SILLY SEASON TRANSFER RUMOURS 20/21

GeordieFalcon wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:I think Schoeman has been injured for nearly all his time at Bath. Can play 10 and 15 though.

Chiefs look set to sign Leinster second row Dunne a 6ft8 122kg 21 year old for next season. Hasn't played this season yet due to an ankle injury. Replacement for one of the outgoing internationals it seems.

Just what we need!

At least your youngsters will get lots of game time.

Tigers have signed Robison on loan until the end of the season. He is actually a very good player, but Cardiff are just too stacked in the back-row. Hopefully this is the beginning of Ollie picking up a permanent contract with a premiership team.

Rumours here at the falcons is that Radwan has been having talks with Tigers...

Honestly couldnt blame the lad...we are inept all over and particularly in attack.

The lad must be frustrated to hell.....

GeordieFalcon wrote:Rumours here at the falcons is that Radwan has been having talks with Tigers...

Honestly couldnt blame the lad...we are inept all over and particularly in attack.

The lad must be frustrated to hell.....

Yourself, Sarge and Cumbrian will hate me for this. To be honest I kind of hate the cynical part of myself a little bit for thinking like this.

But when I saw that Radwan had missed out on the England squad just after the match fee dispute I did think this would be a good time for another club to have an "informal chat" with him. The sort of informal chats that used to be had before January 1st when the old rules were supposed to prevent clubs approaching Prem players until then but never did.

Just a quiet whisper of playing alongside Steward week in, week out. Champions Cup rugby. A forward pack that is rapidly improving. Etc etc.

Jokes aside I believe Radwan and Steward are fairly close, plus Tigers currently have Jaco Taute and Kobus van Wyk on decent wages, never playing for various reasons and out of contract at the end of the season. So there could well be room to recruit an outside back.

Steward and Radwan are friends. Steward was up in Newcastle on a rest week with Radwan, someone with more social media access will be able to find the pictures.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if clubs were sniffing around.

Only thing is I can't see Tigers wanting to spend much on a winger. We will need some more youth out wide and as KC says van Wyk and Taute are heading out of contract, as are Owolfela, Aspland-Robinson and Simmonds though they are all on lower wages. None require replacing but a younger winger when Nadolo and Murimurivalu are both well into their thirties and Saumaki will be 30 fairly soon does make good sense. For the right price.

Would be a cracking signing that. Leicester s current wingers are decent prem level but nothing special.

No 7&1/2 wrote:Would be a cracking signing that. Leicester s current wingers are decent prem level but nothing special.

Saracens, Quins and Chiefs all won the title with wingers that weren't International standard. I don't think it's a prerequisite for a top side. Potter has 5 tries in 11 games this season, Nadolo has 4 in 9. They are getting the job done and in a cost efficient manner. I'd also argue that despite his advancing years Nadolo is something special. Similar with Murimurivalu, bit past his best but still a great squad option.

Radwan would offer something unique but it would need to be at the right price, don't want us going back to overpaying for our backline options like in the Toomua/Manu/May days.

Didn't say you couldn't win a title without great wingers. Just Radwan is better than anyone you currently have.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:Would be a cracking signing that. Leicester s current wingers are decent prem level but nothing special.

Saracens, Quins and Chiefs all won the title with wingers that weren't International standard. I don't think it's a prerequisite for a top side. Potter has 5 tries in 11 games this season, Nadolo has 4 in 9. They are getting the job done and in a cost efficient manner. I'd also argue that despite his advancing years Nadolo is something special. Similar with Murimurivalu, bit past his best but still a great squad option.

Radwan would offer something unique but it would need to be at the right price, don't want us going back to overpaying for our backline options like in the Toomua/Manu/May days.

Saracens won in the 2018 and 2019 finals with Maitland and Wyles/Williams starting and Earle/Strettle benching. All international standard except Earle.

Exeter lost the 2019 final with Cuthbert, O'Flaherty and Nowell as the back three and then won the 2020 final with Nowell on one wing, Woodburn on the other and Hogg at FB. Cuthbert was in the 2021 final with O'Flaherty and Nowell making up the rest of the back three. Always had two internationals in the back three.

Quins had Lynagh on one wing and he would be an international if he played for Australia or Italy (and may become an England one before too long). Green had some international buzz but him and Murley are probably the weakest back three to have made/won the final in a few years. Probably need at least one international standard wing.

