Silly season transfer rumours III...

First topic message reminder :

Previous seasonal silliness:
https://www.606v2.com/t57129-silly-season-transfer-rumours
https://www.606v2.com/t58562-silly-season-transfer-rumours-continued


The place to confirm rumours, deny them, or viciously start new ones of your own.

Rumour is Bath might be looking for a kiwi fly-half as Priestland wants to backtrack on his sabbatical and be available for Wales this season. Any truth in this?

Yeah they've signed Dan Bowden.

Oh yeah I think I read that on here earlier. Guess it's true that RP wants to still play for Wales but I personally wouldn't even go there.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Yeah they've signed Dan Bowden.

At least this previous London Irish player has been to other teams in between ...

Ozzy3213 wrote:Andy Goode to Falcons

That would be taking the P a bit after failing to turn up at LI this season and leaving us in the lurch ...

http://www.premiershiprugby.com/clubs/37650.php#vMTxADIlVDpBqrHp.97

Confirmation of short term signings by Falcons

LondonTiger wrote:http://www.premiershiprugby.com/clubs/37650.php#vMTxADIlVDpBqrHp.97

Confirmation of short term signings by Falcons

Very strange that Goode has came back, let's hope he's kept himself in shape.....

Booth is an add one also as we have 3 other scrum halfs on our books, it's not exactly an area of weakness.

Given the lack of tempo in the Falcons game a new scrum half is a good idea.

I can't imagine LI are at all happy about the Goode situation. He retired at an inconvenient time for them and now has joined their relegation rivals. Goode is a master at helping his side accumulate points he's a great signing, if fit enough to play (he likes the pies and the pints).

Tukulua offers bags of tempo, it's the tactics deployed that's hindering us.

We played the same way last season until we were theoretically safe, then we opened up. It's the adage that no relegation encourages attacking rugby I guess.

Maybe Goode felt ready to play one more time after fully recovering, and Irish (Coventry) decided to stick with the players they have already.

J P Pietersen rumoured with tigers on the Leicester forum. Decent signing if that was to happen.

We sepnt months and loads of money trying to get him fit post op, but he was lazy, did not want to rehab and didn't want to be part of the fitness regime that TC laid down. He was not popular within the squad as he appeared to think he was bigger than the club.

He's a good player, but by all accounts his attitude sucked. Falcons are welcome to him in all honesty. We are trying to build something sustainable, and can do without players who don't want to buy into it.

Irish linked with Keatley.

Good Gravy, Hopefully if it happens the pressure that will have gone from playing for Munster will let him play to his true potential.

AS he stinks for Munster ATM.

Where's the Keatley rumour Welly?

Keatley has never been a great player to be honest. but he is similar in style and ability to Geraghty - so if Irish are looking for somebody experienced and affordable...

Let's just hope that if Goode plays for Falcons against us he doesn't help them to a win or this will be even more gutting than it already is ... can we get any of the money back we spent on him?

If the unthinkable happens and LI get relegated, will Franks be off elsewhere (not sure if he has that type of clause in his contract)? I imagine a lot of teams will be queuing up to try and nab him.

Hard to know, but imagine a couple will be off. Franks to France most likely and imagine that the likes of Maitland, Symons and Cowan would want to be playing Premiership Rugby. Hopefully we could keep the vast majority of the rest of them though.

Anyway, it won't come to that.

"Leinster Rugby can this afternoon confirm that Ian Madigan will leave Leinster at the end of the current season to join Bordeaux Bègles in the French Top 14."

http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/news/14419.php#.VoFMFPmLSM9

profitius wrote:"Leinster Rugby can this afternoon confirm that Ian Madigan will leave Leinster at the end of the current season to join Bordeaux Bègles in the French Top 14."

http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/news/14419.php#.VoFMFPmLSM9

That is odd as they are thinking about offering a proper contract to current injury backup for FH , kiwi Simon Hickley. Great great signing though. Looks like we moving up in the mercs standings.

Are Bordeaux the team you support WhoCares? They're doing pretty well aren't they? As a Quins fan I'm a little disappointed as we'd been linked with him and he'd have been a good catch.

BB were in the top 6 the last I seen, that's pretty good in the Top14 for a team to rise up and challenge the status quo. When I seen them play Ospreys in Bordeaux they looked pretty strong up front and had backs who were good in attack.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Yeah they've signed Dan Bowden.

As of when? Not heard that one

Bathite wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:Yeah they've signed Dan Bowden.

As of when? Not heard that one

Was announced by Bath yesterday.


http://www.bathrugby.com/news/versatile-bowden-joins-bath-rugby/?platform=hootsuite

Bathite wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:Yeah they've signed Dan Bowden.

As of when? Not heard that one

Apparently a forward signing this week too Bathite, avaliable this year and played in world cup. Rumours seem to be that it is the Japan No.8 Mafi but just rumours so far

yappysnap wrote:Are Bordeaux the team you support WhoCares? They're doing pretty well aren't they? As a Quins fan I'm a little disappointed as we'd been linked with him and he'd have been a good catch.

