Leicester Squad for next season

Firstly hello 606v2 rugby posters! Had been on 606 for a couple of years under the current user name and johno4pm previously so hello to any old 606ers out there!

Been wondering for a while now what our squad for next seasons going to look like with departures/arrivals and of course lots of WC cover needed!

Below is what I believe our squad to be currently with the departures/arrivals listed below it;

Loosehead: Ayerza, Stankovich, Bucknall

Hooker: Chuter, Hawkins, Duffey, Tom Youngs (returning from Nottingham), Stevens (reportedly going to Nottingham for a season to develop amd replace Youngs)

Tighthead: Castro, Cole, White, Harris, Brookes

Second Row: Deacon, Parling, Skivington, Mafi, Slater, Green

Blindside: Croft, Pienaar, Markham

Openside: Newby, Woods, Everard

Number 8: Crane, Waldrom

Scrum-half: B Youngs, Grindal, Young, Harrison

Fly-half: Flood, Staunton, Ford

Inside Centre: Allen, Twelvetrees

Outside Centre: Tuilagi, Smith, Tait

Wing: Tuilagi, Hamilton, Agulla, Hurrell, Robinson

Full-Back: Murphy


Arrivals: T Youngs (back from Nottingham loan having converted to hooker from IC), Brookes (Newcastle), Kitchener (Worcester), M Young (Newcastle), Tait (Sale)

Departures: Blaze (retired), Ellis (retired), Hipkiss (Bath), Amorosino (rumoured to be heading for France)

Also Graham Kitchener has been rumoured on and off all season, any news on this would be great as I haven’t heard anything for a while!

So above is everything I’ve heard on the squad for next season. I know I’ve named a few academy players there (Ford, Everard, Harris and Markham). These are the players I expect to step up to the main squad during the WC as cover for internationals. Some may even be granted full squad status for the whole season.

So from that this would be my 23 at full strength;

1.Ayerza
2.Chuter
3.Castro
4.Deacon
5.Parling (if he recovers the form of 09/10 will definitely deserve that starting berth back)
6.Croft
7.Newby
8.Waldrom (offers more go forward than Crane so wins the starting shirt in my view)

9.Youngs
10.Flood

11.Tuilagi
12.Allen
13.Tuilagi
14.Hamilton
15.Murphy (hopefully will make a full recovery from injury as he makes a huge difference to our side)

16.Hawkins (could well overtake Chuter during the season even if Chuter’s not at the WC)
17.Stankovich
18.Cole
19.Skivington
20.Crane
21.M Young (simply think he’ll offer more than Grindal of the bench)
22.Twelvetrees
23.Tait (can cover OC, either wing and full back so will be interesting to see where he ends up!)

Not too many surprise really. Most of the side pick themselves. Only areas up for debate are N8 with Crane and Waldrom both having good and bad sides to them. The bench has a few options with Mafi and Slater performing well in the SR and three scrum halves competing for one bench spot. I’ve gone for Billy 36 over Staunton as I simply much prefer his style of play; he’s more physical, got a huge boot and is a brilliant passer.

During the WC however it will change completely with players away. This is the list of players I expect to be on international duty (I know this is up for debate but just for the means of looking at our depth!) .
Ayerza, Chuter, Castro, Cole, Deacon, Crane or Waldrom (could be one or the other), Youngs, Flood, Allen (deserves it more than most!), M Tuilagi (may have harmed his chances in the final), A Tuilagi.

With those away here would be my side;

1.Stankovich
2.Hawkins
3.White
4.Skivington
5.Parling
6.Newby
7.Woods
8.Waldrom/Crane (will have one or the other IMO)

9.M Young
10.Staunton

11.Smith
12.Twelvetrees
13.Tait
14.Hamilton
15.Murphy

16.Duffey
17.Harris
18.Brookes
19.Slater
20.Mafi
21.Grindal
22.Ford
23.Agulla

Not a bad side really considering how many players we could have missing!!

The centres could be very interesting if Allen and Manu are away as Twelvetrees and Tait could be a very good partnership. Billys passing/distribution and Taits pace could make an exciting combination!

Any thoughts and news on players coming/going is more than welcome, cheers KC!

I don't really have anything constructive to say on this, but I'm going for World domination.

With Waldrom in the team you better go for pies

Tigers will be there or close to it again next season, nuff said.

Tigers will be up there in the mix for the Jeff but they wont be anything more than a decent HC side unless they take adsvantage of the new cap rules and get in a grandstand player.
Id expect a major tri nations retiree to come over for his pension or career break. Tigers should also be on the look out for a first choice hooker, frankly Chuter isnt up to what they need anymore. Id have Hawkins ahead of him.

Props is going to be a big problem during the WC period. The first 3 will be missing, there was rumours of Stanko being tapped up by Bath too ( he is staying now?). Whilst Whites still available on a part time basis the cupboard is pretty bear, whats this Brookes chap like? Must admit Im not massively aware of him.

Hookers wierd for Tigers. Hawkins has probably been better than Chuter who really is getting past it now, but youd wnat the experienced guy around for the WC period. Im hoping Youngs has developed into some kind of BOD clone playing at hooker like that Brits chap, but I suspect he is still just pretty mediocre. Its an area they could improve.

Its easy to forget that Pienaar is still at Tigers, hes had a ridicuolosly low number of games given how long agao he signed albeit as a youngster. With Mafi and Croft away he should get some gametime, especialy if Waldrom is off as well. Woods needs to step back up to the player he was pre injury too, Im far from convinced by Newbys contribution.

Seabiscuit

I completely agree with the hooker situation we are in need of a top class hooker Chuter is adequate but in the big games looks out of his depth. I think Hawkins has done well when I have seen him and I would like him to start a big game and see what he is like but still not sure he is the answer.

With getting a GrandStand player I am not too sure, with Leicester's key players being relatively young they could progress into being outstanding players on the european front, with players like Croft, Youngs, Tuilagi and Flood still having time to develop and maybe 12T becoming a top class players. There are many players who could become quality in this Leicester squad.

Seabiscuit and Manu's Boxing Coach

Completely agree with the hooker situation! As you say Chuter looks adequate most the time but Hawkins has often looked a better all round player this season. The fact he's odds on to go to the WC shows a real lack of English hookers past Hartley/Thompson (getting on a bit!) atm. Think its mainly down to some player such as Webber,Paice etc not kicking on as we'd have hoped in the last couple of seasons.

Think at the moment Cockerills biding his time in the posistion hoping Duffey fulfils his promise of a couple of seasons back at Nottingham and as you say hoping Youngs has made the transistion well.

On the props I heard that about Stanko earlier in the season but the silence on it since makes me think he's staying (still got a year on his contract I believe).

From what I hear Brookes is highly rated at Newcastle. Has played everywhere in the front row but converted to a more of a specialist TH this season with Hayman leaving them and Golding returning from injury. Also learning from Hayman cant have done him too much harm.

Its a big year for Woods, Pienaar and a few of the academy boys (Markham/Everard especially) during the WC. Woods needs to prove his worth and Pienaar could find himself out of contract at the end of the season if he doesnt kick on.