The rumour mill

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ScarletSpiderman wrote:

pioden gorllewin wrote:Leicester Mercury reporter Martin Crowson stating in todays paper that Tigers are after Owen Williams as stand off for next season. Gutted if true, thought he'd push priestland for the starting spot for next season.

The Scarlets are going to have to pull out of the LV= Cup from now on as it is getting to be a bit of a joke now, we have a kid play well for us in it, and then before the season even finishes they get poached by the Jeff side that they helped beat.

That said I wonder how much game time Owen would have got at PYS next season, as we have Priestland as exepected first choice, and then Jordan Williams, Gareth Owen and now Steve Shingler to cover (plus Aled Thomas, if he stays, and Dan Newton too).

How many times has it happened now?

I read on the Wasps unoffy that Ed Jackson of London Welsh is going to be playing for them next season, a potential replacement for Billy Vunipola?

I remember watching Jackson playing for Bath United a few years ago and being mildly surprised when they let him go, he's had a decent season for Welsh by all accounts too. He's a big lump and at only 24/ 25 he should be coming into his prime now.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Will Garvey be used more at 6?

From an England perspective I hope not. If a player is comfortable at 4/5 and 6, I always think its sensible to play them in the second row and allow an extra back rower. We have seen with players like Lawes and Launchbury that second row is definitely the better option. In event of injury/sub cover its fair enough but I'd generally like to see all these young athletic locks stick to the second row. The only exception might be Tom Savage at Gloucester who appears to be getting gradually more time at 6 rather than 4 and has continued to impress.

Garvey has the potential to be a very good heavyweight lock but could be in danger of falling into the unfortunate utility category that can harm future prospects.

Savage is only playing more at 6 due to Morgan's injury which is forcing Kalamafoni to play 8. Ultimately, Savage just needs to be on the pitch and the jury is still out as to whether he'll end up a lock or a 6.

I would've loved Garvey to come to Glaws to add some ballast to our boiler room, instead he'll have to join Carl Fearns on the naughty step!

Yes of course injuries are dictating HKC, but I also remember Nigel Davies being quoted earlier in the season saying he thinks 6 will be more likely long term. Given Gloucester's probable squad options next year it would make much more sense for him to play in the second row. Also as I said above this would allow for an extra back rower. You'd effectively be selecting Kalamafoni/Morgan vs James/Lokotui and I'd always opt for the extra back row all other things being equal.

I would say that Bath have got a number of players that could potentially play no.6; Carl Fearns, Nick Koster, Matt Gilbert, Josh Ovens and Will Skuse (assuming none are leaving). I reckon at most Garvey will be a part time flanker (oooo-er!)

Josh Bassett to be at London Wasps next season. That'll be some great options on the wing for Wasps.

Have the rumours of Louw going to Racing gone away yet?

formerly known as Sam wrote:Josh Bassett to be at London Wasps next season. That'll be some great options on the wing for Wasps.

Have the rumours of Louw going to Racing gone away yet?

It was Louw to Toulon I thought, hadn't seen the Racing one. Guess it will always be a possibility though.

Cumbrian wrote:I read on the Wasps unoffy that Ed Jackson of London Welsh is going to be playing for them next season, a potential replacement for Billy Vunipola?

I remember watching Jackson playing for Bath United a few years ago and being mildly surprised when they let him go, he's had a decent season for Welsh by all accounts too. He's a big lump and at only 24/ 25 he should be coming into his prime now.

A pretty decent signing for Wasps I think, maybe not as attention grabbing as Billy V, but a good no.8 who always works hard.

He can join the list of Bath players who go on to bigger and better things elsewhere...

Will Quins ever sign another player?

You've got Evans massive wage to pay, probably not. You got PDJ and will probably sign some squad players from the Championship. COS tends to aim small and try to win big.

ChequeredJersey wrote:Will Quins ever sign another player?

1 new signing a season CJ you know the rules.

Just read the last couple of pages of this thread and was shocked to find out that Louw wasn't the Bath captain! And Kalamafoni was only a stand in no8!!!

Kalamfoni played 8 for Notts. Louw is often captain but not club captain.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Kalamfoni played 8 for Notts. Louw is often captain but not club captain.

He mostly played 6 for Notts, which is why we signed him as primarily a 6. His control at the base of the scrum in the early part of the season was poor, but full credit to him he has vastly improved here.

