Rugby Transfers 2011-2012

TOP 14

Agen
In : Senekal (Toulon), Tian (Bourgoin), Giraud (Montpellier), P. O'Connor (Waratahs/AUS), J. Schwalger (Hurricanes/NZ), Coux (Bourgoin), J. Garcia (La Rochelle), Scelzo (Clermont), Janaudy (Bourgoin), Desroches (Toulouse)
Out : Kolinisau (Fiji 7s), Mach (Castres), Cazeaux (Carcassonne), O'Sullivan (retired), Châteauraynaud (Albi), D'Andrea (Albi)
Out of Contract : Scholtz, Kouider, Moala, Campos

Bayonne
In : D. Gerber (Boland Kavaliers/AFS), Heymans (Toulouse), Lauaki (Clermont), Tialata (Hurricanes/NZ), Chisholm (Brumbies/AUS), Rokocoko (Blues/NZ), M. O'Connor (Grenoble), Manukula (Aurillac), Etchegaray (r.l. Auch)
Out : Treloar (Bordeaux-Bègles), Fiorini (Mont-de-Marsan), Peyras (Montpellier), Martin (Montpellier), Heguy (Biarritz), Filipo (Wasps/ANG), Fauqué (La Rochelle)
Out of Contract : Boyoud, Lea'aetoa*, Da Ros, Etchegaray, Gower, D. Gerber, Ziegler*

Biarritz
In : Heguy (Bayonne), Baby (Clermont), Burotu (Suva/FIJI), Caprice (Blackheath)
Out : Alexandre (Grenoble), Erinle (ENG), Fior (Brive), Mignardi (Brive), Barozzi (Brive)
Out of Contract : Tranier, Guinazu, Vahafolau, Gobelet
World Cup Jokers: Ja. Afoa, Bidabé

Bordeaux-Bègles (promoted to Top 14)
In : Delboulbès (Carcassonne), Toetu (Tarbes), Tisseau (Albi), F. Le Bourhis (Carcassonne), Denêtre (Albi), Reihana (Northampton), L. Houston (Reds), Madaule (Narbonne)
Out : Jagr (Mont-de-Marsan), Chollon (Stade Français), G. Bernard (Auch), Badel (Colomiers)
Out of Contract : Vermis, S. O'Connor, Baquet, Montagnat, Gaultier, Chouquet


Brive
In : Fior (Biarritz), Mignardi (Biarritz), Hauman (Aurillac), Caisso (Colomiers), Barozzi (Biarritz), Luafutu (Tasman/NZ), Lacombe (Toulouse), Geraghty (Northampton), Boussuge (Bath), Natriashvili (Saint-Junien)
Out : Estebanez (Racing-Métro), Palisson (Toulon), Vosloo (Clermont), Lespinas (Lyon OU), Cabello (r.l. Clermont), Pelissié (Grenoble), Perry (Worcester), D. Browne (Leinster), Orquera (Aironi), Bonrepaux (Lyon OU), Domingo (Tulle)
Out of Contract : Popham, Waqaseduadua

Castres
In : Buckle (Bourgoin), Rallier (r.l. Colomiers), Rayssac (r.l. Colomiers), Bonnefond (r.l. Oyonnax), Lamerat (Toulouse), Tales (La Rochelle), Lacrampe (Tarbes), Taumoepeau (Toulon), Mach (Agen), Max Evans (Glasgow), P.-G. Lakafia (Toulouse), Wihongi (Sale)
Out : Tillous-Borde (Toulon), Audrin (Montpellier), Tatupu (Exeter), Kayser (Clermont), Saayman (Pau), Adamou (Tarbes), C. McIntyre (Nec Green Rockets/JAP), Hoeft (Toulouse), Lamache (r.l. Toulon), Siccardi (Albi)
Out of Contract : Buckle, Giorgadze, Bonnefond

