Scarlets signings

Just wondering if anyone had heard about the possibility of any signings for the Scarlets?

I heard we were meant to be signing a Fijian or Tongan prop a month ago, but everything seems to have gone quiet on that front, and I was hoping with Lyons moving, we might be able to sign a front 5 foward, or a 15.

THey should have some spare funds with the players that are leaving, Regan King and Lyons would have claimed a decent wage I am sure.

They've signed a (samoan?) lock from Carmarthen Quins, looks like Vernon Cooper is retiring, Jonny F has been released, Andy Fenby is back training and Maule is struggling to make the start of the new season after a shoulder operation. No other news apart from the obvious ones

I've forgotten the name of the lock, but he's absolutely massive, might be just what we need in the 2nd row.

Think we've signed Aled Thomas from London Welsh as fly half cover too.

That's about it though.

Scarlets have been seen in the last few years ad lacking a bit of grunt up front, and for next season they are looking at Tongan international Sione Timani, who has been playing for Carmarthen Quins for the last two seasons, and has 2 caps for Tonga and is in Tonga's 50 man provisional World Cup squad, so if the Scarlets want him they would have to admit the possibility of not seeing him until after the World Cup. He is able to play at lock or number 8, and at 6ft 5in and 19 stone he would definitely add some bulk in one way or another to the Scarlets pack.

Last season, the Scarlets tried a number of lock partners to play with the ever present Lou Reed. Damian Welch, Jonny Fa'amatuainu, Vernon Cooper, Aaron Shingler and even back rowers Rob McCusker and Josh Turnbull played at lock with him at some point, however none impressed long enough to stay as Reed's lock partner for long.

The Scarlets have been quiet in the transfer market so far, with Aled Thomas from London Welsh their sole signing, and he is only likely to play during the World Cup.

Scarlets ins and outs so far:

Ins: Aled Thomas (London Welsh)
Possible: Sione Timani (Carmarthen Quins), Rhodri Gomer-Davies (Dragons), Alix Popham (Brive)

Outs: Rhys Lawrence (Bristol), Jonny Fa'amatuainu (released), Martin Roberts (Northampton), Steve Shingler (London Irish), Regan King (Clermont)

Interesting on the RGD and Popham front - rumours?

NO to Popham He really can just urine off, would hate to see him back in Scarlet colours.

Care to add a slight amount more explanation dreamer?

He was a hugely, and I mean hugely disruptive force when he was last with us in the changing room. There was just a really bad vibe coming from the team, they didn't play well, and they weren't happy.

At the moment we've got a great team spirit going and we're building a great squad. I think we need players who will fit into and appreciate our ethos. Popham isn't one of those people. So no thank you to him.

From what i've heard Aled Thomas, outside half/fullback from London Welsh, Andy Wiliams ex ospreys and bath scrum half and Rhys Jones (kingsley jones's son) outside half. Not exactly inspiring singnings are they!

Kingsley Jones' son! Now I feel old!

BuzzScarlet wrote:From what i've heard Aled Thomas, outside half/fullback from London Welsh, Andy Wiliams ex ospreys and bath scrum half and Rhys Jones (kingsley jones's son) outside half. Not exactly inspiring singnings are they!

Scarlets have plenty of exciting players coming through their youth ranks that wont involve signing. much better than buying in talent is growing your own...!

SubsBench wrote:Kingsley Jones' son! Now I feel old!

Yeah Dai Youngs kid Tom is playing openside for the Blues next year too

maestegmafia wrote:

BuzzScarlet wrote:From what i've heard Aled Thomas, outside half/fullback from London Welsh, Andy Wiliams ex ospreys and bath scrum half and Rhys Jones (kingsley jones's son) outside half. Not exactly inspiring singnings are they!

Scarlets have plenty of exciting players coming through their youth ranks that wont involve signing. much better than buying in talent is growing your own...!

Maesteg, i agree, but in an ideal world i would like to see a bit more experienced players come in to help the youngsters in the team during the world cup/six nations when we will lose our internationals.

I agree Buzz, but I would also rather we don't spend money we don't have! We're going to have to stick with our youth players for a good few seasons I think. We're going to have to tough it out, I think we'll be the stronger for it.

BuzzScarlet wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

BuzzScarlet wrote:From what i've heard Aled Thomas, outside half/fullback from London Welsh, Andy Wiliams ex ospreys and bath scrum half and Rhys Jones (kingsley jones's son) outside half. Not exactly inspiring singnings are they!

Scarlets have plenty of exciting players coming through their youth ranks that wont involve signing. much better than buying in talent is growing your own...!

Maesteg, i agree, but in an ideal world i would like to see a bit more experienced players come in to help the youngsters in the team during the world cup/six nations when we will lose our internationals.

Its not going to happen. Welsh rugby is all about homegrown talent these days.

The academies are investing hard in developing a sustainable future where we don't have to rely on expensive foreign players. Just like back in the amateur days.

Wouldn't that be the same Tom Young proving to be quite a presence for the U20's over the last few weeks?

Knowsit17 wrote:Wouldn't that be the same Tom Young proving to be quite a presence for the U20's over the last few weeks?

Yep, he has been great in the 7 shirt for the Under 20s.

Poor lil b'gger looks like his dad not his mam too...!

