Silly Season Transfer Rumours 22/23

First topic message reminder :

And.....off you go.

Corey Baldwin from Scarlets to Dragons. Bit of a meh signing, but assume he was affordable and he is mostly cover, might feature on the wing. Not the area Dai talked about strengthening, perhaps we are going to trial Rio at 15 in the near future.

mikey_dragon wrote:Corey Baldwin from Scarlets to Dragons. Bit of a meh signing, but assume he was affordable and he is mostly cover, might feature on the wing. Not the area Dai talked about strengthening, perhaps we are going to trial Rio at 15 in the near future.

Covers wing and centre. Not far off 16 stone. Was good at age grade but has stalled. Worth a punt on as you say affordable wages.

Absolutely.

Cardiff also linked with Quins prop Rhys Litterick. A swap if you like, for Dillon Lewis. They’ll need more players if they want to compete in the champs cup.

mikey_dragon wrote:Absolutely.

Cardiff also linked with Quins prop Rhys Litterick. A swap if you like, for Dillon Lewis. They’ll need more players if they want to compete in the champs cup.

Fair swap that. International for a 24 year old tighthead that's only played Prem Cup games for the last two years and not all of those either.

Yeah, Cardiff certainly ripped off in that swap but hopefully there’s more to come. I think Litterick is probably better than Cardiff’s former 4th choice (former as in he’s on his way out too).

Tigers have announced their leavers;

The Senior Squad players are:

Chris Ashton
Jimmy Gopperth
Calum Green
Sean Jansen
Kini Murimurivalu
Hosea Saumaki
Eli Snyman

From the Senior Academy, the players are:

George Loose
Chester Owen
Riley Williams

In addition, two mid-season arrivals will leave with their short-term contracts at Tigers coming to an end.

The duo is Tom West and Sam Wolstenholme.

During the current season, the club agreed early releases with five players - Freddie Burns, Bryce Hegarty, Nephi Leatigaga, Nemani Nadolo and Lachlan Shelley - and saw the retirement of Richard Wigglesworth, who became Interim Head Coach.

Tom Cowan-Dickie, Tom Horton, Gabriel Oghre and Joe Taufete’e also left during the current campaign, bringing an end their short-term deals with the club.

The big surprise in there is the absence of Anthony Watson's name. Whilst I'd love to see him stay at Tigers if it's coming via a fudged together central contract for a single year that benefits one club, even if it's the one I support, then I will still think it is an absurd and dumb slap in the face to other clubs and players. As such it's precisely the sort of thing that the RFU might plough ahead with whilst the PRL facilitates. Had he been going to Sarries in that regard I'd have been extremely annoyed and I equally am if it's the means through which he remains at Welford Road.

Calum Green is a bit of a surprise. Rumours are his injury may be career ending. If so you'd presume that announcement might have come first or alongside. If there's a chance of him coming back then I can only presume he was being released anyway but then I'd have thought there'd be slightly more in the announcement for him given he's made over 100 apps for the club and started the final win last season.

The thing that seems odd to me is apparently the part funded by the central contract doesn't count towards the salary cap - how can that be fair?

I am dead against the central contract whether it benefits my club or not. It's ridiculous. I was presuming more that Watson was still weighing up offers and hadn't committed one way or the other yet.

Agree Calum Green deserved a bit more of retirement is true. Unless of course that's coming.

Tigers will certainly be in the market for some more reinforcements.

Lcd not off to France. As yet anyway. Cancelled due to neck injury. Don't know if that's a cancellation with view to review when fit or it points to big issues.

No 7&1/2 wrote:Lcd not off to France. As yet anyway. Cancelled due to neck injury. Don't know if that's a cancellation with view to review when fit or it points to big issues.

An old teacher of mine in med school used to say that every neck issue is a big issue.   Sometimes we get lucky with spinal injuries, but frequently not.  Hoping for the best for him.  

An excerpt from an article in today's Times.  The part in bold is the most significant medical point here:

The Times wrote:Midi Olympique has reported that the Top 14 champions are searching for a replacement after Cowan-Dickie’s medical, which he underwent in the past fortnight, came back inconclusive. The 29-year-old has undergone neck and ankle operations since he previously played in January, and the French club were concerned about nerve damage. The bi-weekly rugby newspaper cites a lack of strength in Cowan-Dickie’s right arm, and says that Tolu Latu, of Waratahs and Australia, could be signed as a replacement.  

The potential for nerve damage and the resultant loss of strength and impact should make all teams very worried.  Should concern the player, too???

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/luke-cowan-dickies-montpellier-move-falls-through-because-of-injury-m6x57c3rr

Sugar. That's his drinking arm too.

Sale have shown interest in signing LCD.

Dan Lydiate signs for the Dragons.