Clermont
In : G. Pisi (Taranaki/NZ), Skrela (Toulouse), King (Scarlets), Byrne (Ospreys), Kayser (Castres), Vosloo (Brive), Sivivatu (Chiefs), Hines (Leinster), Kotze (Aurillac), Cabello (r.l. Brive), M. Bennett (Glasgow)
Out : G. Pisi (Taranaki), Lauaki (Bayonne), Baby (Biarritz), Privat (Montpellier), Scelzo (Agen), Lavea (Sale), Joubert (Sharks/SA), Nalaga (FIJ), M. Ledesma (retired), Allegre (Oyonnax)
Out of Contract : Wepener


Lyon OU (promoted to Top 14)
In : Tchougong (Bourgoin), Roux (Colomiers), Bonrepaux (Brive), Basson (Bourgoin), Koyamaibole (Sale), Fatafehi (Saint-Etienne), Lespinas (Brive), Marchois (Stade Français), Leguizamon (Stade Français)
Out : P.-Y. Montagnat (Grenoble), Castellina (ARG), Salellas (Mâcon), Nauroy (retire), Pakihivatau (retire), Seve (retire), Portier (retire)
Out of Contract : Taukafa, Hehea, Nicoud, Gomez, Leite

Montpellier
In : Tulou (Bourgoin), Solana (r.l. Carcassonne), Peyras (Bayonne), Martin (Bayonne), Audrin (Castres), Creevy (Pampas XV/ARG), Amorosino (Leicester), Privat (Clermont), Combezou (La Rochelle), Van Vuuren (Aurillac)
Out : Macurdy (Carcassonne), Giraud (Agen), Thiart (Perpignan), Solana (Pays d'Aix), Nicot (Colomiers), Vallée (arrêt)
Out of Contract : Rofes, Uva, Chkhaidze, Wasserman, Kuzbik, Ladhuie, Tissot

Perpignan
In : R. Coetzee (Bourgoin), Parent (r.l. Saint-Etienne), Thiart (Montpellier), Hook (Ospreys)
Out : Edmonds (retired)
World Cup Joker : Alvarez-Kairelis

Racing-Métro
In : Matavesi (Exeter), Bousses (Stade Français), Estebanez (Brive), Bianchin (Grenoble), Descons (Pau), Dumoulin (Bourgoin), Germain (Bourgoin)
Out : Raiwalui (retired), Kraska (Albi), Gau (Albi)
Out of Contract : Fillol, Festuccia, Galindo, Arganese, Scarbrough, Culine, Masi, S. Bobo

Stade Français
In : Warwick (Munster), Wright (Leinster), Tetaz Chaparro (Pampas XV/ARG), Chollon (Bordeaux-Bègles), Milloud (Bourgoin), Turinui (Dax), P. Short (Bath), Contepomi (Toulon)
Out : Bousses (Racing-Métro), Beauxis (Toulouse), Marchois (Lyon OU), Leguizamon (Lyon OU), Liebenberg (retired), P. Ledesma (retired), Tardy (Pau)
Out of Contract : Weber, Southwell, Phillips, Oelschig, Ma. Bergamasco, Gerber, Haskell

Toulon
In : Giteau (Brumbies/AUS), Palisson (Brive), Lewis-Roberts (Sale), B. Botha (Bulls/SA), S. Armitage (London Irish), Tillous-Borde (Castres), Dumora (Pau), Frou (La Rochelle), Rokobaro (Pays d'Aix), Tawaqa (Narbonne), D. Smith (Western Force/AUS), Mason (Hull KR, Rugby League), Agnesi (r.l. Pau), A. Pretorius (Lions/SA), Lamache (r.l. Castres)
Out : Senekal (Agen), May (Northampton), Taumoepeau (Castres), Contepomi (Stade Français), Merabet (Oyonnax), Sourice (Pays d'Aix), G. Smith (Sanyo/JAP), Auelua (NTT Communications/JAP), Barthélémy (p. Albi), Bastères (p. Pays d'Aix), Mignoni (retired)
Out of Contract : Agnesi, Delarue, Marienval, Henson, Sackey, Wulf (Blues/NZ)
World Cup Jokers : A. Pretorius, M. Kefu