Quick Chiefs update - very close to agreeing new terms with Naqer, and expecting the arrival of a lock/flanker type from South Africa apparently. Liginds Richie Baxter and Chris Budgen look set to retire (when that's official, I'll craft a separate thread), and there might be another young tight head arriving to get brought on. Another 8 or so are confirmed off including current Argentine international Gonzo Camacho, former Fiji and England 7s players Watisoni Votu (only just arrived, but pinched by Perpignan!) and Kevin Barrett, Myles Dorrian back to Bedord in the championship, Mark Foster off to Jersey, Nic Sestaret, Junior Polulleilaga and Josh Tatupu. Several of our academy youngster will be expected to step up and assume a much bigger load, including some that have already featured recently, Jack Nowell and Dave Ewers, some from the England U20 set-up, Henry Slade, Luke Cowan-Dickie (possible as a hooker rather than loosehead) and Sam Hill, and others like Will Carrick-Smith (off to spend time with Randwick for their season) and Jack Arnott.

And that'll be it for the Chiefs. Sure our guys keep improving and the production line of youngsters is extremely healthy (at both U20 and U18 level), but I fear that we're realistically looking at competing for 5th-8th again next year and are 3-4 top class players away from having a shot at breaking in to the top 4. However given the financial disparities reported elsewhere on other threads, and the plans to redevelop Sandy Park in phases, I guess budgets will remain tight at Exe for some time to come

Don't the Chiefs have a P share? That should mean they get the same cash as the other AP clubs.

I can't see Exeter losing out with any of the players that are leaving, the youngsters coming through look good too.

Sam, we bought Leeds' 'P' shares earlier this season at a reported cost of c£5m, so we'll be paying that off for a while, not to mention that there are still massive financial inequalities associated with 'A' shares too (see Kingshu's excellent investigative work on the other thread)

Totally agree on the youngsters tho - very healthy

Some great youngsters coming through for Exeter.

Really like the look of WCS & LCD

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Some great youngsters coming through for Exeter.

Really like the look of WCS & LCD

Is he a prop or a hooker though?

The loose head being pushed into being a hooker.

Fantastic around the park, he'll be a star once he nails a position

Quality player in the loose, is he going to be expected to cover both positions or specialise in one?

Henry Slade's another to watch out for as well.

Chiefs should be happy to be focusing on 5/6th place and always getting HC action, the extra money from that and extra publicity will help them a lot more in the long run then a few galacticos. And to be fair when you look at how Welsh are doing at the mo, and in the past Leeds, Wuss and Bris then Chiefs are still way ahead of themselves.

As far as I could tell he was a prop until England decided to try and change him, happy to be corrected.

The way scrums are going now you may as well pack down with 3 props (didn't France do that in the early 90s?).

LondonTiger wrote:As far as I could tell he was a prop until England decided to try and change him, happy to be corrected.

The way scrums are going now you may as well pack down with 3 props (didn't France do that in the early 90s?).

LT, you are absolutely spot on - not sure whether it was a Rob Hunter thing (now at Exe of course) or a dictat from further up the ladder? But its a classic case of three props if ever I saw one. LCD has a fair way to go with getting his darts right to be fair, altho his bro (TCD) has been helping him apparently

yappy, agree that Henry Slade is one to watch - expect him to feature as Steeno's back-up a lot more in the next year, with a view to taking over from him the season after next

LondonTiger wrote:As far as I could tell he was a prop until England decided to try and change him, happy to be corrected.

The way scrums are going now you may as well pack down with 3 props (didn't France do that in the early 90s?).

In the unlikely event that the IRB ever get their act together regarding the scrum and we see a return to good old scrummaging where the ball is put in straight and the hooker is actually required to hook, could we end up seeing a generation of hookers lacking the basic skills to fulfill the role of hooker and lacking the technique to return to propping?

Very possible, HKC

That raises an interesting question of players who have had their careers badly effected by rule changes (e.g. lifting in the lineout, breakdown interpretations as well)

On the more unknown names, I remember reading Will Carrick-Smith's profile a while back and thinking he was flipping massive 6ft 10in and 20+ stone or something ridiculous like that. Can he play as well as being big?

He's developing, Cumbrian, not there yet - needs to kick on from being an age-group bully cos of his size and offer something more

6'10 and 20 stone is crazy!

Jesus, heck of a lump. Haven't even heard the name before. The largest player ever contracted to an Aviva Club apparently?! Not a bad acolade.

Is he getting regular first team action yet? What's his play like?

Sorry, I undersold him by and inch and half-ish a stone:

http://www.exeterchiefs.co.uk/players-staff/players/will-carrick-smith/

I've met WCS, another one of my friend's friends, inc Kvesic, and one who went to her 21st Birthday party

Incredibly tall man

Nice guy CJ? What about Kvesic?

I know it's premature, but England could do with a lump like him coming through the ranks

Kvesic's meant to be a quiet kid, one of my uni friends when to school with him at Taunton.

WC-S looks like he could be a decent player, looked decent in the LV games I've seen him play in.

