Cardiff Blues Season Thread 2 - Rey Lee-Lo signs long term at centre

[wales606]

First topic message reminder :

Prop
Gethin Jenkins, Adam Jones, Taufa'ao Filise, Craig Mitchell, Sam Hobbs, Scott Andrews, Thomas Davies, Dillon Lewis

Hooker
Matthew Rees, Kristian Dacey, Marc Breeze, Rhys Williams, Ethan Lewis

2nd Row
Jarrad Hoeata, Filo Paulo, Lou Reed, Chris Dicomidis, Miles Normadale

Flanker
Sam Warburton, Josh Turnbull, Macauley Cook, Ellis Jenkins, Josh Navidi, Rory Watts-Jones, Jevon Groves, Ben Roach

Eight
Manoa Vosawai, Ieaun Jones

Scrum half
Tavis Knoyle, Lloyd Williams, Lewis Jones, Tomos Williams

Fly half
Rhys Patchell, Gareth Anscombe, Gareth Davies, Simon Humberstone, Jarrod Evans, Will Thomas

Centre
Cory Allen, Dafydd Hewitt, Gavin Evans, Richard Smith, Tom Pascoe, Adam Thomas, Garyn Smith (Ray Lee-Lo)

Wing
Alex Cuthbert, George Watkins, Lucas Amorisino, Harry Davies, Owen Jenkins, Chris Knight, Tom Williams (Tom James)

Full back
Joaquin Tuculet, Dan Fish, Geraint Walsh, Aled Summerhill

[wales606]

Jesus, that is really not good. Really :/

[XR]

Yeah, OW's career in rugby has probably ended but the main focus is him making as much of a recovery as he possibly can. All the best Owen.

[Guest]

What do you lot think the match day squad is going to look like next season? We seem to have a lot of back and 2nd rowers and not enough anything else

[Bluedragon]

Owen Williams paralysed from chest down. initially was paralysed from neck down.

terrible terrible news for him and his family. Hope that somehow he regains some mobility.

: - (

[dragon4life]

What do you lot think the match day squad is going to look like next season? We seem to have a lot of back and 2nd rowers and not enough anything else

1.Jenkins
2.Rees
3.Mitchell
4.Paulo
5.Hoeta
6.Navidi
7.Warburton
8.Vosawi
9.Williams
10.Patchell
11.Watkins
12. Hewitt
13.Allen
14.Cutherburt
15.Fish

16.Dacey
17.Hobbs?
18.Andrews
19.Reed
20.I.Jones
21.Noyle
22.?
23.?

[Guest]

Owen Williams paralysed from chest down. initially was paralysed from neck down.

terrible terrible news for him and his family. Hope that somehow he regains some mobility.

: - (

Whered you hear that?

[Bluedragon]

From a work colleague who has a friend who knows him..........

If feel for him and I don't even know him, must be awful for his family

[Bluedragon]

add josh Turnbull - current welsh international to the bench ?

[dragon4life]

Forgot him, probably a starter at 6 I would assume

[dragon4life]

You have a good starting team that imo could compete with anyome on their day but you seem to lack depth especially front 5 like Dragons. I think your expectations should be top 6 and quaters in challenge cup

[Guest]

My worry is the lack of depth in the backline, no genunine back up to Patchell or the centres, lack a bit of fullback cover as well. And I'm not overly impressed with our 9's.

[Coleman]

I still find it interesting that Sam is telling the media that he is "100%" playing for the Blues next season. He's been in pre season for two weeks with us aswell.

Really hope Turnball plays like he has been for Wales for us. I'd prefer him at 6, Vosawi at 8 and Navidi at 7. With Cook covering when Turnball when he's away with Wales. We need to find more game time for Ellis Jenkins aswell.

[wales606]

We have pretty good depth in the backrow

6. Turnball / Navidi / Cook
7. Warburton / Jenkins
8. Vosawi / Jones

[Jhamer25]

Yes do you guys know if your making anymore signings, especaily in the backs?

[wales606]

Yes do you guys know if your making anymore signings, especaily in the backs?

Fairly likely, yes

[Guest]

Hope we can get someone like Anscombe in personally

[Coleman]

I'd like Anscombe, and not as a merc for the Welsh team for RWC15. But as a guy who wants to come to our region, and do something productive. We could also really do with a solid full back. Dan Fish still has some development, but then again starting all season could help him reach his potential much faster.

[Jhamer25]

Is is fair to say a cover 10, winger, fullback and sadly now a center due to Owen Williams' injury. You released Tuifua for some reason.
The pack is looking really good, just need to set the backs alight.