Toulouse
In : Matanavou (Mont-de-Marsan), Beauxis (Stade Français), Burgess (Waratahs/AUS), G. Steenkamp (Bulls/SA), G. Botha (Bulls/SA), McAlister (Blues/NZ), Hoeft (Castres)
Départs : Skrela (Clermont), Heymans (Bayonne), Lacombe (Brive), Lamerat (Castres), P.-G. Lakafia (Castres), Michalak (Sharks/SA), Desroches (Agen)
Out of Contract : Lecouls, Kelleher
World Cup Jokers : Hoeft, Basualdo, Delasau



________________________________________________________________________________

AVIVA PREMIERSHIP

Bath
In : Eastmond (St. Helens, Rugby League), Caldwell (Ulster), Attwood (Gloucester), Hipkiss (Leicester), Fearns (Sale), F. Louw (Stormers), Beech (Wasps), Perenise (Hurricanes), Fa'amatuainu (r.l. Scarlets), Moss (r.l. Bristol)
Out : Bu. James (Lions), Watson (EP Kings), Hape (London Irish), A. Jarvis (Ospreys), Cheeseman (Harlequins), P. Short (Stade Français), Boussuge (Brive), Grewcock (retired), D. Barnes (retired)

Exeter
In : Barrett (Saracens), C. Mitchell (Ospreys), Dorrian (Bedford), Tatupu (Castres), Muldowney (Glasgow), B. White (Cardiff), Andress (Harlequins)
Out : Matavesi (Racing-Métro), Davis (Wasps), Grace (Connacht), Locke (Cornish Pirates)

Gloucester
In : Chistolini (Petrarca), D. Murphy (London Irish), Runciman (London Welsh), Cortese (Pampas XV), Savage (Hartpury)
Out : Attwood (Bath), Doran-Jones (Northampton), N. Robinson (Wasps), Pasqualin (Newcastle), Dickinson (Sale), Azam, Capdevielle

Harlequins
In : Cheeseman (Bath), Fairbrother (Western Force), Hopper (Cornish Pirates)
Out : Stevenson (Ulster), Ce. Jones (Worcester), Percival (Worcester), Moore (Connacht), Andress (Exeter)


Leicester
In : Brookes (Newcastle), Tait (Sale), N. Morris (Leinster), Kitchener (Worcester), Young (Newcastle)
Out : Amorosino (Montpellier), Hipkiss (Bath), P. Myburgh (Cheetahs), Blaze (retire)

London Irish
In : Shingler (Scarlets), Ansbro (Northampton), Hape (Bath), Halavatau (Bees), Sandford (Rotherham), R. Samson (Edinburgh), J. Spratt (Ospreys), B. Evans (Hurricanes)
Out : Mapusua (Kubota Spears), Stowers (Ospreys), D. Murphy (Gloucester), Lamb (Northampton), S. Armitage (Toulon), Seveali'i (Bourgoin), Lennard (Bedford), Fisher (Bedford), Malone (retired)

Newcastle
In : Sheriffe (Rugby League), Pasqualin (Gloucester), Shortland (Otago), Frazier (Doncaster), Helleur (Auckland), Mayhew (Esher), Chudley (Bedford)
Out : Brookes (Leicester), Amesbury (Sale), Young (Leicester), Afu (Carcassonne), Henderson (GHA), M. Ward (Blaydon), T. Tu'ipulotu (Yamaha Jubilo), R. Vickerman (English 7s), G. Bobo, Levi

Northampton
In : Doran-Jones (Gloucester), May (Toulon), G. Pisi (Taranaki), Armetiev (VVA-Podmoskovye), Lamb (London Irish), M. Roberts (Scarlets), Cato (Saracens), Manoa (San Francisco), Craig (Leeds), C. Sempere (Nottingham)
Out : Vickerman (Waratahs), Ansbro (London Irish), M. Easter (Sale), Reihana (Bordeaux-Bègles), Geraghty (Brive), Sanderson (Moseley), Long (Cambridge), Dreyer, Cornwell, Joe Ford (Leeds)