Cuthbert cost Chiefs the 2021 final and went there on the back of his career basically falling apart. I don't really class him as an international at that point. The use of Woodburn, O'Flaherty and previously the likes of Dollman show you don't need big name or expensive wingers. Nowell an academy graduate as opposed to an acquisition.

Fair point on the Sarries ones though Wyles and Maitland were not flashy expensive wingers and neither was Strettle by the end. Wyles only played for the USA as well. They were astute signings at the right time, well less so Strettle that was more waving a cheque at him.

Quins have two that might potentially become internationals but they weren't at the time. It was good use of their academy with Murley and Lynagh coming through.

All three sides tended to spend more on key positions and less than on wingers. With the exception of Saracens flouting the salary cap to sign Liam Williams.

Tigers have a nice back three set up with Nadolo, Potter and Steward. My only concern with that back three is the age of Nadolo and his ability to stay fit. Radwan would be nice but if wage cuts are coming in I'd not make a sacrifice for him from elsewhere in the squad. There's two internationals, well one current and one former, in the starting back three. Another current and former waiting in the wings before we get to Porter. None of which cost a lot but are all going to do the job.

Dom Barrow having a trial with Sale apparently. Looking to get back into the game after a couple of years out.

Barrow has a lot of talent but also a tendency to not help himself at times.

Allegedly, Nathan Hughes is being loaned to Hartpury for the remainder of the season

Hartbury have named Hughes in their side for the weekend so seems that it's happening.

Fluxy wrote:Allegedly, Nathan Hughes is being loaned to Hartpury for the remainder of the season

What? Why?

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

Fluxy wrote:Allegedly, Nathan Hughes is being loaned to Hartpury for the remainder of the season

What? Why?

Rumours of a fall out at Bristol. I assume he's been told he's not getting a new contract for next season. Whether that was the instigation or the fall out from something else I don't know.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

Fluxy wrote:Allegedly, Nathan Hughes is being loaned to Hartpury for the remainder of the season

What? Why?

Rumours of a fall out at Bristol. I assume he's been told he's not getting a new contract for next season. Whether that was the instigation or the fall out from something else I don't know.

Shame to see a player of his quality fall like this. Should open the door for him to line out for Fiji.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

Fluxy wrote:Allegedly, Nathan Hughes is being loaned to Hartpury for the remainder of the season

What? Why?

Rumours of a fall out at Bristol. I assume he's been told he's not getting a new contract for next season. Whether that was the instigation or the fall out from something else I don't know.

Shame to see a player of his quality fall like this. Should open the door for him to line out for Fiji.

He hasn't been in good form for a little while. Started to fall off last year, some wag on the Tigers forum joked it was due to the time spent in George Martin's pocket. I suspect a prime form Hughes wouldn't have been taken out the game by a 20 year old flanker repeatedly cutting him in half. 

I think a move to a new club and playing for Fiji might actually be good for him. Unsure whether Fiji need him or not though.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

Fluxy wrote:Allegedly, Nathan Hughes is being loaned to Hartpury for the remainder of the season

What? Why?

Rumours of a fall out at Bristol. I assume he's been told he's not getting a new contract for next season. Whether that was the instigation or the fall out from something else I don't know.

Shame to see a player of his quality fall like this. Should open the door for him to line out for Fiji.

He hasn't been in good form for a little while. Started to fall off last year, some wag on the Tigers forum joked it was due to the time spent in George Martin's pocket. I suspect a prime form Hughes wouldn't have been taken out the game by a 20 year old flanker repeatedly cutting him in half. 

I think a move to a new club and playing for Fiji might actually be good for him. Unsure whether Fiji need him or not though.

We see this a lot with Fijian lads where their forms fall of a cliff; the likes of Nakarawa, Nalanga, Caucaunibuca, Naholo etc. I'm not sure exactly what it is, I know these lads have had their injuries but so do most top level players. I suppose Caucau did talk about missing home, struggling with the languages etc. I'm sure it's tough for some of them to be away for so many years.
In terms of whether Fiji need him, I wouldn't have him starting but the more options they have the better as you never know whose going to be available due to club commitments.

I could see Fiji using Hughes at lock.