[doctornickolas]

Is is fair to say a cover 10, winger, fullback and sadly now a center due to Owen Williams' injury. You released Tuifua for some reason.
The pack is looking really good, just need to set the backs alight.

Anscombe could easily be a 15 who covers 10. I guess Owen was someone who could do the centre/wing job but sadly they may now need to recruit in that area. Tragic news as I could see Patchell, Owen and Cory being a great midfield for the Blues for years to come.

[Blueschief]

We signed Adam Thomas the Wales 7s captain a few weeks ago, he can cover full back and centre. He's not been added to the list in the OP.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/27696278

[Guest]

New S&C coaches from the Hurricanes and looks like Robin Snowden Taylor has joined the staff as well, is he going to lump the Blues players into his CrossFit gym I wonder?

[wales606]

Geraint Walsh, Ponty Fullback/Centre has signed for us for next season

[Jhamer25]

Well at least Pontypridd can't complain about not being represented as a region anymore. Half of their players are playing for the Blues next season.

[ScarletSpiderman]

Well at least Pontypridd can't complain about not being represented as a region anymore. Half of their players are playing for the Blues next season.

Mmm that dirty region taking on all our good players just to weaken us in the welsh prem.

[Cardiff Dave]

Well at least Pontypridd can't complain about not being represented as a region anymore. Half of their players are playing for the Blues next season.

Paid for by Cardiff or will Ponty be chipping in?

[ScarletSpiderman]

http://www.cardiffblues.com/news/7099.php#.U9DMWfldV8E

I know we all knew it was happening, but I didn't actually expect it to. Congrats on a very positive signing.

[HammerofThunor]

Will he be playing for Wales by the AI or 6N?

[Coleman]

You'd assume he'd be in the AI squad. Gats likes him. Hopefully Patch will not be in the Wales squad so he can ger more game time.

[Guest]

Good signing for us, covering the positions we need backup in

[Cardiff Dave]

Bloos lose to Exeter 24-17. Over to you Hammer.

[wales606]

Very poor and rusty performance, scoreline flatters us,

Some improvement in the second half, but our execution was shambolic as was the defence at times,

Good to see Patchell back, not to bad return after 8 months out - his kicking was the about the only thing going forward in the first half as the forwards got bullied behind the gainline,

Cory Allen came on with 20 to go and looked a class above in that backline.

[wales606]

Very poor and rusty performance, scoreline flatters us,

Some improvement in the second half, but our execution was shambolic as was the defence at times,

Good to see Patchell back, not to bad return after 8 months out - his kicking was the about the only thing going forward in the first half as the forwards got bullied behind the gainline,

Cory Allen came on with 20 to go and looked a class above in that backline.

[wales606]

Oh, and if Ellis Jenkins isn't starting somewhere in that backrow come the end of the season I will eat my hat.

[Cardiff Dave]

Oh, and if Ellis Jenkins isn't starting somewhere in that backrow come the end of the season I will eat my hat.

His favourite group is Take That   ;
http://www.cardiffrfc.com/Teams/Player?PersonId=145572

[wales606]

Chief of Patchell

“He’s very versatile and, without giving anything away, he could play in other positions. It’s great to see him on the pitch and it’s a big boost for the boys.”

Not what I wanted to hear to be honest, it means we are likely too see Anscombe playing at flyhalf with Patchell 12 and Allen 13.

[XR]

Not ideal but gives a bit of creativity in at 12 which we have lacked for years.

[dragon4life]

Adam Jones signed or just randomly in the squad photo?

[Chunky Norwich]

signed according to BBCRoger

[Guest]

What a waste of a signing. If you were Mitchell or Andrews with their own ambitions, you shouldn't be happy.

[dragon4life]

He will probably not be on international duty much so will have him all year good club player but the money should have been spent elsewhere

[PenfroPete]

Wales and British and Irish Lions prop Adam Jones has signed for Cardiff Blues.

The surprise move was confirmed after the region tweeted a picture of their squad that included the former Osprey.

Jones, 33, left the Swansea-based region at the end of 2013-14.

He was expected to re-sign for Ospreys if and when the dispute between the Welsh Rugby Union and Wales' four regions comes to an end. But 95-times-capped Jones has instead moved east.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/28856090

[Chunky Norwich]

Adam Jones has today advised Ospreys Rugby that he will not be re-signing and instead has signed a contract with another region.

We are disappointed with this outcome having worked closely with Adam over a period of many months to find a resolution to the situation that satisfied all parties.