Sale
In : Cobâlaş (VVA-Podmoskovye), Buckley (Munster), Ward (Wasps), Lavea (Clermont), Myall (Leeds), Burrell (Leeds), M. Easter (Northampton), Vernon (Glasgow), Ja. Collins (Worcester), Amesbury (Newcastle), McKenzie (Edinburgh), Ostrikov (Aurillac), Tuitupou (Munster), Mathie (Leeds), A. Powell (Wasps), Dickinson (Gloucester), H. Fourie (Leeds)
Out : Hodgson (Saracens), Tait (Leicester), Lewis-Roberts (Toulon), Fearns (Bath), Bell (Wasps), Ch. Jones (Worcester), S. McIntyre (Wasps), Koyamaibole (Lyon OU), Wihongi (Castres), Boko, Brightwell, Cox (Edinburgh), R. Crane, Foster, M. James, Kuadey, Leck (Edinburgh), McMillan, Mulchrone, Ormsby, Rouse, Cohen (retired), J. Kennedy (retired)

Saracens
In : Bax (Western Province), Hodgson (Sale), Smit (Sharks), Kenatale (Tailevu), Vunipola (Bristol)
Out : Henson (Toulon), Ryder (Glasgow), Reynecke (Connacht), Parr (Nottingham), Cato (Northampton), Barrett (Exeter), Staff (Bedford), Barrell (Bedford), Al. Brown (Doncaster), Skuse (retired)

Wasps
In : Davis (Exeter), N. Robinson (Gloucester), Castex (Narbonne), Bell (Sale), Poff (Crusaders), S. Thompson (Leeds), Filipo (Bayonne), S. McIntyre (Sale), Mayor (Gran Parma), Wentzel (Leeds), Thiede (Doncaster)
Out : Hobson (Bristol), Walder (Mitsubishi Dynaboars), Ward (Sale), Beech (Bath), A. Powell (Sale), B. Jacobs (Kyuden Voltex), S. Kefu (Bay of Plenty), Jewell (London Welsh), Van Gisbergen, Betsen, Vickery (retired), Matthews (retired)

Worcester (promoted to Aviva Premiership)
Arrivées : Grove (r.l. Edinburgh), D. Gray (Montauban), Percival (Harlequins), Perry (Brive), Ce. Jones (Harlequins), Ch. Jones (Sale), O. Hayes (Bristol), E. Claassens (London Welsh), Drauniniu (London Welsh), S. Tu'ipulotu (Plymouth), Porter (Plymouth), Gulliver (Cornish Pirates)
Out : C. Black (Ulster), Ja. Collins (Sale), Kitchener (Leicester), Silver (Bristol), W. Walker, Bowley, Ripol, Higgitt, A. Williams, Rawlinson (retired), A. Black (retired)


________________________________________________________________________________

MAGNERS LEAGUE

Aironi
In : Orquera (Brive), N. Olivier (Cheetahs), Keats (Hurricanes), D'Apice (Rugby Roma), Trevisan (Crociati Roma), Ferrarini (Crociati Roma)
Départs : Mercier (Padoue), Krause (retired)

Cardiff Blues
In :
Out : B. White (Exeter), Loxton (Connacht), Slater (Bristol), T. Brown (Dragons), G. Cooper (retired), G. Powell (retired), Shanklin (retired)

Connacht
In : Reynecke (Saracens), Naoupu (Kobe Steelers), McCrea (Ulster), N. O'Connor (Ulster), Loxton (Cardiff), M. Jarvis (Ospreys), Anderson (Ulster), Grace (Connacht), Maguire (Leinster), J. Stevens (Galwegians), F. Vainikolo (Highlanders), Moore (Harlequins), O'Donohoe (Leinster)
Out : Keatley (Munster), Cronin (Leinster), Carr (Leinster), McComish (Ulster), Nathan (Glasgow), Upton (Japon), E. Taylor, Fa'amasuli, R. Sweeney, Wynne, Bibo, Fanning, Monaghan, Ta’auso, O'Loughlin (retired), Willis (retired), Morris (retired)

