Silly Season transfer rumours.....

First topic message reminder :

Well its that time of year...pushing for new contracts...the rumour mill starts to fly...

Any you hear...post them here.....

The first two I've heard...

Priestland to Bath
Carl Fearns - Bath to Falcons.

Bathite wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:

Bathman_in_London wrote:Leicester fans, why on earth would Cockers let Gibson go? He has looked decent to me and is a player at Saxons/just below that level which all clubs need.

I know the salary cap is not something Bath have to worry about , but we were unable to match the offer made to Gibson (money and distance from his studies) AND stay within the cap.

Interesting to see Alex Lewington talking about Tigers' inability to secure and keep young English talent. Can't just be down to money. Tigers' have always been able to secure players on their history, credibility and setup. Maybe that's changing?

Do we not currently have young English talent then?

Sgt_Pooly wrote:First time I've heard Newcastle described as a Pit Village past-it

I wouldn't call Horden or Blackhall, Newcastle either.

I was think more of the Jarrow accent and Newcastle accent and more noticeably their vocabulary being somewhat different, similar but different enough from anyone used to the accent to know the difference.

The pit-yackers accent is similar, but the vocabulary differs village by village.

I remember when we first got married going up to show her off, my cousin said she was going down the road to get her hubbies bait. She thought he was going fishing.

nathan wrote:

Bathite wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:

Bathman_in_London wrote:Leicester fans, why on earth would Cockers let Gibson go? He has looked decent to me and is a player at Saxons/just below that level which all clubs need.

I know the salary cap is not something Bath have to worry about :run: , but we were unable to match the offer made to Gibson (money and distance from his studies) AND stay within the cap.

Interesting to see Alex Lewington talking about Tigers' inability to secure and keep young English talent. Can't just be down to money. Tigers' have always been able to secure players on their history, credibility and setup. Maybe that's changing?

Do we not currently have young English talent then?

Not my words, Lewingtons. Guess he's a bit bitter after leaving. Sour grapes

Interesting to see Alex Lewington talking about Tigers' inability to secure and keep young English talent. Can't just be down to money. Tigers' have always been able to secure players on their history, credibility and setup. Maybe that's changing?

Well to be fair our development of recent talent into first team starters has not been great. If we exclude Manu, who was a freak of nature, then Balmain is the only recent Academy lad to become anything like a fixture in the team.

However not sure exactly how much differently we could have acted with most of the leavers.

Currently plying their trade in the AP we have:

Ford and 36.
Both subsequently capped, both left to get gametime. Both were competing with English qualified players who were at the time playing well. Would have loved Ford to stay and fight for the shirt - maybe he would have had less injuries last season?

Lewington and Forsyth
We wanted to keep both, but they would have been back up to the likes of Tait, Benjamin and Manu. Both wanted more gametime and the extra salary starting regularly can bring. Neither look like being anything more than decent club players.

Steele (Scottish admittedly), Stevens and Green.
All three released, all some way down the pecking order against primarily English talent. Steele doing well at LI - but I view him as below our top 3 at SH. Stevens seems to have disappeared and Green worked hard at Nottingham and has now done well Falcons. Would still have 3 EQP locks ahead of him at tigers, so moving was right for him.


Then we have the guys in the recent successful U20 sides:

Tom Price - beset by growing pains.
Harry Wells - at Bedford, hope we bring him back.
Henry Purdy - released and doing well at Glaws. Happy for him, but as with Lewington would he ever be more than back-up?
George Catchpole - will probably be released. Not seen enough of him to decide whether he should have featured more for senior teams - certainly Charlie Thacker gets rave reviews, and Oli Bryant looks more accomplished.
Harry thacker - won Tigers Player of the month for November (I think).

Henson to Bristol now confirmed on the beeb

Salvi and Parling are expected to be leaving end of season.

Hopefully we have some big names lined up hopefully.

But Salvi and Parling will be big earners in their own right, and we won't need a like for like replacement for Parling.

