Lawes and Hartley Re-sign for Saints

Great news for Saints, especially after the talk about Hartley going to France. With both Wallers, Clark, Denman, Kahn Fotuali'i, Pisi (G), Myler and Dowson also recently announced as staying we should remain strong for a few more years without needing to import on mass.

I can't really see anyone with England ambitions going to France with a RWC coming up, money may be better but the "England Player" tag adds a lot to your marketing value.

Great news and blows the 'Hartley going to France' stuff out of the water. I really can't see Lawes going anywhere unless things go pearshaped for him. One of the benefits of playing local lads.

Agents talking guff again? I suppose this is the best time to play that game and see what a guy is really worth to the club he already belongs to.

But also, probably one of the best times for a club to call a player's bluff too "Oh you want to go to France for the big pay-off do ya? Well you go right ahead, we won't stop you. Lancs won't be happy to hear it but you have to look after number one, we appreciate that"

The report I saw had Hartley saying he turned down a big offer from Montpellier to stay at Saints.

"Hartley the Saint! - sort of has a nice ring to it eh

I just love that he has a column in the Sun.

HammerofThunor wrote:I just love that he has a column in the Sun.

Is it on P3 with the rest of the big jubblies?

HammerofThunor wrote:Great news and blows the 'Hartley going to France' stuff out of the water.  I really can't see Lawes going anywhere unless things go pearshaped for him. One of the benefits of playing local lads.

This is great news (in order) for me, Saints, England. As a Saints supporter we need to keep our home grown talent, even better that some are Northamptonshire lads. Not only keeping these two, but 5 other key players. The rumours were flying pretty heavily over the last week or so, but somehow Saints did exactly what they need to do to keep the squad intact. I am a happy boy.

Which part of Rotorua is in Northampton Grey?

RubyGuby wrote:Which part of Rotorua is in Northampton Grey?  

The bit in Sussex where he moved to when he was 16 before going through the English schools and age group teams. So I suppose you are right, not a local Northampton lad

I thought it was Cornwall or Devon to live with his grandma while he was at Worcester's academy?

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:

RubyGuby wrote:Which part of Rotorua is in Northampton Grey?  

The bit in Sussex where he moved to when he was 16 before going through the English schools and age group teams. So I suppose you are right, not a local Northampton lad

So home grown occurs after 16 years of age then - You're probably right with that and the residency rule.

RubyGuby wrote:

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:

RubyGuby wrote:Which part of Rotorua is in Northampton Grey?  

The bit in Sussex where he moved to when he was 16 before going through the English schools and age group teams. So I suppose you are right, not a local Northampton lad

So home grown occurs after 16 years of age then - You're probably right with that and the residency rule.

Boys, boys, boys.
The point I was making was Hartley was developed by Saints from a relatively young age and was nurtured and groomed by Saints.  A one club man.  Not someone we hired from a different club.  I didn't mean he was a Northaptonshire lad exactly like the Wallers and Lawes, who re-signed with Saints as well.  

Now, to those who just clapped me about the ears for my my apparently errant statement, I want you all to know an old mate of mine from Northamptonshire, not the city, retired to Rotorua.  Or somewhere near the 40th parallel (south).  He is a Northampton man through and through, though his wife is Kiwi.  So everywhere he goes he brings a little bit of Northamptonshire with him.  Given this special circumstance, the logical conclusion is that if one is from Rotorua, one is also, by extension, is also a bit of a Northampton lad as well.  Whch brings us back to Hartley.  I win.  hahaha.

Wasn't Hartley in Worcester's academy?

Plenty of genuine local lads though

Yeah, I don't remember where he started, but spent a year or two in Worcester's academy. Joined Saints in 2004 or 2005.  He is a Saint since age 17 (I think). Almost 10 years now.

Doc you should know your players better. From Saints offy it says got first cap in 2009 three years after joining Saints & as he is 28 my maths make it he joined Saints when he was 20 in 2006.

broadlandboy wrote:Doc you should know your players better. From Saints offy it says got first cap in 2009 three years after joining Saints & as he is 28 my maths make it he joined Saints when he was 20 in 2006.

OK here are my problems:
1. age (mine, not theirs) - If I don't remember what I had for breakfast how am I going to remember when a player joined up?
2. senility - similar to age, but makes it so I don't worry about age so much.
3. maths - According to my old man (the same guy who gave me the creative and colourful nickname Grey) 28 years old, Born 1986. Joined Saints academy in 2005 so with the club 9.5 years. Not sure what year was his first match with the senior squad. But for the record, I wouldn't trust my old man's memory either.

.

doctor_grey wrote:

HammerofThunor wrote:Great news and blows the 'Hartley going to France' stuff out of the water.  I really can't see Lawes going anywhere unless things go pearshaped for him. One of the benefits of playing local lads.

This is great news (in order) for me, Saints, England.  As a Saints supporter we need to keep our home grown talent, even better that some are Northamptonshire lads.  Not only keeping these two, but 5 other key players.  The rumours were flying pretty heavily over the last week or so, but somehow Saints did exactly what they need to do to keep the squad intact.  I am a happy boy.

Given your inability to remember much of anything at the moment can we take that "happy" to be in the same sense as when it's used to describe "Happy Hour"?

No, not really Happy Hour.  
More similar the time in the asylum when the patient is given his medication to make him compliant and Happy. Except without the medication.

Myler, G Pisi, Wilson and Stephenson all resigned. Very good news for Myler and Pisi with the rumours of them leaving.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/30590152

Is Manoa confirmed to be leaving yet?

HammerofThunor wrote:Myler, G Pisi, Wilson and Stephenson all resigned. Very good news for Myler and Pisi with the rumours of them leaving.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/30590152

Is Manoa confirmed to be leaving yet?

Do not believe so. However with all the players announced as have signed new contracts (12) it does look as if he is off. Will be a massive loss, but sure they have the players to cope.

Manoa and Ma'afu are supposedly done deals to Toulon at the end of the season.

Good to see the Saints developed players showing loyalty in the face of big French cash.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Manoa and Ma'afu are supposedly done deals to Toulon at the end of the season.

Good to see the Saints developed players showing loyalty in the face of big French cash.

Manoa does not get additional income from playing for England and endorsements based on playing for England. For Lawes and Hartley the club income might have been higher in Toulon but overall there might might not have been so much in it.

This is true the RFU do pay decent bonuses for those that play. However, in Hartley's case where you're on a final warning over your temperament there are several competitors for your shirt and you are thirty with a three year deal in France in the offing that's a tough call.

Manoa will be a huge loss for Saints but Toulon will probably keep his career going until his mid thirties and on a bigger wedge then he is getting currently.

doctor_grey wrote:

broadlandboy wrote:Doc you should know your players better. From Saints offy it says got first cap in 2009 three years after joining Saints & as he is 28 my maths make it he joined Saints when he was 20 in 2006.

OK here are my problems:
1. age (mine, not theirs) - If I don't remember what I had for breakfast how am I going to remember when a player joined up?
2. senility - similar to age, but makes it so I don't worry about age so much.
3. maths - According to my old man (the same guy who gave me the creative and colourful nickname Grey)  28 years old, Born 1986. Joined Saints academy in 2005 so with the club 9.5 years.  Not sure what year was his first match with the senior squad.  But for the record, I wouldn't trust my old man's memory either.

.

I think he came over when he was about 16 and lived in Sussex for a while, did the England Schoolboys bit (English Mother) and then went to Worcester, before joining Saints a couple of years later in 2005.