Silly Season Transfer Rumours 17/18

First topic message reminder :

New season, new thread.

Franco Mostert the Bok lock is being linked with a move to the AP once his contracts in SA and Japan expire.

Papers throwing lots of names about including Tigers, Bristol, Bath and Glaws. Sale also mentioned and Steve Diamond has confirmed he is after an international standard lock.

Don't know if already mentioned. J Gray has been offered a contract by Bristol according to the BBC.

Bristol are certainly going after some big names. Not sure about the wider squad though

I really dislike Bristol.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:I really dislike Bristol.

Their attempts to sign a Galactico squad is tiresome. They actually had some decent young players when they went down but I guess most of them will be forced out to make space for the big names. Hope they come up and go down again.

The new Toulon.

Heard that Muldowny will be off to Bristol to link up with Lam again

mikey_dragon wrote:The new Toulon.

Now all they need is something more glamorous than the Clifton Suspension Bridge, the south west's favourite dogging spot.

Allegedly.

George Carlin wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:The new Toulon.

Now all they need is something more glamorous than the Clifton Suspension Bridge, the south west's favourite dogging suicide spot.

Allegedly.

Fixed

North confirmed moving back to Wales.

It's a bizarre way of announcing it.

Frees up a marquee spot.

Could do with signing a big prop with that space IMO.

Moriarty, Faletau and North to Dragons. I said that on this thread over a year ago and nobody believed me...

Scottrf wrote:North confirmed moving back to Wales.

Probably not a bad move, a lot of money for very little play over the years. Great as he is, the money could be used better.

Is Faletau out of contract after this season too?

North was a waste of money anyway, not sure if it's the club or the player but he's never really delivered for Saints.

yappysnap totally agree with that. North didn't seem to fit well at Saints.

Saints still need to sign a no 8 to replace Picamoles as well.

Incredible when you think that North is only 25.

beshocked wrote:yappysnap totally agree with that. North didn't seem to fit well at Saints.

Saints still need to sign a no 8 to replace Picamoles as well.

Incredible when you think that North is only 25.

May only be 25 but has a lot of miles on the clock.

lostinwales wrote:

beshocked wrote:yappysnap totally agree with that. North didn't seem to fit well at Saints.

Saints still need to sign a no 8 to replace Picamoles as well.

Incredible when you think that North is only 25.

May only be 25 but has a lot of miles on the clock.

True to be fair.

I don't think all the concussions have helped either.

Manu is only 26 too.

Not the end of the world for Saints. Their back line has looked better this season but really spending big on Biggar and a ball carrying forward for next season makes more sense with the way Saints play. I'm sure they can pick up a couple of decent wingers to help fill the squad for what North was on.

North may also be better back in Wales. Saints never really suited his style of play and he never adapted to become the barnstorming winger they wanted. He still prefers to hug the touchline despite Saints trying to push him into coming into the line off the shoulder of the ball carrier.

I'd sell half the squad to have prime Tonga'uiha and Mujati back. That's what we need IMO not a marquee winger.

Most Dragons fans I've spoken to would rather we invested in our front five than in a winger we'll only see for 10 games a season, or whatever it is.

Saints just need to replace Mallinder Sr now....

The rumours flying around the Glaws fans site are that Kwagga Smith, Santiago Cordero and Matt Bananaman are in talks with us.

Saints need to get rid of the Pisi brothers - well past their sell by date.

Marty Moore to Ulster no longer a rumour - has been made official

HongKongCherry wrote:The rumours flying around the Glaws fans site are that Kwagga Smith, Santiago Cordero and Matt Bananaman are in talks with us.

Banahan has been offered a new deal by Bath but the mutterings suggest it's not a particularly lucrative one. Kwagga Smith has been linked with a few clubs over here so I wouldn't be surprised to see him in the AP next season.

Geoff I think the Pisi brothers may well move on when their contacts expire. I wouldn't be surprised to see Saints have a bit of a clear out in the summer and get in some meaty props. As Scott says they could really do with some big units in their prime.

HongKongCherry wrote:The rumours flying around the Glaws fans site are that Kwagga Smith, Santiago Cordero and Matt Bananaman are in talks with us.

Kwagga Smith is in talks with like 5 prem clubs and the Lions.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

HongKongCherry wrote:The rumours flying around the Glaws fans site are that Kwagga Smith, Santiago Cordero and Matt Bananaman are in talks with us.

Banahan has been offered a new deal by Bath but the mutterings suggest it's not a particularly lucrative one. Kwagga Smith has been linked with a few clubs over here so I wouldn't be surprised to see him in the AP next season.

Geoff I think the Pisi brothers may well move on when their contacts expire. I wouldn't be surprised to see Saints have a bit of a clear out in the summer and get in some meaty props. As Scott says they could really do with some big units in their prime.

I thought George Pisi had already returned to New Zealand?

geoff999rugby wrote:Saints need to get rid of the Pisi brothers - well past their sell by date.

George left last summer.

Surprised Bath would let Banahan go (especially as they lose Ford, Watson and Joseph plus Roko sometimes every international game). . Been a good club player for them. Would offer Gloucester something different.

K Smith looked excellent for the Barbarians but is he adaptable enough to succeed in the AP? The old "can he do it on a wet night in Stoke (Sale/Newcastle/Leicester)?" argument.

Blackadder on Banahan;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/42080952

Hadn't realised George had left. Just presumed he was injured.

Didn't know George Pisi left in the summer - just assumed he was injured.