Expecting to hear that we have signed:
Alberts/Kaino
Todd/Gill/Cotzee/Pocock(Injury free verison in mint condition)
Le Roux
Crotty

That will do me just fine

But honestly sounds like it could be the biggest overhaul in a long long time.

Already had Burke replaced by Mauger, our head of Academy replaced by our chief scout (With more focus on academy transition to the senior team), Our U17 coachreplaced (According to Sam).

Mauger apparently wanting own staff therefore Muphy rumoured off to Wasps. and wanting to bring in some players.

Currently have going
Parling
Salvi
Gibson
Tait

All players that would be starting or in the 23.

Could be massive to the future of the club this off season. (Or I could be overreacting)

I heard you guys have been heavily linked with Kaino and wouldn't be surprised if Thorn has put in a word to persuade him. 

Who is Tait off to?

Tait is off to Bayonne.

lostinwales wrote:Henson to Bristol now confirmed on the beeb

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/30949459

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/jan/23/gavin-henson-to-leave-bath-for-bristol

Poor Bristol, they must be desperate

Three Welsh flyhalfs. Bristol are gluttons for punishment.

Welly wrote: Salvi and Parling are expected to be leaving end of season.

Hopefully we have some big names lined up hopefully.

But Salvi and Parling will be big earners in their own right, and we won't need a like for like replacement for Parling.

Expecting to hear that we have signed:
Alberts/Kaino
Todd/Gill/Cotzee/Pocock(Injury free verison in mint condition)
Le Roux
Crotty

That will do me just fine

But honestly sounds like it could be the biggest overhaul in a long long time.

Already had Burke replaced by Mauger, our head of Academy replaced by our chief scout (With more focus on academy transition to the senior team), Our U17 coachreplaced (According to Sam).

Mauger apparently wanting own staff therefore Muphy rumoured off to Wasps. and wanting to bring in some players.

Currently have going
Parling
Salvi
Gibson
Tait

All players that would be starting or in the 23.

Could be massive to the future of the club this off season. (Or I could be overreacting)

I'm glad you've made some academy changes. I don't think the Leicester academy punches its weight. How much of this is due to deficiencies at the academy Tigers often appear under-represented at England age group level), and how much due to Cockerill being more reluctant than most to play young players I don't know.

The under 17s coach has been described to me as a bully and more interested in the school (particularly those from the school where he is the PE teacher) last name of the academy candidate as opposed to their ability. That's from two independent sources. The changes in the academy can only be a positive given that is the level where talent is evaluated and brought into the system.

We have a number of high quality graduates from the academy but the quantity of graduates isn't what it could be. That's changed a little bit recently but mainly thanks to the scouting network that identified Balmain, Pasquali and Brugnara as young talents and brought them into the academy. The head of that scouting network is now overseeing the academy as well.

At Academy level, we actually do really well.

Our U18s regularly perform well against Wales and England U18 teams. Last season a win over Wales and narrow defeat to England. Similar in 2013 and two wins in 2012.

Selection of Leicester players in u16s and U18s often lower than I feel it should be - but we have very few players at public schools who make up the bulk of those selected at that age. U20s is often just a continuation of the selection.

We are not great at adding young players to our team - preferring to use slightly more mature players. I copuld point out however that Saints, who have a very good academy (having poached dusty Hare) and are often lauded have very few home grown players in the first choice XV (just Courtney Lawes perhaps). Whereas we would have six guys in our first choice XV who came through the youth system.

We do need to do better with the current crop.

Bath have a different strategy - just use the LI academy

formerly known as Sam wrote:The under 17s coach has been described to me as a bully and more interested in the school (particularly those from the school where he is the PE teacher) last name of the academy candidate as opposed to their ability. That's from two independent sources. The changes in the academy can only be a positive given that is the level where talent is evaluated and brought into the system.

We have a number of high quality graduates from the academy but the quantity of graduates isn't what it could be. That's changed a little bit recently but mainly thanks to the scouting network that identified Balmain, Pasquali and Brugnara as young talents and brought them into the academy. The head of that scouting network is now overseeing the academy as well.

