Transfers 2014/2015 Season

Well silly season is almost upon us so thought I would keep tabs on the comings and goings.  Will put the confirmed transfers, unconfirmed transfers (rumours) and out of contract players into various columns.  Please post any news or rumours and I will keep the original post updated.

Confirmed
Jon Davies (Scarlets) to Clermont
Regan King (Clermont) to Scarlets
Ian Evans (Ospreys) to Toulon
John Afoa (Ulster) to Gloucester
Rory Kockott (Castres) to Toulon (reportedly trying to cancel deal to stay at Castres)
Richard Hibbard (Ospreys) to Gloucester
Mamuka Gorgodze (Montpellier) to Toulon
Sebastien Vahaamahina (Perpignan) to Clermont
Guilhem Guirado (Perpignan) to Toulon
Robin Copeland (Blues) to Munster
Armitev (Northampton) to Russia (unconfirmed club)
Qera (Gloucester) to Toulouse
Casey Laulala (Munster to France (Club unconfirmed but thought to be Racing Metro)
Tom Court (Ulster) to London Irish
Andre Pretorius (Blues) to Worcester
Zac Guildford (New Zealand) to Clermont
Sivivatu (Clermont) to Castres
Aled Brew (Biarritz) to Dragons
Lee Byrne (Clermont) to Dragons
Dwayne Peel (Sale) to Bristol
Thomas Waldrom (Leicester) to Exeter
Dan Evans (Dragons) to Ospreys
Ieuan Jones (Dragons) to Blues
Jean-Philippe Genevois (Biarritz) to Perpignan
Benoit Cabello (Clermont) to Perpignan
Sakiusa Matadigo (Racing) to Perpignan
Jonathan Wisniewski (Racing) to Grenoble
Leigh Halfpenny (Blues) to Toulon
Josh Turnbull (Scarlets) to Blues
Nick Abendanon (Bath) to Clermont
Anthony Perenise (Bath) to Bristol
Craig Mitchell (Exeter) to Blues
Hoani Tui (Exeter) to Lyon
Tavis Knoyle (Gloucester) to Blues
Marland Yarde (London Irish) to Harlequins
Neil Cochrane (Wasps) to Edinburgh
Henry Thomas (Sale) to Bath
Josh Matavesi (Worcester) to Ospreys
Nick Auterac (Saracens) to Bath
Boris Stankovich (Leicester) to Dragons
Bradley Davies (Blues) to London Wasps
Moray Low (Glasgow) to Exeter
Chris Cussiter (Glasgow) to Sale
Matt Stevens (Saracens) to Sharks
Sam Smith (Harlequins) to Worcester
James Gaskell (Sale) to Wasps


Unconfirmed
Martin Moore (Leinster) to France
Freddie Burns (Gloucester) to Leicester
Matthew Morgan (Ospreys) to Leicester/Northampton/Dragons
Toby Flood (Leicester) to Toulon/Toulouse
Niki Genova (Leicester) to Castres
Jim Hamilton (Montpellier) to Japan
Anthony Allen (Leicester) to Leinster
Lote Tuquiri (Leinster) to Connacht
Johnnie Beattie (Montpellier) to Castres
Brice Dulin (Castres) to Racing Metro
Antonie Claassen (Castres) to Racing Metro
Eion Griffin (Connacht) to London Irish
Gavin Henson (Bath) to Dragons



Out of Contract
Adam Jones (Ospreys)
Keith Earls (Munster)
Rob Hawkins (Leicester)
Louis Deacon (Leicester)
Daniel Bowden (Leicester)
Scott Hamilton (Leicester)



Retiring
Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster)
Andrew Sheridan (Toulon - unconfirmed)
Steve Borthwick (Saracens)
Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon) - might be playing on for another season.
Sebastien Bruno (Toulon)
George Chuter (Leicester) moving to Worcester coaching
Johann Muller (Ulster)
Mike Tindall (Gloucester - unconfirmed)
Ian Gough (London Irish - unconfirmed)
Will James (Gloucester)

Tom Court is going to London Irish.

Richard Hibbard is also strongly linked with Gloucester.

Priestland to Gloucester or Wasps.

The Rabo could be a shocking league next year if a few more of those players leave

Unconfirmed
Waldrom - bath/France
Goneva - Castres
Matthew Morgan - Saints
David Denton - Tigers
Hamilton - Japan
Burns - Tigers
Halfpenny - Toulon

some relevant intra-T14 transfers (confirmed) :
- Gorgodze (Montpelier) to Toulon
- Vahaamahina (Perpignan) to Clermont
- Guirado (Perpignan) to Toulon (replaces Bruno who is retiring)
 
Sivivatu move to Castres is pretty much confirmed as well

is 1/2p to Toulon really more than a rumour?

mine where all unconfirmed (so rumours)

Gloucester confirm Hibbard and Afoa

Heard Muller (Ulster) was considering retiring or returning to South Africa. Not sure about this though so will leave it to an Ulster fan to confirm.