Yep I am. Been a constant progress since we moved up from the 2nd division 4-5 years ago. Looking as serious contenders for the top6 for the first time which is good. Madigan will suit our direct attacking game so much better than the current incumbents (beauxis if still around next year and Bernard) who are quite slow compared to him. A bit annoyed by the lack of quality amongsts the French 10 who either can't kick well or can't control a game. Wonder what BOD will say this time after the exchanges he had on Twitter with AAC....

Haha, yea he didn't mince his words with AAC.

Madigan is a very handy player, good kicker, plays 10,12 and 15 and is powerful. Much better then Beauxis. Do you guys use your academy more or buy in a lot of talent?

Student-A1 wrote:

Bathite wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:Yeah they've signed Dan Bowden.

As of when? Not heard that one

Apparently a forward signing this week too Bathite, avaliable this year and played in world cup. Rumours seem to be that it is the Japan No.8 Mafi but just rumours so far

A 4th number 8?

Number 8 options of Mafi, Denton and Houston. Looks like Ford hasn't done as badly out of Burgess leaving as he made out he would...

Think it will be a second row tight head or hooker. Really short in those areas.

Bathite wrote:Think it will be a second row tight head or hooker. Really short in those areas.

This is what I would prefer but the local journalist who is very close to the club has said he was shocked by the position and the name doing the rounds is Mafi

Andy goode just explained on rugby tonight what went on. He retired thinking his shoulder wouldn't get better. It did, so spoke to London Irish who didn't want him and then Newcastle approached him

Andy Goode is full of Poopie.

Odd decision from LI they're desperate for a fly half to take control of their side and Goode is a master of making his team tick. A gift to Newcastle.

Just repeating what was said. Do you have any inside info Ozzy?

I do Nathan. Without going into full detail, he didn't fancy the training and didn't think he needed to be as fit as demanded by TC. Thought he was bigger than the club and was forcibly told by another player that he wasn't, so he retired.

Clearly came to us for a last payday, after Wasps decided to not offer him another year, and when he realised he might need to put a shift in, decided he didn't fancy it.

Wouldn't want him back in a month of Sundays.

yappysnap wrote:Haha, yea he didn't mince his words with AAC.

Madigan is a very handy player, good kicker, plays 10,12 and 15 and is powerful. Much better then Beauxis. Do you guys use your academy more or buy in a lot of talent?

Think we are looking at quality over quantity when it comes to foreign imports now, that's the main difference with previous years. Although the older imports were good value for money they were less known names. Few academy (and young French players at least) guys are already regular starters (we benefitted a lot from Perpignan and Biarritz relegation in a way). It's a difficult balance to achieve and with the strengthening of the JIFF rules quality French players are even harder to keep even if it is a bit easier know than we used to be be a feeder to Toulouse (we lost Lopez to clermont 2 years ago and now Guitoune to Toulouse next season).

Cheers WhoCares, always interesting to hear about rugby outside of the UK.

Keep Madigan fit and healthy, we'll need him in a few seasons

Have to feel for Irish as they obviously put a lot of effort into Goode.

On Goode, the time off has obviously helped in this case and I can understand his position. If he did approach Irish first, I'd respect him for that.

Seems a little desperate from us despite Deano saying things are fine. Things just aren't working and if Goode does keep us up, it'll be worth the punt.

yappysnap wrote:
Keep Madigan fit and healthy, we'll need him in a few seasons

For when he returns to Leinster and Quins give Evans another contract?

Bath confirm signing if Japan international Mafi. How many 8s do they need?

I guess they can buy as many as they like as there is no meaningful cap

Bath have no locks fit so Garvey will be full time playing there. So leaves it light in the back row where Denton is much more of a 6. Short term deal seems a win win all round. Bath have cover for injuries and the 6 nations when Denton will be off and Mafi gets to showcase his talents in what I imagine is to get a long term deal in Europe somewhere.

Denton isn't much more of a 6...

Mafi is just until the end of the season so I guess he is injury cover.

More interestingly, Bath are said to be signing Jack Walker, the highly rated Leeds and England u20's hooker.

That would be a good signing. Are they going to jettison one of the existing hookers to make room for him?

Sam I would get rid of all of them. None are good enough.

Sam I would get rid of all of them. None are good enough.

There's chat webber might leave, not sure if that's based on anything though.

Well Batty is decent cover and Dunn looks old and might develop more. Webber hasn't shown any form and I can understand the need to replace him. He looks like he needs a new club to lose a little timber around the waist and refind his best form. Do we know where's likely? Sale or Newcastle?

I doubt we'd be interested with Lawson signed on for a few years and Hawkins/McGuigan as other options. Webber looks like a right mess at the minute, how do these lads get so fat?

Hawkins already doing some special constable work ready to go into the police force after retirement. Doubt there's loads of time left with him and McGuigan is being courted by other AP teams and is out of contract next summer. Wouldn't be a bad shout to check on whether an international hooker is available. As Sale look set to lose Taylor they'll probably be thinking similarly.