Well that sounds positive. From an English rugby point of view I'd like to see more from Tiger's, and it sounds like the changes should help.

LondonTiger wrote:At Academy level, we actually do really well.

Our U18s regularly perform well against Wales and England U18 teams. Last season a win over Wales and narrow defeat to England. Similar in 2013 and two wins in 2012.

Selection of Leicester players in u16s and U18s often lower than I feel it should be - but we have very few players at public schools who make up the bulk of those selected at that age. U20s is often just a continuation of the selection.

We are not great at adding young players to our team - preferring to use slightly more mature players. I copuld point out however that Saints, who have a very good academy (having poached dusty Hare) and are often lauded have very few home grown players in the first choice XV (just Courtney Lawes perhaps). Whereas we would have six guys in our first choice XV who came through the youth system.

We do need to do better with the current crop.

Yeah, I know the Leicester academy tends to get good results against representative teams, but I suspect that's down to familiarity to a large degree. I think the point of an academy isn't to be produce the most successful academy team, it is to bring through 2-4 high quality players each year who can play with the best age group players at representative level and then who integrate into the first team. I think we all agree the Tiger's academy hasn't been great at that. I don't think it's bias in terms of selection because vast numbers pass through the Leicester academy, and hardly any of them seem to pop up in first teams a few years later.

Incidentally I remember reading the opinion of a fan who follows youth development really closely, and he said that Tiger's sides really stood out at academy level because they, uniquely didn't seem interested in developing skills, taking risks, expansive rugby etc, instead their sides focussed on forward power and grinding other, more ambitious teams down. I don't think it's worked out, and hopefully that will change now.

I think Saints are doing ok. Tom Stephenson will almost certainly play centre for England. Collins and Packman look very promising, the Waller brothers are fine players, Harrison has been involved a bit lately, Hooley has featured this season.

Anyway, hopefully this is a turning point.

Tigers seem to produce a gem every 3/4 years (Cole, Youngs, Tuiagi) but Saints seem to produce more AP level players that do a job.

I always thought with Tigers that they expect a little too much perhaps to start with so youngster rarely get a look in and venture off to find new clubs, Green and Lewington being recent cases.

Green had some good performances for us, a MoTM against Saints when still a teenager springs to mind. however his progress was not as fast as some others - and then Ed Slater burst onto the scene.

When you have locks of the calibre of Slater, Parling, Deacon and Kitch - well it is always a struggle. Green was thus released to nottingham to gain match time, then Falcons took a punt. I do remember telling you guys, who were very sceptical, that he could be an inspired signing.

Lewington is a different case. I do not believe he will ever be more than a decent club pro - but we brought in unknowns like Morris, scull and Goneva ahead of him. Now those three have done well (and exceptionally so in Niki's case) but it would have been good to see Lewington getting a fairer crack of the whip.

Green established himself and then smashed his ACL. By the time he returned he was in no kind of form for a length of time and ended up in the Championship for two years.

Lewington was one that annoyed a lot of Leicester fans.

Definitely a fan of Lewington at Irish. Very sharp player, who will likely have a decent premiership career.

Was a pleasant surprise seeing him play after coming essentially as someone who was surplus to requirement at Leicester. Was expecting more of a squad winger than a stand out.

Margin_Walker wrote:Definitely a fan of Lewington at Irish. Very sharp player, who will likely have a decent premiership career.

Was a pleasant surprise seeing him play after coming essentially as someone who was surplus to requirement at Leicester. Was expecting more of a squad winger than a stand out.

He still makes one or two too many silly mistakes for my liking, but he has the makings of a fine player if he can eradicate them.

SirBurger wrote:

Margin_Walker wrote:Definitely a fan of Lewington at Irish. Very sharp player, who will likely have a decent premiership career.

Was a pleasant surprise seeing him play after coming essentially as someone who was surplus to requirement at Leicester. Was expecting more of a squad winger than a stand out.

He still makes one or two too many silly mistakes for my liking, but he has the makings of a fine player if he can eradicate them.

Yep, put us under pressure with a few knock ons in the Exeter game especially. Overall though he's a classy player that I'm glad we have.