Let’s be honest Hughes has been poor for some time
Not surprised Bristol are showing him the door

Hughes now at Bath on loan

Said in the European thread after Bath got pumped they need a proper no.8 (preferably 2). If the loan works out and the salary is not outrageous, Hughes should be a big upgrade on what Bath have.

I presume it means Falatau isn't going to be back soon for Bath.

Hughes is allegedly on his way to LI for next season.

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/damian-de-allende-rumoured-to-be-bath-bound-van-graans-next-target/


De Allende to Bath?

The smart money was on a move to Japan, but maybe not. I wonder if he will bring any other Munster players with him, if so, it is not going to go down so well in Limerick!

FKAS, I think you are confusing "haven't been capped" with "weren't international standard".

Maybe I'm just taking a "glass half full" view vs a "glass half empty one", but I've long thought that wing is the most easily interchangeable international position, and that there are a lot of uncapped wings who would be fine at international level given the chance, and comparatively few really outstanding international wings.

It's rare to find someone who combines the speed or step to make their own breaks, the positional nous to finish opportunities created by others, being strong under the high ball and at the kick chase, and with the positioning and tackle to be a strong defender at the back. The ones who are strongest on the first of those qualities are often weaker on the rest (Christian Wade springs to mind), so most teams opt for at least one wing who's a very good all-rounder (say, Nowell or Malins) and one with more of a point of difference (say, May - who to his credit has worked very hard on rounding out his game compared to where he started).

At any point in time I think that most teams will have at least one winger who would be international standard, but there are only so many caps to be handed out.

Bradley Roberts joins Dragons from Ulster, worst kept secret.

Jonothan Thomas is replaced by Steve Diamond at Worcester; I guess their results have been particularly bad if you discount Bath.

Tyrone Green re-signs for Quins.

That's Dombrandt, Evans, Northmore, Murley and Green from the regular first teamers plus squad and academy players Riley, Baxter. Wallace, Edwards, Beard all re-signed, and only Tizard leaving.

The most important players who don't have recent deals are:
Marler (rumoured to Bath but I'd be stunned if that happened)
Louw
Symons (rumoured that he might retire)
Hammond (important given Tizard going)
Care
Gjaltema
Esterhuizen (really want confirmation that he's not going anywhere)

But Quins are announcing a deal a day at the moment so we should have a good sense of the squad before too long.

Tigers rumours, emphasis on rumours, are that talks with Marler are at an advanced stage whilst talks with Radwan are described as being initial discussions.

It does sound a bit like 2+2=5 with the rumours leaning in those players have friendships with Tigers players.

Marler lives in Sussex, and I just can't imagine him wanting to uproot his family. So unless someone has worked out how to fit a daily helicopter commute inside the cap, I could only see him moving to somewhere he could get to in a reasonable drive.

Which is basically Quins, London Irish or Saracens. And I can't see him going to Saracens.

Joe is further along and IF he decides to leave Quins, we’re probably at the front of the queue as we understand. Some rumours about him not being delighted with contract situation at Quins but not sure how accurate that is!

Suspect Kobus, Taute and maybe Kini off this year too.

I really hope Kini stays but do fear he might be off. 3 starts so far this season, he's just too good a player for that.

If Gopperth joins Tigers as rumoured then expect Socino will be off on top of Taute in the midfield. Gopperth would be a pretty ideal signing for Tigers with Ford leaving. As a 12 he tends to make his 10 look a lot better and as a fly-half option he's still a better player than Burns and Hegarty IMO.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Tigers rumours, emphasis on rumours, are that talks with Marler are at an advanced stage whilst talks with Radwan are described as being initial discussions.

It does sound a bit like 2+2=5 with the rumours leaning in those players have friendships with Tigers players.

Wouldn't surprise me to be honest. I think Falcons fans long ago accepted where the club is in the rugby landscape. It hurts to think of the two most exciting (to watch) talents in Hodge and Radwan playing for other clubs though (not even making the bench in Hodge's case). In all honesty, I wouldn't be shocked to see the club pillaged of the other young players over the coming years. Back to the bad old days...

Never mind though, I'm sure Deano can raid the championship for more mediocrity or journeymen...

Wouldn't have thought Radwan and Marler would come cheap if they are going to Leicester. It's getting very Saracens.

