Silly season transfer rumours III...

First topic message reminder :

Aaron Jarvis has signed for Clermont (http://www.planetrugby.com/news/ospreys-prop-jarvis-to-join-clermont/). The Osprey's signed Rhodri Jones as a replacement I guess.

Steve Shingler (of is he eligible for Scotland or not fame) has gone to the Blues. Straight swap of Shingler for Patchell. Hope Cardiff are paying less as Scarlets got the better player (http://www.planetrugby.com/news/shingler-swaps-scarlets-for-blues/)

I have heard if him. Left the Hurricanes for the Highlanders and then played in the final with his new club helping them beat his old one. He's a decent player but not exceptional.

Welly wrote: Basically Charlie Walker is going to Edinburgh to try and get in the Scotland team
Richard Cockerill is joining Bath as DoR
Lancaster is joining Tigers as DoR
LCFC have brought Welford road to build parking on.
Wasps are in talks with toulon to buy their whole squad to use as training opponents for them.

Oh if the top rumor were true...

We're desperate for wingers!

If he can just be physical, smash a few people legally and hit rucks and mauls then i'll be happy. That's not exactly difficult for a 2nd row is it????

Someone should have told Borthwick that

Is it true that Eastmond is going to Wasps?

GeordieFalcon wrote:Is it true that Eastmond is going to Wasps?

He signed a two year extension in January, so would be a trnsfer fee if true.

Ah right, just heard a whiff of a rumour on the falcons forum that it was happening. First id heard of it.

Maitland confirmed at Sarries, he must have a brilliant agent.

Also Saracens have signed a SA prop to keep the quotas up...

The Bok prop Koch is an excellent bit of business. He's a decent scrummager and should keep things tight there. From memory he's not that dynamic but Sarries don't seem bothered by that given their normal selection at tight head.

Maitland has experience which Sarries like but is an odd signing as he could be away with Scotland during the 6N which is when they'll probably want him most.

Koch looked great at Super level but got hammered in the set piece when he stepped up for SA, it was not pretty.

He could be a better option than Figallo though, who's looked a shadow of his former self since injury. I wonder who'll be moving on as Petrus has very solid for them.

Koch and Maitland are excellent pieces of business, despite how fashionable it seems to have become to make fun of the latter player.

Maitland is not guaranteed to make a Scotland 23 nowadays unless he gets his Glasgow form back sharpish, incidentally (which he might do now that the shoulder is settled). I would rather have 11 Visser 14 Seymour 15 Hogg 23 Duncan Taylor at the moment (assuming 12 Dunbar 13 Bennett) but remain open to being convinced otherwise.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Koch looked great at Super level but got hammered in the set piece when he stepped up for SA, it was not pretty.

He could be a better option than Figallo though, who's looked a shadow of his former self since injury. I wonder who'll be moving on as Petrus has very solid for them.

Longbottom is leaving for Sale. He's been injured most of the season but has looked fairly decent when he played for Sarries previously. He's replacing Cobillas at Sale who is off to France.

Sale have recruited really intelligently so far.

An entire new front row in Aulika/Webber/Longbottom that could be very solid under Diamond. Kruger should be an excellent Prem second row. MacGinty is a very shrewd replacement for Cipriani. Plus Pearce and Charnley could be very good if well managed.

1.Aulika/Mujati
2.Webber
3.Harrison/Longbottom
4.Evans
5.Kruger
6.Braid/Seymour
7.Ioane/Lund
8.Beaumont

9.Stringer
10.MacGinty

11.Edwards
12.Leota/Tuitupou
13.James
14.Addison
15.Haley

With Diamond at the helm that side should stay very tough to break down at home but I could see the additions giving them some more bite away from home.

king_carlos wrote:
9.Stringer

Over Phillips? Really?

Do you think Diamond will get Webber showing well again.

PhilBB wrote:

king_carlos wrote:
9.Stringer

Over Phillips? Really?

Given how steady Stringer has been I'd imagine so. Phillips abrasive style will suit second half introduction when the game breaks up and he can use his pace. Sale can sometimes run out of steam in the second half of games and his physicality will help then.

Sale have signed a fly half from Nottingham in the Championship who is more of a creative influence. I suspect he'll be brought on to chase the game as and when he's needed to.

Don't think its a coincidence that both Ford and Cipriani have had very good seasons with Stringer's pass giving them so much time on the ball, he's still playing very well

GeordieFalcon wrote:Do you think Diamond will get Webber showing well again.

If any coach can it will be Diamond. Webber has the natural attributes and physicality to be a very good hooker. This season he just seemed to lose all motivation, get fat and fall apart at the line-out. They are 3 are things Diamond will never stand for so if Webber wants much more of a career he will have to sort them out.

