Parling signs.............

BBC confirm Parling to STAY at Leicester!........Great news.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/21010746

It is, I hope its at least a two year contract.

Really great news

Brilliant news that!

Second row with Parling is a very strong position with Deacon, Kitchener, Slater and Mafi. Take Parling away and one injury/international call ups could hit the SR resources badly though.

Awful news

Tough luck HKC!.....Try again

Rubbish player anyway!

I would have been amazed had he left. It wasn't like 36 where he'd get more consistent game time by leaving. Missing out on him will help our funds with trying to get Kvesic.

He wont be daft enough to sign for Glaws either...

Good signing. Would have been a blow to lose him to an AP rival. Nice to see him accepting less money to stay at Tigers. Should imagine It's a three year deal as that's what Parling was holding out for.

I would've thought so Sam, as I know that was one of the key points of Glaws' offer.

I wonder if Tigers still have enough "room" (cap)to make a much needed move for Kvesic?

tigerleghorn wrote:I wonder if Tigers still have enough "room" (cap)to make a much needed move for Kvesic?

I won't make any jokes about Italian restaurants

But surely the potential loss of Castro, with Murphy's retirement will free up a fair amount of cash? (and a restaurant )

Don't know why this bit got missed off my last comment, but whoever gets Kvesic will be very lucky as he's a top quality player.

I had hoped Glaws would be after Jacob Rowan, but he's signed a new contract at Leeds. You've got to ask whether this will stall his career?

The Castro move seems to have died since Cockers spoke of Toulon's need to buy out his contract for the last year which would be somewhere in the region of £300k

Hamilton, Murphy, Chuter, Young and probably two of the three flankers we signed as season cover will all be going this summer. So far we've signed a replacement 9 and a 22 year old lock from France (probably because Andrew is off). Depending on the cost of retaining our players we should have some cash to spend on a 7.

Well just leave Ross Rennie alone!

Kvesic would make more sense anyway as it looks to me like Lancaster will use Robshaw and Wood for the foreseeable future, so he won't be contaminated by England call-ups.

Another option would be Tipuric. Apparently he's the best flanker to ever have graced the game. So I'm told.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Kvesic to get a cap before long. As he matures he'll add that dogged breakdown disruption to his great ball carrying and big work rate. He's pretty good at the breakdown already mind.

I see we're linked with Gibson if not Kvesic and to be honest I'd rather see us go after Fusaro or Burgess as they are closer to Salvi in playing style where as Gibson is more of a 6.5 and I'm not sure he'll ever pressure Salvi for place. Then again I was wrong about Salvi who I didn't think the coaches would be able to imrpove and mold into a Tigers 7.

Not the greatest fan of Gibson. Would much prefer Kvesic top quality out and out 7.

Kvesic would be a great signing. Gibson's a good player but not in the mould of Salvi or Kvesic which is what we want. If we could get another high quality seven the squad would be taking shape very nicely.

Hamilton, Murphy, Chuter, Young and probably two of the three flankers we signed as season cover will all be going this summer

Is that Mickey Young the SH?
Another that left too early...but then too be fair he lost his way a little before he even moved to you guys...

Micky Young should go to Bath as they're losing Claasens. It was always baffling him signing for Tigers anyhows.

If they can Leicester should def grab Kvesic, he'd be perfect for your game especially as without Salvi you boys look a bit clueless at the breakdown.

All you then need is a new Mauger at 12 (will Bowden be persisited with?) to help release your backs and you'll be set.

yappysnap wrote:Micky Young should go to Bath as they're losing Claasens. It was always baffling him signing for Tigers anyhows.

If they can Leicester should def grab Kvesic, he'd be perfect for your game especially as without Salvi you boys look a bit clueless at the breakdown.

All you then need is a new Mauger at 12 (will Bowden be persisited with?) to help release your backs and you'll be set.

Has Bowden played badly then?

yappysnap wrote:Micky Young should go to Bath as they're losing Claasens. It was always baffling him signing for Tigers anyhows.

If they can Leicester should def grab Kvesic, he'd be perfect for your game especially as without Salvi you boys look a bit clueless at the breakdown.

All you then need is a new Mauger at 12 (will Bowden be persisited with?) to help release your backs and you'll be set.

Anthony Allen has done brilliantly for the last two seasons 12. His game has improved out of sight IMO, his defence is now very good (as is his organisation of the backline) and he still has very good feet and hands in attack.

nathan wrote:

yappysnap wrote:Micky Young should go to Bath as they're losing Claasens. It was always baffling him signing for Tigers anyhows.

If they can Leicester should def grab Kvesic, he'd be perfect for your game especially as without Salvi you boys look a bit clueless at the breakdown.

All you then need is a new Mauger at 12 (will Bowden be persisited with?) to help release your backs and you'll be set.

Has Bowden played badly then?