Dragons
In : Bedford (Rotherham), J. Smith (Ulster), Na. Williams (Moseley), T. Brown (Cardiff), Waters (Pontypridd)
Out : Bearman (Ospreys), T. Cooper (Cornish Pirates), N. Brew, Watkins, Gomer Davies, Matt Evans, Ja. Davies, N. Griffiths, McKenzie, P. Palmer, A. Ellis, Attwell, Ad. Brown, Rh. Wilson, Ja. Thomas, Lee (retired), Sowden-Taylor (retired), Goodfield (retired)

Edinburgh
In : Lawrie (Doncaster), Leck (Sale), Cox (Sale)
Out : Grove (r.l. Worcester), MacLeod (Kobe Steelers), McKenzie (Sale), C. Hamilton (Tarbes), R. Samson (London Irish), Newlands (Oyonnax), A. Blair, M. Robertson, F. Brown, Little, D. Blair (retired)

Glasgow
In : Ryder (Saracens), Seymour (Ulster), Cusack (Doncaster), Nathan (Connacht), Wight (Melrose), G. Reid (Ayr), Pitman (l. Ospreys)
Out : M. Evans (Castres), Vernon (Sale), Muldowney (Exeter), Tkachuk (retired), Stortoni (retired), O'Hare (retired), M. Bennett (Clermont)

Leinster
In : Cronin (Connacht), Hagan (Connacht), Sykes (Sharks), Berquist (Crusaders), D. Browne (Brive), Carr (Connacht)
Out : Hines (Clermont), Wright (Stade Français), N. Morris (Leicester), Maguire (Connacht), O'Donohoe (Connacht), Keating (Doncaster), Keogh (Shannon), Hogan (retired)

Munster
In : Keatley (Connacht), BJ Botha (Ulster)
Out : Warwick (Stade Français), Buckley (Sale), Tuitupou (Sale), Quinlan (retired), Hayes (retired), Dowling (retired), B. Murphy (retired)

Ospreys
In : Stowers (London Irish), Breeze (r.l. London Welsh), Dirksen (Swansea RFC), A. Jarvis (Bath), Fotuali'i (Crusaders), Bearman (Dragons)
Départs : Hook (Perpignan), Byrne (Clermont), M. Jarvis (Connacht), C. Mitchell (Exeter), J. Spratt (London Irish), Holah (Waikato), Nutbrown (Bay of Plenty), J. Collins (Yamaha), Pitman (p. Glasgow), B. Lewis (retired), McInerney (retired)

Scarlets
Arrivées : A. Thomas (London Welsh)
Départs : Fa'amatuainu (r.l. Bath), M. Roberts (Northampton), Shingler (London Irish), King (Clermont), Lawrence (Bristol), G. Quinnell (retired), Daf. Jones (retired)

Treviso
Arrivées :
Départs :

Ulster
In : Stevenson (Harlequins), McComish (Connacht), C. Black (Worcester), Jo. Afoa (Blues), J. Payne (Blues)
Out : BJ Botha (Munster), Anderson (Connacht), McCrea (Connacht), N. O'Connor (Connacht), Caldwell (Bath), Seymour (Glasgow), J. Smith (Dragons), McIlwaine (Doncaster)


Will try to update this as much as possible.

5* effort. Well done.

Sad to see some of the names on the retiree list.

Lyon have strengthened well.

You're a good man, MBTGOG. And (at least) bilingual too - impressive!

Just a question Munster. Would Stefan Jones (Crosskeys) and James Leadbetter (Newport) to Dragons be a similar type of signing to Hanno Dirksen from Swansea to Ospreys? It was also mentioned on the 7's coverage that Jevon Groves is officially signed with us from Crosskeys.

I guess they don't really warrant putting up, as they're within the region, but I was more curious over whether you (or anybody else) knew what the deal was with the Dirksen transfer.

Anyway, good work posting this. Always interesting to keep abreast of comings and goings.

Huge effort MBTGOG!

Imagine poor Connacht getting NOC. He comes with our apologies...

wow great effort Munsty! thanks for doing this.

This deserves sticky status.

Hayes in munster retiring you sure about that?

Awesome work Munsty!!!!