Glasgow had to release Scotland centre Sam Johnson which is simultaneously both understandable (if you know the Glasgow squad) and completely mad (if you've seen SJ at test level).

If I was a Premiership club with any interest in improving its midfield, I would snap him up - he is real quality and at 29 has a good couple of years left.

Piutau off to Shizuoka BlueRevs.

WRU have blocked Cardiff's proposed signing of a South African fly half.

Silly decision by the WRU to block the move for de Beer. A shame Patchell won't be joining, but they supposedly can't meet the wage demands, right after the WRU set their budgets... Lunatics running the assylum as they say.

Oakdene wrote:WRU have blocked Cardiff's proposed signing of a South African fly half.

It’s not a good look at all. To say he would be blocking Welsh talent not even playing for Cardiff is insane.

Where's Patchell off to? Is he leaving the Scarlets?

He might not have a club at this rate. A Japanese or French team should pick him up, on the condition he doesn’t play for Wales. He isn’t picked. Patchell could have been one of the best but he has been injured a lot through his career.

Patchell only has 23 caps, that's short of what he'd need to remain eligible abroad. Sad state of affairs if Cardiff and the WRU can't leverage at least a 1 year deal out of him whilst developing a long term replacement.

Always thought he's a decent player. Find it odd that Cardiff need a fly half and he's available. Has he been offered a contract in Wales and turned it down or just not offered one?

Maine man wrote:Always thought he's a decent player. Find it odd that Cardiff need a fly half and he's available. Has he been offered a contract in Wales and turned it down or just not offered one?

Cardiff offered him & Sam Davies a deal but both declined as Cardiff weren't able to offer them a suitable salary.

Oakdene wrote:

Maine man wrote:Always thought he's a decent player. Find it odd that Cardiff need a fly half and he's available. Has he been offered a contract in Wales and turned it down or just not offered one?

Cardiff offered him & Sam Davies a deal but both declined as Cardiff weren't able to offer them a suitable salary.

Probably end up in D2 France or Japan maybe

Maine man wrote:

Oakdene wrote:

Maine man wrote:Always thought he's a decent player. Find it odd that Cardiff need a fly half and he's available. Has he been offered a contract in Wales and turned it down or just not offered one?

Cardiff offered him & Sam Davies a deal but both declined as Cardiff weren't able to offer them a suitable salary.

Probably end up in D2 France or Japan maybe

I hope so, really unlucky with injuries over the last couple of year. Was pivotal for us when we won the league.

How small a budget have Cardiff left themselves to find a suitable flyhalf? At this rate they'll be trying to entice Shingler from Ealing.

formerly known as Sam wrote:How small a budget have Cardiff left themselves to find a suitable flyhalf? At this rate they'll be trying to entice Shingler from Ealing.

Unsure but some of their players were being offered a deal worth £30k having previously been on more than £200k per year.

I'm sure one of their players have gone semi pro & got another job as that would enable them to earn more than the contract from Cardiff would have.

Obviously this isn't just a Cardiff issue but is affecting all the regions.

Cardiff seem to be the worst off, having lost almost an entire backline and not replaced it.

mikey_dragon wrote:Cardiff seem to be the worst off, having lost almost an entire backline and not replaced it.

Without a shadow of doubt & it could get worse if Liam Williams & Josh Adams bugger off after next season.

For reference.

Players in
Wales Theo Cabango promoted from Academy

Players out
Wales Max Llewellyn to England Gloucester
Wales Jarrod Evans to England Harlequins
Wales Dillon Lewis to England Harlequins
Moldova Dmitri Arhip released
Wales Kristian Dacey retired
Wales Willis Halaholo released
Wales Jason Harries released
Samoa Rey Lee-Lo released
Wales Harri Millard released
Wales Kirby Myhill released
Wales Josh Navidi retired
Wales Joe Peard released
Wales Rhys Priestland released
Wales James Ratti released
Wales Brad Thyer released
Wales Lloyd Williams released

You'd have thought with that many players l leaving they'd have some budget spare. Not sure how good it'll be for Welsh rugby if their regional teams aren't competitive. Especially if they are going to excommunicate young talent like Hawkins who was probably right to be upset by being left on a £20k a year development contract despite being a first team regular. I'm sure Chiefs will have popped a 1 in front of that figure for him.

Yeah you'd think it, but apparently not. And Dai Young is suspended. Someone needs to get their house in order, you're in the RCC next year and it won't be easy...

JJ Hanrahan leaves Dragons, heading out after we also lose Sam Davies. Leaves only Will Reed I think?!

It leaves AOB too, Dai was supposedly looking for a full-back to bring in. Somebody more durable than Jordan Williams we hope.