I'm biased with Rob as I played for the same club as him growing up but I hope he pulls it around as he's also a terrific player when on form. Many of us wanted him starting for England a couple of seasons ago when he was throwing his weight around in defence, he really is a fearsome tackler when he gets down to it.

I remember Shaun Edwards being asked "who's the hardest tackler at Wasps" when Webber was first breaking through. With Worsley, Betsen, Shaw, Waters, Lewsey, etc then in the Wasps squad it seemed a long list to choose from but Edwards without hesitation said Rob Webber.

sale have also signed Odogwu from tigers academy.

Diamond is excellent at developing players. I agree Webber has made a very good move by opting to work with him. Odogwu as well, there's been a number of players come through in the Sale back line in recent years including Nev Edwards being picked from obscurity.

Nev Edwards is a great story, it's always brilliant to see a player come good who's not done the whole academy thing

Think he did the Academy thing but was released by Irish. Him and Marcus Watson have come back to prove a point this season.

IRFU and Connacht are going to have to scramble try and keep Bundee Aki in Ireland.

I suspect some mad money is going to be thrown around to see if French or English teams can entice him away at end of his contract in May 2017. If he wants to play international rugby for Ireland, the IRFU can't put him on a national contract until late 2017, so Connacht may have too stump up a serious wedge with possible private investment to put him on a one-year contract, that would then extend into a further two years, under an IRFU national contract.

Is this a pattern of things to come with the foreign/project players? Ireland puts money and time into developing them, and then they are lured away elsewhere?

Will he qualify purely under the three year residency? If so then I have no sympathy. Taking a professional player from New Zealand so he can work under a New Zealand coach in Ireland is not what I'd call development. Hed broken through at the Chiefs in NZ so it's not like he was a nobody picked from obscurity. If he was to play internationally for someone other than New Zealand it probably should be Samoa as I believe he has family heritage there. Playing for Ireland is just a different form of taking the money.

Mr O'Aki is an interesting case. He's 26 now and broke through with Counties and Chiefs relatively late.

I don't think that he'd quite make an All Blacks cap now, but would be a very interesting option for Ireland.

Has anyone asked the player what he'd like to do? It's possible that he has absolutely no intention of playing for Ireland. He presumably didn't look any further than moving from ITM Cup rugby to a fully pro set up a year ago.

If he ends up playing for Ireland then they are just doing what all the other countries are doing - whether it is right or not is not Ireland's job to decide!

I'd be surprised if he was brought over with the incentive of Ireland caps in 3 years - if that was the case then surely he wouldn't have gone to Connacht who, at the time, were very much the poor relation?

George Carlin wrote:Mr O'Aki is an interesting case. He's 26 now and broke through with Counties and Chiefs relatively late.

I don't think that he'd quite make an All Blacks cap now, but would be a very interesting option for Ireland.

Has anyone asked the player what he'd like to do? It's possible that he has absolutely no intention of playing for Ireland. He presumably didn't look any further than moving from ITM Cup rugby to a fully pro set up a year ago.

Put it this way - his family (including two daughters) haven't moved to Ireland.

RDW_Scotland wrote:If he ends up playing for Ireland then they are just doing what all the other countries are doing - whether it is right or not is not Ireland's job to decide!

I'd be surprised if he was brought over with the incentive of Ireland caps in 3 years - if that was the case then surely he wouldn't have gone to Connacht who, at the time, were very much the poor relation?

Pot was talking about using Irish National Contracts as a means to keep him in Ireland and at Connacht. I don't know whether he was specifically targeted as a player who could qualify on residency and the play for Ireland. At 26 that's not the longest term investment and he only signed a two year deal it seems. Ubless the IRU plan was to see if he established himself at Connacht and then move him up to one of the bigger boys. Not so much of a plan now Connacht are the bigger boys but you know what I mean.

If Big Bill and Augustin finally change the rule to 5 years it'll sort all this mess out anyway.

GeordieFalcon wrote:If Big Bill and Augustin finally change the rule to 5 years it'll sort all this mess out anyway.

Surely that will only apply to new cases? I'm sure it won't go down well with the Unions if the rules change for existing players under their control.

George Carlin wrote:Mr O'Aki is an interesting case. He's 26 now and broke through with Counties and Chiefs relatively late.

I don't think that he'd quite make an All Blacks cap now, but would be a very interesting option for Ireland.

Has anyone asked the player what he'd like to do? It's possible that he has absolutely no intention of playing for Ireland. He presumably didn't look any further than moving from ITM Cup rugby to a fully pro set up a year ago.