The Saints backs have been poor for a couple of years now.
North was, I assume, brought in to shake things up.
He didn't - big under performer - needs to address things fast.
I wouldn't have him in the first choice Wales back three myself - Halfpenny, Williams, Stef Evans

To get a set of backs functioning you need the right 10,12.
Look at Wasps without Cipriani and Beale their backs have often been poor this year.

Not sure how a coach can expect a winger to change things up a bit?

Like asking a flanker to change things up in a pack going backwards they can help alot in certain aspect but they are not a foundation you can build upon IMO. So to say North under-performed is harsh IMO as Lennie Newman said "It's been a bit like having a Ferrari in your garage but you can't find the key for it".

I reckon a return to wales will prob see his form go back up.

I think he should take a portion of the blame. He doesn't come off the wing often looking for work. That said he's had his moments and is a very difficult man to stop.

Scottrf wrote:I think he should take a portion of the blame. He doesn't come off the wing often looking for work. That said he's had his moments and is a very difficult man to stop.

You're saying that like you know the game plan.

North used to do that alot more.

Welly wrote:

Scottrf wrote:I think he should take a portion of the blame. He doesn't come off the wing often looking for work. That said he's had his moments and is a very difficult man to stop.

You're saying that like you know the game plan.

North used to do that alot more.

I'm saying that like I know he doesn't get the ball. If someone told me to sit on the wing and I didn't touch it I'd come looking for it. When we had Ashton it wasn't the gameplan.

Welly wrote:

Scottrf wrote:I think he should take a portion of the blame. He doesn't come off the wing often looking for work. That said he's had his moments and is a very difficult man to stop.

You're saying that like you know the game plan.

North used to do that alot more.

I remember him going to Saints and that being the part of his game people hoped would be developed by Mallinder. It just hasn't happened. He has his moments but it is more predetermined by the playmaker than Ashton who had a brilliant instinct and work rate to appear on the shoulder at the right time.

Yesterday there was some news flying around about Banahan and Fotuali’i being out of contract. Khan has re signed today for 2 more years. Nothing on Banahan yet.

Moriarty confirmed to Dragons.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Moriarty confirmed to Dragons.

I really fail to see how this benefits Welsh rugby. I'd been resigned to Moriarty leaving for over a year, but I'd have expected him to go to a bigger club where he'd gain big game exposure, which could genuinely develop him as a player. This silly ruling not only limits him as a player, but restricts his earning potential. No disrespect to Dragons, but how does limiting his options so he has to join them going to benefit him or the national side?

My understanding is that it is a 2 year deal and I do wonder whether this is just a means to an end to ensure he can play in the World Cup with a view of moving to a bigger club/pay cheque thereafter?

HongKongCherry wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:Moriarty confirmed to Dragons.

I really fail to see how this benefits Welsh rugby.  I'd been resigned to Moriarty leaving for over a year, but I'd have expected him to go to a bigger club where he'd gain big game exposure, which could genuinely develop him as a player.  This silly ruling not only limits him as a player, but restricts his earning potential.  No disrespect to Dragons, but how does limiting his options so he has to join them going to benefit him or the national side?

Nothing was stopping the other three regions bidding for him.

HongKongCherry wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:Moriarty confirmed to Dragons.

I really fail to see how this benefits Welsh rugby. ?

Sorry to oversimplify, but doesn't it mean that they can now actually select him for the national team?

Bathite wrote:

HongKongCherry wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:Moriarty confirmed to Dragons.

I really fail to see how this benefits Welsh rugby. ?

Sorry to oversimplify, but doesn't it mean that they can now actually select him for the national team?

I think he means the rule.

We can see what's happened with Argentina. They are a shambles and will have to abandon the policy or have a humiliating world cup.

Wales don't have the depth to be fussy.

No need to apologise Bathite But to clarify, I do mean the rule rather than the move itself.

Luckless, I believe all bar Scarlets did actually bid for him under a dual contract, but bizarrely the WRU owned Dragons outbid the other regions but with a sole ownership contract.

Oh I see, got it.

HongKongCherry wrote:No need to apologise Bathite But to clarify, I do mean the rule rather than the move itself.

Luckless, I believe all bar Scarlets did actually bid for him under a dual contract, but bizarrely the WRU owned Dragons outbid the other regions but with a sole ownership contract.

The Dragons have other shareholders besides the WRU. And if we / they think they can afford it, then there are benefits to having sole ownership in terms of the number of games he'll play for us.

There's a whole lot of confusion over the Dragons' relationship with the Union, and it would probably help a great deal if the chairman or CEO gave an interview to clarify things. But as far as I can tell, the Dragons were prepared to offer him more than anyone else, so that's where he's gone.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

HongKongCherry wrote:No need to apologise Bathite But to clarify, I do mean the rule rather than the move itself.

Luckless, I believe all bar Scarlets did actually bid for him under a dual contract, but bizarrely the WRU owned Dragons outbid the other regions but with a sole ownership contract.

The Dragons have other shareholders besides the WRU. And if we / they think they can afford it, then there are benefits to having sole ownership in terms of the number of games he'll play for us.

There's a whole lot of confusion over the Dragons' relationship with the Union, and it would probably help a great deal if the chairman or CEO gave an interview to clarify things. But as far as I can tell, the Dragons were prepared to offer him more than anyone else, so that's where he's gone.

Any new business decision by us has to be verified by PhilBB via Companies House.

SW to join Ospreys

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/42167062

Julien Savea to Munster?

He was rumoured to Quins a few weeks back