Just seen Sale Leiceater is actually on ITV1. Nicely timed with the 6 nations for peak interest or better to wait while the teams are stronger (for the televised games)?

Cumbrian wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:Tigers rumours, emphasis on rumours, are that talks with Marler are at an advanced stage whilst talks with Radwan are described as being initial discussions.

It does sound a bit like 2+2=5 with the rumours leaning in those players have friendships with Tigers players.

Wouldn't surprise me to be honest.   I think Falcons fans long ago accepted where the club is in the rugby landscape.  It hurts to  think of the two most exciting (to watch) talents in Hodge and Radwan playing for other clubs though (not even making the bench in Hodge's case). In all honesty, I wouldn't be shocked to see the club pillaged of the other young players over the coming years. Back to the bad old days...

Never mind though, I'm sure Deano can raid the championship for more mediocrity or journeymen...

We need to move Deano on...and his whole coaching team....we need young fresh ideas..

However in terms of young back three players to replace Radwan next season...we're in an incredibly good position.

Iwan Stephans (so long as the Welsh dont come looking) is looking sheer quality.
Morgan Passman should be ready to go now..a different player to Radwan..more Ben Cohen.
Matty Ward should be ready also...
Mattias Carrerra is a class act already an Argentinian international....
Chidera Obonna - Powerful young winger / 13.
Ben Stevenson - Already settled in but would prefer him at 13.

No 7&1/2 wrote:Wouldn't have thought Radwan and Marler would come cheap if they are going to Leicester. It's getting very Saracens.

Just seen Sale Leiceater is actually on ITV1. Nicely timed with the 6 nations for peak interest or better to wait while the teams are stronger (for the televised games)?

Cant see Radwan being that expensive to be honest.

Young Flanker Aaron Hinkley from Chiefs to Saints....

He was the next "real deal" wasnt he...but suffered a bad injury. Maybe he can start afresh at Saints.

Hinkley was really good at U20. You could see why Exeter went for him.

Hopefully he can get a good run injury free

No 7&1/2 wrote:Wouldn't have thought Radwan and Marler would come cheap if they are going to Leicester. It's getting very Saracens.

Genge out and Marler in would be like for like in terms of salary. The salary would go further in Leicestershire as opposed to London commuter belt. Might help with a large family.

As GF says Radwan might not be that expensive. It's not the best summer to move with clubs all having salary cap reductions and he's restricted to the Prem.

Quins trailed another contract announcement today with the sound of some sort of flying machine. Fans are divided as to whether it's a helicopter or a DC-9....

I should point out I expect Marler to be re-signing with Quins. It sounds like Quins are announcing new contracts and building up to some big news.

The Quins media team are doing a good job with keeping the fans entertained.

formerly known as Sam wrote:The Quins media team are doing a good job with keeping the fans entertained.

Well, they've had to up their game to compete with the squad on the pitch

Munster tighthead John Ryan to Wasps apparently. 24 ireland caps, solid player.

Care extends for Quins. Marler next, please.

Poorfour wrote:Care extends for Quins. Marler next, please.

He's said on Twitter he's got one more year on his current deal.

https://twitter.com/JoeMarler/status/1486395328630861830?s=20

Jimmy Gopperth to Tigers eh?

McCall has stepped down temporarily due to health reasons. Blow for Saracens.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Jimmy Gopperth to Tigers eh?

Seems so. Rumours that Wasps didn't offer him a renewal and Tigers have offered a one year deal. I presume it's mainly cover for the start of the season when Pollard and Moroni will be away the AIs will likely see Steward and maybe Scott and/or Kelly called up as well. If he's cheap it's handy cover, I'm expecting him to be in a player/ coach role.

Still a good player and able to fit in 10/12, handy signing.

Mistake by Wasps

Gopperth is still the only guy who steadies the ship from 10.
Umaga comes up short and Atkinson is still raw.
Games for Mills at 10?

geoff999rugby wrote:Mistake by Wasps

Gopperth is still the only guy who steadies the ship from 10.
Umaga comes up short and Atkinson is still raw.
Games for Mills at 10?

Umaga, Atkinson and Matthews on the books. Three very talented 10s. I'm guessing they are going to back them.

Should also say at 12 there's MLB, Mills and the guy they've got in the England under 20s.