Many thanks

I took this off a French forum. You can thank that poster.

Oh okay. Merci monsieur.

Anyone got any news of what Alix Popham is doing now his contract has lapsed at Brive? He was pretty impressive playing mainly at 6 (and captaining them in 2009 I think) but injury took some toll on the second half of his 3 years there.

If he is fit again, he would be a great signing for many clubs as he is only in his early 30s.

Mils Muliaina is off to Japan

ML wrote:Anyone got any news of what Alix Popham is doing now his contract has lapsed at Brive? He was pretty impressive playing mainly at 6 (and captaining them in 2009 I think) but injury took some toll on the second half of his 3 years there.

If he is fit again, he would be a great signing for many clubs as he is only in his early 30s.

Nothing much apparently. I gather he has other interests now. He was touted as a signing for the Dragons, but it seems he's not going to be playing professionally.

yeah where's the S15 movements?
what a poor effort

S15 movements sounds like a medical term, so I'm glad he had the sense to steer clear.

Didn't know about Keating. Shame he's leaving, a lot of people had very high hopes for him.

Good list!

Wish Huw Bennett would retire

WillyGilly wrote:Huge effort MBTGOG!

Imagine poor Connacht getting NOC. He comes with our apologies...

Likewise Vainakolo.

McKay,

I know you don't like him but that is an awful thing to wish upon anybody.

Didn't know about Keating. Shame he's leaving, a lot of people had very high hopes for him.

Didn't know either until looking at this anyway. I think with Carr coming back there was no point staying. Good to go to the Championship where he will get consistent game time.

Risca Rev wrote:Just a question Munster. Would Stefan Jones (Crosskeys) and James Leadbetter (Newport) to Dragons be a similar type of signing to Hanno Dirksen from Swansea to Ospreys? It was also mentioned on the 7's coverage that Jevon Groves is officially signed with us from Crosskeys.

I guess they don't really warrant putting up, as they're within the region, but I was more curious over whether you (or anybody else) knew what the deal was with the Dirksen transfer.

Anyway, good work posting this. Always interesting to keep abreast of comings and goings.

Jones, Leadbetter and Groves would be the same as Dirkson as they are being offered pro contracts instead of the Academy contracts they were on. Id like to see Groves get more gametime for the Dragons this year, maybe at second row. Would add a lot of Grunt and athletic ability to the pack.

Certainly a lot of world class talent making its way to Scotland - cough - splutter.....

Each of the Leicester signings looks like excellent business, I must say. Interesting acquisitions at Toulouse as well, particularly Beauxis.

This Certainly shows the state of Welsh rugby with very few quality signings, if any at all.

Looks like another bad year for the blues a few leaving and not one coming in I know everyone blames dai but what hope has he got when pies won't invest. Only a trickle of s h players at the moment aswel but that will increase post world cup surely

MBTGOG

What is awful about wishing a player would retire?

Imagine someone wishing you'd retire from your job because they thought you were rubbish.

Armetiev (VVA-Podmoskovye) for northampton


is this the blackrock Armetiev

Blues linked with signing Gavlaa

I actually think Bearman and Stowers will be two very good signings for the Ospreys. Two hard grafters there. It'll do them good to consolidate. They have plenty "star draws", and someone like Bearman will just settle down and get on with the job.

The other interesting pairing for me will be Hape and Ansbro as the new centres at Irish.

D24tress,

It is the same Artemiev.

fEs,

I agree with you on those two. And with young Tipuric, it's a good back row that will want to make an impression.

MBTGOG wrote:D24tress,

It is the same Artemiev.
.

very good he could be russia's first rugby star

D24tress,

I really think Russia will suprise people at the World Cup, there First XV is very strong, in the mould of Georgia.