The following are also out of contract at Tigers in the summer - Stankovitch, Chuter, Hawkins, Deacon, Crane, Bowden, Allen, Hamilton, Thompstone, Benjamin and obviously the Flood, Waldrom and Goneva rumours are covered above.

Rumoured in is also the Rotherham number 8 who was born and raised in Leicestershire. Leinster rumoured to be interested in Allen.

Unconfirmed
Henry Thomas -> Bath
George Chuter -> Worcester Warriors academy Coach
Lote Tuqiri -> Connacht

Tom Court has been confirmed by the man himself in a recent article in the Daily Mail - just not by the club yet.

Updated - anyone know any other free agents or rumours?

Tom Biggs has signed with Hull league side for next season

I think you can add Muller to the retiring section rather than the Out of Contract section - although of course both are true

geoff998rugby wrote:I think you can add Muller to the retiring section rather than the Out of Contract section - although of course both are true

Done.

Rumour - Rhys Preistland is being lined up by Wasps.

Copeland to Munster on a two year deal.

What age is Copeland? Seems like it could be a very good signing.

Copeland is 26 Band. SOB confirmed to Clermont according to Clermont fans.

It would be nice if Quins signed someone of note - recent signings haven't really paid off, apart from Molenar as a medical joker.

Dan Parks to Toulouse - unconfirmed rumour.

Well you know how the French are. "If you can't beat them take all their players".

George Carlin wrote:Dan Parks to Toulouse - unconfirmed rumour.

  

Seriously though he's no worst than beauxis!

so Toulon will have

Mamuka Gorgodze
Fernandez lobbe
Juan smit
Chris masoe
Steffan armitage
VAn nierkierk
Roussow
Pierrick Gunther

looking a bit light then !

I'd imagine at least one of Masoe (34) or Roussow (35) or Van Niekerk (33) might retire next year

and with fernadez lobbe and smits injury problems perhaps they will be light then !! who else will they sign, schalk burger and stephen ferris would fit the mould.

I know it isn't a transfer, but Gary Gold has just left Bath with immediate effect!

Well that's a big shock. Player rebellion, fall out with Bruce Craig or family issues? Certainly isn't on field problems.

No idea. I'm not going to risk speculating now, i'm sure lawyers will be involved. I notice GG has already deleted some of his recent tweets

From that list in an ideal world if we (Scarlet's) could sign:
Thomas Waldrom
Aled Brew
with King already Confirmed

Keep hold of Scott and Rhys I would be a very happy man

A lot of rumor there i didn't know, I think the Irish are going to get a few players going to France next year, quite a lot out of contract, its scary that not even European forces like the Irish regions will be able to keep their Irish stars, but if a French club wants a player that bad, i believe they will get them no matter how much its costs. The most scary for you though should be the likes of Martin Moore, that would be the worst in my view; you don't want him to fade away into a team like Tolouse, Racing or Toulouse because he won't get played. I've give up over here because I know we can't compete anymore but I hope the Irish can make a bit of a stand agaisnt thee gready b@st@rds.

Jvn is retiring end of the seaso

Heaslip ---> Toulose

Welly wrote:Heaslip ---> Toulose

Really? Do they need another international number 8? If anything they could have gone after someone who is not selected by his country anymore! Why would Heaslip central contract not be renewed ?

propdavid_london wrote:It would be nice if Quins signed someone of note - recent signings haven't really paid off, apart from Molenar as a medical joker.

Yea Hopefully Molenar will stay with us. Is that possible? Sackey i guess will probably retire from rugby. I'd love us to make a slightly bigger signing but can't see it unless we lose someone. Apparently all three of our hookers are up for contract renewals next season (Buchanan, Gray and Ward) wouldn't want to lose any of them.

it'll come as an upset but I just read that Phil Vickery has retired as well.

yappysnap wrote:

propdavid_london wrote:It would be nice if Quins signed someone of note - recent signings haven't really paid off, apart from Molenar as a medical joker.

Yea Hopefully Molenar will stay with us. Is that possible? Sackey i guess will probably retire from rugby. I'd love us to make a slightly bigger signing but can't see it unless we lose someone. Apparently all three of our hookers are up for contract renewals next season (Buchanan, Gray and Ward) wouldn't want to lose any of them.

it'll come as an upset but I just read that Phil Vickery has retired as well.

You ARE joking!!    

Very sad news about Big Phil Vickery. Will he play until the end of this season?

