening. Duncan Williams is definitely the worst scrumhalf in the country. Stringer is on the way out. Murray will be away at every available Irish camp (especially given that Boss and Reddan both turn 33 this year and havent much time). Murray will be in big demand and another option will be handy. Same as when we had Paul Warwick and Ronan O'Gara.

It doesn't matter how many times Murray will be away, he'll still be starting the HC games. Im sure Khan will want the big games.

Ah you didnt comment on my pun

I Kahn't see any puns.

Fionn Carr is gone back to Connacht. Just signed a 2 year deal.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Fionn Carr is gone back to Connacht. Just signed a 2 year deal.

I'm getting sick of Connachts persistant targetting of Leinster players...