I never understand when teams like the Blues continually go backwards in the scrum dont look to get a cheap russia or georgia prop purely to scrummage.

tlazarus9 wrote:I really think Russia will suprise people at the World Cup, there First XV is very strong, in the mould of Georgia

In another group maybe. Once bitten twice shy for Ireland. They won't have forgotten what happened in 2007 with Georgia. I expect them and USA to have an incredible match and possibly mix it with the Italians. But Austrlia, Italy and Ireland will be too strong I reckon.

tlazarus

i presume its because of foreign player quotas
Risking one of them on a russian or georgian might be just a bit too much of a risk

however we could see a few of them after the world cup, russia and georgia need some way of playing some of the top teams other then at world cups, 7's doesnt suit them either(not real rugby)
If the A games during the 6 nations incorporated them it would be a huge step

red_stag wrote:

tlazarus9 wrote:I really think Russia will suprise people at the World Cup, there First XV is very strong, in the mould of Georgia

In another group maybe. Once bitten twice shy for Ireland. They won't have forgotten what happened in 2007 with Georgia. I expect them and USA to have an incredible match and possibly mix it with the Italians. But Austrlia, Italy and Ireland will be too strong I reckon.

Im sure your right, they wont win games but Id' be suprised if anyone steamrollers them other than AUS perhaps

Russia don't have a strong first XV. It's decent, but they are quite behind Georgia. Also their scrummaging is not their strength. They play a very expansive brand of rugby funnily enough, quite the opposite of Georgia.

MBTGOG

Ok I take your point even though I think you're being a little over sensitive. I wish Gatland would stop selecting him then. there, is that better or is it still horrible of me to wish a player would stop being selected?

When I went to Russia in 1999 nobody played rugby. They thought I was some kind of monster super human because I played it. They have come a long way in a short space of time and if it takes off in Russia they will be very competative.

McKay,

That is better yes.


And I expect Ireland to hammer Russia in the groups. The USA match will be a much tougher game.

"Each of the Leicester signings looks like excellent business, I must say"

Except none of them will improve the first team in the short term. They are more signings with an eye on the future. I'd expect at least one big name signing with the new salary cap deal having finaly been made.

The amount of transfers across rugby, especially in England and France does worry me though. Sales list is just riodculous, and could well grow further. Excessive player movement cant be good for the club game.
Theres some provisions in the new salary cap (combined with the RFU payments) which should encourage and enable teams to hold onto more of the academy garduates, and make mediocre foriegn players less atractive. Hopefuly this will have a knock on effect into slowing the growth of transfers and short contracts.

MBTGOG wrote:Russia don't have a strong first XV. It's decent, but they are quite behind Georgia. Also their scrummaging is not their strength. They play a very expansive brand of rugby funnily enough, quite the opposite of Georgia.

The Russian side is a little better than Decent to be fair to them. Their Scummaging is a strength, it may not be their main strength as they have a brilliant ten who leads the backs well but it is still a strength nonetheless.

tlazarus,

Little better than decent compared to who? You know just this past Novemeber, they lost 75-3 to Japan? They'll be the worst in their group.

Everyone is expecting these massive forwards but they'll be the same size as whoever they come up against. The biggest problem for them is poor technique in basic aspects of the game compared to the sides they'll come up against.

MBTGOG wrote:Imagine someone wishing you'd retire from your job because they thought you were rubbish.

Welcome to my world.

Risca Rev wrote:

MBTGOG wrote:Imagine someone wishing you'd retire from your job because they thought you were rubbish.

Welcome to my world.

ditto

My poor Connacht have been gutted. At least we'll have most of our players for the world cup and that'll hopefully give us a good start!

Also beware a backrow of Muldoon, JO'C and Naoupu, worth the season ticket alone!

Is Kitchener definately going to the Tigers? Can't find anything to confirm it and thought it was still just rumours.

Rudi Wulf has returned to North Harbour and the Blues in New Zealand from Toulon.

Good article MBTGOG.

It would be interesting to know what talents are expected to emerge from the academy side of things. Looking at some of the clubs transfers, there are indications that teams are freeing up space in the senior squad at certain positions in order to bring up some youngsters.

This is a really good year for a youngster to step up from the academy. The international grade are off at the RWC and will need resting when they come back, so there will be plenty of game time for the youngsters, more attention and guidance from the coaching staff as well which should really boost the kids confidence and spur on some big displays. (a bit optimistic maybe)