I've never met Kvesic, just share a mutual friend who went to Blundells and may have unwittingly played him at rugby if he went to Taunton. WCS was very polite and we chatted briefly about rugby briefly so he seemed nice enough

but I fear that we're realistically looking at competing for 5th-8th again next year and are 3-4 top class players away from having a shot at breaking in to the top 4.

Why should you fear ASBO?

You are maintaining a solid premiership standing...from having a strong collective unit/team without any superstars.

However, whilst you do this, you are now producing a whole raft of potentially very impressive individual stars, who have been brought through in a club with a great "team" culture, that should take you to the next level. Things can only get better if you ask me. Win / Win

WCS played all 4 LV pool games this season, scoring in the first 2, and A games, as well as being dual-registered with Taunton. There was also a loan/triple-registration with Plymouth later this season, but I'm not sure if he played for them or not.

A corner-flagging (and try saving) tackle in an A game impressed me with his mobility.

I know it's premature, but England could do with a lump like him coming through the ranks

Ed Slater has developed well and is showing off some great form at the minute, he'll add some weight to the England boiler room sooner rather than later. Pretty much small fry compared to this giant mind. If he combines with the England under 20s and Tigers lock Price it'll be a nightmare for opposition lineouts as Price is a lineout operator and is 6 foot 10 though considerably lighter.

Dubbelyew L Overate wrote:WCS played all 4 LV pool games this season, scoring in the first 2, and A games, as well as being dual-registered with Taunton. There was also a loan/triple-registration with Plymouth later this season, but I'm not sure if he played for them or not.

A corner-flagging (and try saving) tackle in an A game impressed me with his mobility.

nice info, cheers Dubbelyew

formerly known as Sam wrote:

I know it's premature, but England could do with a lump like him coming through the ranks

Ed Slater has developed well and is showing off some great form at the minute, he'll add some weight to the England boiler room sooner rather than later. Pretty much small fry compared to this giant mind. If he combines with the England under 20s and Tigers lock Price it'll be a nightmare for opposition lineouts as Price is a lineout operator and is 6 foot 10 though considerably lighter.

Slater's been on absolute fire this season. His performance against Saints last weekend was awesome, and like you said Sam, he'll be in the England ranks sooner rather than later. I'm sure he'll be selected for the summer tour. I wasn't sure of him on the flank when he first started for the first team, but I think he's settled in the second row superbly.

Possible future pairing of a 6'10 and 6'11 locks.....seems to be the way the game is evolving!

Wasnt Johnson (6'8) and Bayfield (6'10) our last monster second row...

I thought Johnson was more 6'6? Bayfield is huge though, and 6'10 sounds about right.

In other transfer news, 24 year old Phil Burgess of the Cornish Pirates (and, for one game, of Exeter's A team on loan) has signed for England 7's. He's been the Championship's outstanding flanker in the last three seasons and I'd be amazed if he hadn't previously turned down offers from front rank teams.

Expect similar high quality players to get snatched up in the next few years! Olympic medals will have that effect...

ChequeredJersey wrote:Expect similar high quality players to get snatched up in the next few years! Olympic medals will have that effect...

True, but I'd doubt any player good enough to grace a AP first team would. Burgess is a good player, but Glaws, Tigers, Irish, Wuss and Newcastle have all been on the look out for a proper 7 this season and none have signed him and I think that is rather telling. He'll make an excellent 7s player though.

Burgess continuation in the Championship has been a mystery. Unless he's failed miserably on some trials or is a real helmet off the field he should be higher up the league structure.

His performance against Saints last weekend was awesome, and like you said Sam, he'll be in the England ranks sooner rather than later. I'm sure he'll be selected for the summer tour.

Blue, if he doesn't go on the summer tour Lancaster needs his head looking at, Courtney Lawes and George Robson are way off form and we desperately need more bulk in the England pack. Ed has made phenomenal progress from semi pro flanker to professional enforcer. He's really taken Deacon as a role model and that has helped him massively.

I'd quite like to see Ed partner Lawes as they'd compliment each other well. Ed should definitely be in there for Robson who while quality for Quins to me just isn't an International.

I really like Ed Slater, but don't think he is anything more than a very good club player - but he should be given the chance to tour Argentina as he deserves his shot.

I can't see Lancaster doing it, but he should drop Lawes from the EPS. He has got the potential to be a top player, but in the last 2 years he has failed to hit those heights.

The thing that has amazed me about Slater is his turn of pace. He is doing the day to day jobs of a second row very well but his turn of pace and the size he has means his carrying is invaluable in both the tight and the loose. This weekend will be the biggest test he has had so far so I look forward to see how he goes.