He announced as soon as he signed that his intention was to play for Ireland. It caused quite a stir at the time if I remember correctly. The chance to play international rugby is the only lure that the provinces have now when signing players. Plus the provinces are very eager to get them playing for Ireland as they then won't take up a NIQ spot.

RDW_Scotland wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:If Big Bill and Augustin finally change the rule to 5 years it'll sort all this mess out anyway.

Surely that will only apply to new cases? I'm sure it won't go down well with the Unions if the rules change for existing players under their control.

I guess that's correct, however it will sort it out in the future

RDW_Scotland wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:If Big Bill and Augustin finally change the rule to 5 years it'll sort all this mess out anyway.

Surely that will only apply to new cases? I'm sure it won't go down well with the Unions if the rules change for existing players under their control.

Not that many Unions have control over non-eligible players. Argentina, England, France, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and the smaller nations will not bat an eye if the law was changed tomorrow.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:If Big Bill and Augustin finally change the rule to 5 years it'll sort all this mess out anyway.

Surely that will only apply to new cases? I'm sure it won't go down well with the Unions if the rules change for existing players under their control.

Not that many Unions have control over non-eligible players. Argentina, England, France, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and the smaller nations will not bat an eye if the law was changed tomorrow.

I don't follow?

I was meaning if a player was 2 years into their contract and they changed it to 5 years - the Unions will have invested 2 years into a player that now won't be eligible for another 3. I'm sure that wouldn't go down well.

I think what Sam is referring to is only Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales are likely to use/care about the eligibility rule as they are contracted through the Union more often than not. English and French clubs are unlikely to care because it means they don't have to release players like Scott Spedding, Nathan Hughes (who will get there) Bernard Le Roux and De Kock to a national side for 5 years instead of 3 years. The English and French national unions don't care that much due to the large playing pools.

NZ would be effected but lose more players to the rules than they gain. SA would be the big beneficiary as it seems their players get taken the most often along with the PI's.

Spot on Hazel. Only the Pro 12 features teams where the Unions might choose to introduce an occasional project player. I think only Ireland have targeted specific players with the prospect of future international caps. England and France cap players if they are available and should they need them.

I don't think NZ would be effected, generally any PI born player who plays for them moved to the country as part of his education and then developed from there so will probably have the five years by the time they break through in their early twenties. Might give the PIs a couple if years to sway prospects if they identify them early enough.

Turns out Andy Symons won't be joining LI after all ...

I wonder how many have relegation clauses in their contracts. Where is he going?

Not overly fussed about Symons. Decent player but I want to see Fowlie really kick on at 13 alongside Johnny Williams this season.

Pete I got a taxi to the Saracens European final with their Aussie hooker David Porecki who is joining you from them. He was not
In squad for final so was on lash with his Mrs.


He was a real unit and is English qualified. Not sure If he is any good??

He said Gloucester offered him a contract but Irish paid better which surprised me

Glaws have signed Andy Symons. He's a decent enough player, but do we really need another centre with 36, Scott, Trinder, Atkinson and Meakes coupled with the cover we can call on from Marshall, Thorley, Purdey, May, Hook and Halafounia.

Supposedly Bath are after Maxime Mermoz, with reports Eastmond may be off/.

Rumours seem to surround Eastmond every summer. Mermoz has just turned down Bordeaux Begles to stay at Toulon. Any rumours on where Eastmond would go? I know there was a vague rumour with Wasps but surely they're not going to blow even more cap on their backs.

Mermoz is under contract as far as I'm aware.

Toulon had no issue with the Bordeaux approach though. Their owner isn't known for holding his tongue if he doesn't approve of something. Some cash might allow an early end to the player/club arrangement, especially as they have centre options plus a newly signed full back and fly half to pay for next season.

When does Eastmond's contract finish? Bordeaux is lovely if they are after a centre and could imagine any team wanting to play fast suiting him. He is probably best placed at Bath though who should be better next year.

Toulouse have also reportedly signed Charlie Faumuina

Toulon recruited FH Pierre Bernard from Bordeaux.
Steffon going to Pau who is really strengthening the pack (Mowen, Gunther, Diarra as well) and are also after Cory Jane.

Hazel Sapling wrote:When does Eastmond's contract finish? Bordeaux is lovely if they are after a centre and could imagine any team wanting to play fast suiting him. He is probably best placed at Bath though who should be better next year.

Eastmond signed a two year contract extension in January

Can't imagine Eastmond would leave for France. Bath could well be looking at centres with Devoto gone to Chiefs.

Bordeaux didn't mind trying to acquire Mermoz whilst he was under contract. Toulon confirmed Trunh Duc earlier in the summer and the idea of Giteau and Nonu playing off of his slick flat passing is terrifying. Goramaru another kicking full back to take that pressure off as well.