Really dont wont to see us go back down the expensive foreingner route again, waste of money we dont have i.e kees meews, simon mailing and many others, just cant really see any of the new singnings bringing much to the scarlets, doubt they'll be pushing any of the established players for a starting place, although id like to see Andy Williams regain the form he had at bath during the early part of his career. I think Rhys Jones maybe on a Wales 7s contract.

heard the rhodri-gomer davies rumour too, but thought he decided not to sign for the scarlets after scott williams signed a new contract. last i heard he was off to the ospreys. personally i wouldn't mind him signing for us, as he has plenty of ML experience.

can see why we would sign aled thomas and andy williams, but i hope it's only a 1 year contract during world cup year.

don't see the need for the rhys jones signing, and from what i've seen i don't think he is up to regional rugby.

be good to see fenby back this season, however liam davies has impressed me at the u20 world cup and i hope he gets an opportunity next season.

but agree with dreamer with players such as dai llew, vernon cooper, possibly deacon manu?, regan king etc going....we are short of experience.

To be honest I think that if you look at who may not be in the squad at the start of the season due to the RWC (Rees, Owens, Reed, Turnbull, McCusker, Knoyle, Jones, Priestland, Williams, Davies, North, Lamont). We need to make a hand full of cheap, short term signings, and these look like the right sort of players IMO. If they come good then we keep them if not then they are bench warmers for the up and coming lads.

As for lack of experience (even taking the RWC boys out) we have a handful of on pitch leaders in the shape of Iestyn Thomas, Jonny Edwards, and Gareth Maule (all captained at some point last season).

SS,

Posted similar on another thread about early season players/form.

We (Dragons) will IMO definately be without Lydiate and Faletau for the beginning of the season with the possibility of adding Charterris, Brew and Burns to that list so that could really hurt us.

We have a settled and (Regional) experienced side with the likes of Gustafson, Willis, Sidoli, Thomas, Evans, Tovey and Smith who will all be available but as you said some short term loans maybe the way ahead for early part of season.

I agree for the most part with SS that it's a good idea (especially with our financial restraints) to sign cheap short term cover for our internationals in during the World Cup, but I think the 2nd row issue will still be an issue before, during and after the World Cup, and as such with the release of Lyons, King and Cooper we could use those funds to get a hard headed, experienced Lock to complement all the young up and coming players we have (if one is available of course).

Smirnoff - from what i have heard of the lad from the quins he seems to be a poor mans Tiatia, whether or not it is true I don't know

Fingers crossed he's good, I just hope he can give us some bulk and hard headedness
I just always assumed as he was playing for the Quinns and I hadn't heard of him before, that he wouldn't be any great shakes

he looked alright in the churchill cup I think it was. Definitely a really, really big unit so the bulk should be provided no problem. Looks like he could do with a fair bit of conditioning work though.

Soz thats what i meant, I meant a big guy who had the bulk/power who could use it, and had the basic skills to compete. As opposed to another Gavin Quniell, who was big, but was just a lump in the middle of the park who couldn't compete

ah okay, get you now. Think this guy has got a lot of raw power we could harness, but needs a lot of fitness work I would say. But still, not a bad prospect (or I hope not!)

If Welsh regions are going to make signings they need to be very strong ones, as it's a World Cup year most players will miss the first 2 months of the season, so signing someone at the moment is bad business.
With limited spaces available for Non Welsh players filling them up with average players is a waste of time.

Timani has definitely signed, 2 year contract, he's 26 so could be around for another 5 years,

http://www.scarlets.co.uk/eng/news/3994.php

also read on Scarlet Fever a rumour that we've signed Eric Lund, not confirmed yet though.

ah I saw that rumour Turkster but the guy who started it admitted he was just having a joke. That would be an amazing signing though, he's win the Grow a Grav competition hands down!

That's not bad news about Timani (ty for the name, I keep forgetting it!). If it's 2 years, Nige and co clearly think he's got potential to develop within our squad.

rugbydreamer wrote:ah I saw that rumour Turkster but the guy who started it admitted he was just having a joke. That would be an amazing signing though, he's win the Grow a Grav competition hands down!

That's not bad news about Timani (ty for the name, I keep forgetting it!). If it's 2 years, Nige and co clearly think he's got potential to develop within our squad.

ahhh, such a shame about Eric Lund, I think I'd have preferred him to Timani. Beef up the second row, get Rhys Thomas to play in boots and not roller skates and I reckon we'll be competing with the better clubs fairly sharpish, hopefully a good pre-season for Rhys Thomas will see him right.

I know, reckon Lund would fit in really well at Y Parc, I shall still keep hoping for a signing of that sort though.

To be fair to Rhys Thomas, he actually looked really good at the end of last season. I just hope for his sake he ccan get a full pre-season in and actually play a season without a serious injury! He's been very unlucky since he signed with us. Hope he can prove all his doubters wrong too.

Rhys Thomas was looking good before his injury against Leicester too.

Personally I think he has grounds to feel hard done by with regards to the welsh squad as he has been playing far better than some of the other props in the squad.

With regards to Lund I think he would end up something of a cult hero if we did sign him

Just thought Timani should theoretically be a good signing just thinking about other Tongans we have had.

Yeah it will be interesting to see if R Thomas can kick on from the way he finished last year - if he can then we are getting a quite tidy front row. Although I must admit to feeling a bit worried about when Iestyn slows down a bit (and he must at some point surely?)

Good to know we signed Timani, I just hope he's got the potential as SS says)

Now if we could just poach Victor Matfield or Brad Thorn...

ah but when Iestyn starts slowing down, we'll have Rhodri Jones ready and waiting to take his place. I'm actually quite pleased with our front rows future prospects