Are you guys serious about O'Brien and Heaslip? Sexton doesn't seem to happy with himself over in Paris. I think that Irish players don't actually have retire in Ireland to get all that lovely tax back anymore. So we'll probably lose older players. Losing O'Brien would be terrible though. The way he plays, and the number of games they're expected to play in France; it'd be bad for his health.

Buchanan should be the priority there Yappy, he's an excellent prospect and good enough to be Saxons go to hooker this season. Ward and Gray are good but in the grand scheme of things replaceable though Quins will want to avoid that.

Molenaar in and Sackey out should be straight forward. Quins have no real fat to trim but I also doubt they are bouncing off the top of the cap even with London inflation. Must have a little wriggle room for an extra player, not a big name but a little reinforcement. If Mo goes there should be a sizeable chunk of wage cap to play with.

Two Irish internationals to be announced tommorow joining the Top14. if you can't beat em buy em right?

Welly wrote:Heaslip ---> Toulose

i can't believe that unless picamoles is retiring or also moving on.

gillian galan is currently keeping picamoles out of the toulouse starting XV, so with the greatest respect to heaslip, i dont see them needing another 8, especially another player who doesnt speak the language, no matter how good he is.

It looks like its two from Murray, Heaslip, SOB and Donnacha Ryan. My guess would be Heaslip land Ryan.

I think we should follow New Zealand's example and only select players who play in Ireland to play for Ireland.

Heaslip is the highest paid player in Ireland isn't he? So if he goes to an inferior team in France for more money, then there's nothing else the IRFU can do. At least they're not dumb enough to try and match the French wages and bankrupt themselves.

I wonder are Leinster particularly vulnerable now because, having won three HC's an Amlin Cup and two league titles since 2008, there's really nothing left for them to achieve here.

From what I have heard Heaslip and O'brien are the ones going to toulose and clermont.

But then again I'm proberley wrong I'm not 100% just things I have heard.

Guess we will find out tomorrow.

Also talks now that Halfpenny is going to clermont and Byrne is leaving,

I'd have thought Tolouse have been prioritising a flyhalf. McAllister and Beauxis are not really doing the business for them.

Dan parks will cover that

Where are Glaws getting this money from?

http://www.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/story/208457.html

The heaslip + SOB move to clermont and/or Toulouse has been apparently reported by the daily star. Maybe they will go to Racing as word is that Lorenzetti is secretly trying to reunitethe lions   

Garry Gold leaving Bath as DoR. Don't know what or where he is off to!

whocares wrote:The heaslip + SOB move to clermont and/or Toulouse has been apparently reported by the daily star. Maybe they will go to Racing as word is that Lorenzetti is secretly trying to reunitethe lions   

Talk of Murray going too. Martin Moore of Leinster is set to reject offers from Racing though aparently.

Casey Laulala is almost certainly bound for Grenoble next season.

Murray has signed a 2 year deal with Munster.   

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/news/12619.php#.UqbxJvRdVKY

Murray Staying With Munster
10 December 2013, 10:32 am
By The Editor
The IRFU and Munster are pleased to announce that Conor Murray has signed a new two-year contract with the IRFU which will see him remain at Munster until at least June 2O16.
Conor made his senior debut for Munster against Connacht in April 2010 and the Munster Rugby academy graduate has made 49 appearances for the province, scoring 6 tries. He made his Ireland debut against France in a World Cup warm-up in August 2011 and the 24 year old has won 22 International caps and has scored 2 international tries.
His last appearance for Ireland was in November 2013 against New Zealand in the recent Guinness Series reverse.
Murray was selected for the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour of Australia and featured in seven of the Lions’ tour matches including the final two Test matches. He scored two tries for the Lions touching down against Combined NSW-QLD Country and the Melbourne Rebels.
IRFU, CEO, Philip Browne, said, “Conor has made a significant impact on Munster and Irish rugby since making his breakthrough in 2011. We are delighted that he has signed a new contract that will keep him at Munster until the end of the 2016 season.”
Munster Head Coach Rob Penny said; “We are delighted that Conor has signed a new IRFU contract which will secure him to Munster until the end of the 2016 season. Conor has illustrated in recent months the value he brings to not only Munster but to the national team as well. At 24 he is still a young guy and he has the potential to go on to become one of the best scrum-halves in the game.”
Commenting on the new contract Conor Murray said; “I am thrilled to sign a new IRFU contract and to continue playing my rugby with Munster. In 2013 I learned a lot as a player with my club, Ireland and the Lions and I hope to continue to develop and push for honours over the coming years.”
The positive news comes after his disappointing early exit from the round 3 Heineken Cup Perpignan clash on Sunday. It has been confirmed that Murray, who was replaced after 17 minutes, sustained medial ligament damage to his right knee and will be out of action for up to 6 weeks.