I got the general sense from Tigers fans that Bowden didn't control the game or bring the passing game that was expected, does he then?

king_carlos wrote:

yappysnap wrote:Micky Young should go to Bath as they're losing Claasens. It was always baffling him signing for Tigers anyhows.

If they can Leicester should def grab Kvesic, he'd be perfect for your game especially as without Salvi you boys look a bit clueless at the breakdown.

All you then need is a new Mauger at 12 (will Bowden be persisited with?) to help release your backs and you'll be set.

Anthony Allen has done brilliantly for the last two seasons 12. His game has improved out of sight IMO, his defence is now very good (as is his organisation of the backline) and he still has very good feet and hands in attack.

He's a very good Prem level 12 but in big games he's gone missing and if you compare him to most top sides options in that position he's lacking. He generally won't let you down but I'd still expect Tigers to want someone more dynamic in the long run.

yappysnap wrote:

nathan wrote:

yappysnap wrote:Micky Young should go to Bath as they're losing Claasens. It was always baffling him signing for Tigers anyhows.

If they can Leicester should def grab Kvesic, he'd be perfect for your game especially as without Salvi you boys look a bit clueless at the breakdown.

All you then need is a new Mauger at 12 (will Bowden be persisited with?) to help release your backs and you'll be set.

Has Bowden played badly then?

I got the general sense from Tigers fans that Bowden didn't control the game or bring the passing game that was expected, does he then?

He's not exactly set the world alight but I don't think he's about to be chucked on the scrap pile. I don't think he's been much worse than the rest of the backs (saying that, they've all been pretty rubbish this season).

Yea especially as you scored what five try bp's on the bounce last season?

Bowden has had limited opportunities and not set the world alight. Problem is he ha really struggled defensively, made worse due to Allen being in charge of the defensive line. When Bowden has played we have looked fragile.

Anthony Allen is what he is, a damn fine premiership player. last season when Tigers backline started to fire after Christmas he looked magnificent - which led to calls for him in the England set-up (from you Yappy at times as well). He looked fine in SA and is no worse than JTH and Barritt who were with him in the initial EPS. however in style they were all too similar.

If 36 had stayed, perhaps things would have been different. However we were not able to match Glaws offer and stay under the cap (and for what we offered him we got Bowden AND Thompstone) nor able/willing to guarantee game time.

LT, you offered 36 only £90k (we offered £150k and to clarify we didn't ever guarantee game time, just that he'd be seen as a 12 not as a utility back), so if you've got Bowden & Thompstone for that amount you've pulled a blinder!!

We often do HKC. Tigers are often able to sell the club to players so they accept smaller contracts in the short term for long term gain.

Bowden doesn't really offer the running or defensive game we were hoping he would. Billy is a better 12 though.

Injury has blighted Bowden's Leicesters career so far. It has not enabled him enough game time for him to get used to our defensive systems and fully impose his attacking attributes on the team. No doubt a good player but like many of our signings might take a season to fully adapt and flourish at tigers.

LondonTiger wrote:Bowden has had limited opportunities and not set the world alight. Problem is he ha really struggled defensively, made worse due to Allen being in charge of the defensive line. When Bowden has played we have looked fragile.

Anthony Allen is what he is, a damn fine premiership player. last season when Tigers backline started to fire after Christmas he looked magnificent - which led to calls for him in the England set-up (from you Yappy at times as well). He looked fine in SA and is no worse than JTH and Barritt who were with him in the initial EPS. however in style they were all too similar.

If 36 had stayed, perhaps things would have been different. However we were not able to match Glaws offer and stay under the cap (and for what we offered him we got Bowden AND Thompstone) nor able/willing to guarantee game time.

Very true Tiger, but I do also remember you pulling your hair out over his failure to pass at key times as well. He is a solid player, I just feel a team with aspirations like Tigers need someone in the back line who can unlock defences with guile and or speed of mind to go with Manu's power.

That's true Yappy, problem is that it's currently very difficult to replace Allen who's work rate is huge and who keeps our dodgey defensive line in tact. We have somehow got a decent defensive record this season with Allen at the heart of that.

A little surprised he's not being given another England chance after his good summer form but I suspect his limitations in terms of creativity are too great.

yappysnap wrote:

Very true Tiger, but I do also remember you pulling your hair out over his failure to pass at key times as well. He is a solid player, I just feel a team with aspirations like Tigers need someone in the back line who can unlock defences with guile and or speed of mind to go with Manu's power.

I still do Yappy

Thing is when the team is misfiring (and largely this season we have been) his solidity and defensive presence/organisation is needed even more (again think england and Barritt). When Youngs, Flood, Manu are all on song then we kind of get away with it against all but the best defences. To be competetive at the top table we probably do need a more rounded 12 - but with the constraints in place that means weakening the team elsewhere.

Also 12 is not really a position of strength in english rugby, and hasn't been for quite some time. Look how many people have played there in the last decade.