An initial contract offer that was unconditional on any Participation Agreement was made as far back as 2012, an offer that was declined by the player. A further unconditional offer was then made in October 2013 which was subsequently declined as he declared his interest in signing a central contract with the Welsh Rugby Union.

When the proposed central contract failed to materialise we re-entered negotiations and, in good faith, made a new contract offer to the player which was dependent on the terms of any new Participation Agreement which may be concluded.

As has been widely reported, that offer still remains on the table.

While we remain in a difficult situation in terms of no resolution to the Participation Agreement and not knowing our full revenue stream for 2014/15 and beyond, our financial forward planning allowed us to re-contract 16 players as well as completing the signing of eight new players for the coming season.

Unfortunately, with Adam rejecting unconditional offers that were made prior to the expiry of the previous Participation Agreement, the reduction in guaranteed income post 31st December had a direct impact on our ability to re-contract, particularly with other player commitments already completed.

[wales606]

Prop
Gethin Jenkins, Adam Jones, Taufa'ao Filise, Craig Mitchell, Sam Hobbs, Scott Andrews, Thomas Davies, Dillon Lewis

Hooker
Matthew Rees, Kristian Dacey, Marc Breeze, Rhys Williams, Ethan Lewis

2nd Row
Jarrad Hoeata, Filo Paulo, Lou Reed, Chris Dicomidis, Miles Normadale

Flanker
Sam Warburton, Josh Turnbull, Macauley Cook, Ellis Jenkins, Josh Navidi, Rory Watts-Jones, Jevon Groves, Ben Roach

Eight
Manoa Vosawai, Ieaun Jones

Scrum half
Tavis Knoyle, Lloyd Williams, Lewis Jones, Tomos Williams

Fly half
Rhys Patchell, Gareth Anscombe, Gareth Davies, Simon Humberstone, Jarrod Evans, Will Thomas

Centre
Cory Allen, Dafydd Hewitt, Gavin Evans, Richard Smith, Tom Pascoe, Adam Thomas, Garyn Smith

Wing
Alex Cuthbert, George Watkins, Harry Davies, Owen Jenkins, Chris Knight, Tom Williams

Full back
Dan Fish, Geraint Walsh, Aled Summerhill

[Newsilure]

Definitely starting to look like a serious match day squad
1.Jenkins
2.Rees/Dacey (not sure which)
3.Jones
4.Paulo
5.Hoeta
6.Turnbull
7.Warburton
8.Vosawi
9.Williams/Knoyle (I still think Williams can do it but he needs to improve)
10.Patchell(I am afraid he may be moved to 12 but he has skills/physique to be a success there as well)
11.Watkins
12. Allen
13. Smith (Hewitt/Evans have had their chance)
14.Cutherbert
15. Anscombe

16.Dacey/Rees
17.Filise
18.Mitchell
19.Cook/Reed
20.Navidi
21.Jenkins
22.Noyle/Williams
23.Fish
a 6/2 split for me on the bench as our artificial pitch seems to sap forward stamina quickly and Patchell and Anscombe cover each other and inside centre while Smith can cover wing(just) if Fish has come on at FB

[Notch]

I reckon you're gonna see them swap Patchell and Anscombe from your team. Blues are building nicely though. Should be certs for Top 6.

[George Carlin]

What can you tell uninitiated muppets such as myself about George Watkins?

With that name, he surely should be running an ironmonger on a street corner in the 1940s.

[PenfroPete]

What can you tell uninitiated muppets such as myself about George Watkins?

With that name, he surely should be running an ironmonger on a street corner in the 1940s.

http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Wales-dream-sees-Watkins-make/story-20492634-detail/story.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/25864930

Looks like a good signing

[George Carlin]

51 tries in 87 appearances?

Who does he think he is, Tim Visser?  

[The Saint]

Assuming Turnbull continues this rich vein of form, who plays at 6 and 7?

[wales606]

Assuming Turnbull continues this rich vein of form, who plays at 6 and 7?

It is going to be interesting,

Navidi has been consistently good for us and was vice-captain last season

Ellis Jenkins has been awesome for the last 6 months and will only get better with more time

Turnball was outstanding in SA, if he plays like that for us, he will be very hard to drop,

and then their is also Sam Warburton


So that's 4 players for 2 spots at 6 & 7.

If everyone stays fit, I expect we will see Turnball and Warburton start the big games, and I won't be surprised if we see Jenkins leapfrog Navidi on the bench as he would be a more powerful bench option.

Of course, with injured and call ups we will likely see the fit/available 3 all in the 23.

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