Our U18's just beat Yorshire U18 in the AP U18 league 41 - 5 scoring 6 tries with Fred Tuilagi playing
TH prop.

Henry has been playing a lot at 8 for our 'A' team.

Driver wrote:Henry has been playing a lot at 8 for our 'A' team.

It's Brian that we have Driver. Henry was a beast of an 8 that used to play for Tigers and now plays in France for USAP.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:

Driver wrote:Henry has been playing a lot at 8 for our 'A' team.

It's Brian that we have Driver. Henry was a beast of an 8 that used to play for Tigers and now plays in France for USAP.

Was going to say how many do you want!

So Quins have re-signed most of their side, just a fee players remaining now like Williams and Ugo.

That's the Quins way still in force then Yappy. Retain the squad and add a couple. Has Fearns been confirmed yet?

yappysnap wrote:So Quins have re-signed most of their side, just a fee players remaining now like Williams and Ugo.

Has Walker signed yet or is it looking like he is leaving.

Meant Brian!

Welly wrote: Salvi and Parling are expected to be leaving end of season.

Hopefully we have some big names lined up hopefully.

But Salvi and Parling will be big earners in their own right, and we won't need a like for like replacement for Parling.

Expecting to hear that we have signed:
Alberts/Kaino
Todd/Gill/Cotzee/Pocock(Injury free verison in mint condition)
Le Roux
Crotty

That will do me just fine

But honestly sounds like it could be the biggest overhaul in a long long time.

Already had Burke replaced by Mauger, our head of Academy replaced by our chief scout (With more focus on academy transition to the senior team), Our U17 coachreplaced (According to Sam).

Mauger apparently wanting own staff therefore Muphy rumoured off to Wasps. and wanting to bring in some players.

Currently have going
Parling
Salvi
Gibson
Tait

All players that would be starting or in the 23.

Could be massive to the future of the club this off season. (Or I could be overreacting)

If you get some of those players you'll be back at the top. Hell of a group of signatures.

I doubt we will get any.

But Mauger is apparently bringing a few SH players with him.

we will see.

Micky Young -----> Newcastle.

Welly wrote: Micky Young -----> Newcastle.

Should never have left.

He had a shot with Tigers IMO.

Just injured at bad times.

Micky Young looks a done deal, he was at a recent game apparently.

Also talk of Marcus Watson the winger (ex Irish?) and Carl Fearns still been banded about. Apparently Fearns is following us and our CEO on Twitter if that means anything??

Think Fearns is off to Quins

Yea I've heard that Bathite and that he's staying.

The rumour to us hasn't died down, although I'm not overly convinced we need him or he'd come.

Brendan McKibbin signs for London Irish - some really good signings so far ...

Hope the RWC fallout isnt going to leave us too flooded with SH imports

Welly wrote: He had a shot with Tigers IMO.

Just injured at bad times.

He was only ever coming to be second choice. It was potentially a really good signing for us as it was a player in a similar vein to Youngs, so the style of play would remain the same. Injury then suspension made his stay a frustrating one. However he had become a Saxon at Falcons and was their first choice - though alan Tait did seem to like his SH journeymen, so that could easily have changed.

lostinwales wrote:Hope the RWC fallout isnt going to leave us too flooded with SH imports

Brendan was originally a Scottish export

Why do we need Youngs back?

We have Blair playing nice experienced rugby still.
Tipuna is electric and really is playing well.
Andy Davies has been brought back and showed some nice touches in the recent Bucharest game.

He's looked good behind a dominate pack this year when i'v seen him, He's a bell end in person mind. Know him from West Hartlepool.

Then I definitely don't want him back .

Driver wrote:He's looked good behind a dominate pack this year when i'v seen him, He's a bell end in person mind. Know him from West Hartlepool.

You should hear what he says about you Driver! :shock:

If Blair retires as rumoured, Young will be a decent replacement and EQ.

Who's Brendan McKibbin?

NSW Waratahs 9 very very good imo, great goal kicker as well.