Ah yes, forgot AOB. Although I see him more as a 15. Is he good enough for 10 week in week out if needed? No doubt he’s ok as 10 cover in a game. Will Reed does look really good in fairness. But he’ll be out injured at some point, such is the life of a pro player, so AOB might see a lot of 10 action.

It was his primary position and he looked good when he last played there against Scarlets. A good all-rounder, maybe not international standard but also not far off.

Sign Tovey back again

I'm wondering if the wealthy regions are just waiting for LI to go into liquidation, like vultures we are.

mikey_dragon wrote:I'm wondering if the wealthy regions are just waiting for LI to go into liquidation, like vultures we are.

Dragons want a lock and Ed Scragg is at LI.

Ex-LI player George Nott is at Dragons and has been very good. I think he's staying so maybe he can have a word with some LI boys to bring them over.

That said, the WRU is blocking Welsh teams signing certain players so who knows? Not sure what their criteria is for a signing (I doubt they've got one!).

Well I suggested Scragg on the basis that he's a 6 foot 7, 19 stone lock that played for Wales at age grade rugby. Even the WRU wouldn't block that surely.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Well I suggested Scragg on the basis that he's a 6 foot 7, 19 stone lock that played for Wales at age grade rugby. Even the WRU wouldn't block that surely.

You have seen the WRU recently. Anything that they probably shouldn't do seems to be the main reason they do anything

Scragg came through our academy at Dragons too. Not sure if he’s the type of player we need at the moment, but if we could bring over Adam Coleman with him and have Scragg as the understudy, yeah that would work!

Not sure what the WRU are up to tbh, is anyone sure? They should not have blocked the signing of de Beer after Cardiff just lost an entire backline including two fly-halves!

Lukhan SALAKAIA-LOTO has left Saints

carpet baboon wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:Well I suggested Scragg on the basis that he's a 6 foot 7, 19 stone lock that played for Wales at age grade rugby. Even the WRU wouldn't block that surely.

You have seen the WRU recently. Anything that they probably shouldn't do seems to be the main reason they do anything

Correct. Which is why one of the pro teams in Wales will maybe sign Cory Hill, despite his cloud when he left Wales. He keeps getting linked to Dragons, but I do not want him. He’s a despicable bully.

Fluxy wrote:Lukhan SALAKAIA-LOTO has left Saints

Apparently his family didn't settle in Australia though given Eddie has convinced the ARU to invest in bringing Australian talent back to rugby union in Australia there was probably a good deal waiting for him.

mikey_dragon wrote:Scragg came through our academy at Dragons too. Not sure if he’s the type of player we need at the moment, but if we could bring over Adam Coleman with him and have Scragg as the understudy, yeah that would work!

Not sure what the WRU are up to tbh, is anyone sure? They should not have blocked the signing of de Beer after Cardiff just lost an entire backline including two fly-halves!

I doubt Dragons will be able to afford Coleman. France or Japan are more likely destinations unless Eddie wants him back in Australia for a possible world cup spot. Scragg is more in line with your budget, he did well in the Championship before moving to LI.

I sort of get why they vetoed the de Beer signing as he's an average player that's never going to do much more than take up a region's flyhalf spot. However, it does seem harsh if they are going to do that and then not help Cardiff either retain one of the flyhalfs potentially leaving Wales or go about bringing one back home. Josh Thomas at Falcons perhaps.

TAFKA The Oracle wrote:Ex-LI player George Nott is at Dragons and has been very good.  I think he's staying so maybe he can have a word with some LI boys to bring them over.

That said, the WRU is blocking Welsh teams signing certain players so who knows?  Not sure what their criteria is for a signing (I doubt they've got one!).

From reading elsewhere this appears to be anyone who would need a work permit.

Oakdene wrote:

TAFKA The Oracle wrote:Ex-LI player George Nott is at Dragons and has been very good.  I think he's staying so maybe he can have a word with some LI boys to bring them over.

That said, the WRU is blocking Welsh teams signing certain players so who knows?  Not sure what their criteria is for a signing (I doubt they've got one!).

From reading elsewhere this appears to be anyone who would need a work permit.

So is that anyone from outside the UK and/or without a UK passport? Not sure how it all works. How does the EU fit in now since Brexit? Any special arrangements or are EU players in need of permit too?

TAFKA The Oracle wrote:

Oakdene wrote:

TAFKA The Oracle wrote:Ex-LI player George Nott is at Dragons and has been very good.  I think he's staying so maybe he can have a word with some LI boys to bring them over.

That said, the WRU is blocking Welsh teams signing certain players so who knows?  Not sure what their criteria is for a signing (I doubt they've got one!).

From reading elsewhere this appears to be anyone who would need a work permit.

So is that anyone from outside the UK and/or without a UK passport?  Not sure how it all works.  How does the EU fit in now since Brexit? Any special arrangements or are EU players in need of permit too?

That's way above my level that!!