Transfer news, rumours, suggestions, frenzied speculation, and outright lies - Season 2023-24

[Puja]

Bit harsh on Shillcock. Thought he was fantastic in the first half last weekend. He's a bit meh ball in hand but he's got a howitzer of a kick and he forced Russell back and generally won the kicking duel. I'm not sure he's a flyhalf though more of a good utility back.

That's the thing - start of last season his form was so good that he looked like a natural fly-half. Now he's reverted to the mean, which is still a very handy player, but looks every inch a fullback pressed into service as a 10, rather than an actual 10.

Puja

[FKAS]

Bit harsh on Shillcock. Thought he was fantastic in the first half last weekend. He's a bit meh ball in hand but he's got a howitzer of a kick and he forced Russell back and generally won the kicking duel. I'm not sure he's a flyhalf though more of a good utility back.

That's the thing - start of last season his form was so good that he looked like a natural fly-half. Now he's reverted to the mean, which is still a very handy player, but looks every inch a fullback pressed into service as a 10, rather than an actual 10.

Puja

I'm not sure he looked better ball in hand last season I think Atkinson just looked so lost that Shillcock was a big step up.

[francoisfou]

Midi Olympique are speculating this morning about Julian Montoya attracting the interest of Top14 clubs.
I don't know when his current contract at Leicester expires but who'd blame him for heading this side of the Channel?

[FKAS]

Midi Olympique are speculating this morning about Julian Montoya attracting the interest of Top14 clubs.
I don't know when his current contract at Leicester expires but who'd blame him for heading this side of the Channel?

He's one of the best hookers in the world, a tendency to balls up the occasional lineout the only thing from being the best going. There's always going to be interest in him, Tigers will be desperate to keep him as well.

I might be wrong but I thought one of the reasons he went to Western Force (or was supposed to go to Western Force) and then Tigers after the Jags went under and not to France was that he spoke a bit of English but didn't know any French. His English is now very good and his family are settled. At 30 though he'll be looked for a hefty three year deal to make the best economic sense of his remaining best years.

[Puja]

Midi Olympique are speculating this morning about Julian Montoya attracting the interest of Top14 clubs.
I don't know when his current contract at Leicester expires but who'd blame him for heading this side of the Channel?

He's one of the best hookers in the world, a tendency to balls up the occasional lineout the only thing from being the best going. There's always going to be interest in him, Tigers will be desperate to keep him as well.

I might be wrong but I thought one of the reasons he went to Western Force (or was supposed to go to Western Force) and then Tigers after the Jags went under and not to France was that he spoke a bit of English but didn't know any French. His English is now very good and his family are settled. At 30 though he'll be looked for a hefty three year deal to make the best economic sense of his remaining best years.

I mean, is knowing French *really* a necessity for communicating within some T14 teams nowadays?

Puja

[francoisfou]

Midi Olympique are speculating this morning about Julian Montoya attracting the interest of Top14 clubs.
I don't know when his current contract at Leicester expires but who'd blame him for heading this side of the Channel?

He's one of the best hookers in the world, a tendency to balls up the occasional lineout the only thing from being the best going. There's always going to be interest in him, Tigers will be desperate to keep him as well.

I might be wrong but I thought one of the reasons he went to Western Force (or was supposed to go to Western Force) and then Tigers after the Jags went under and not to France was that he spoke a bit of English but didn't know any French. His English is now very good and his family are settled. At 30 though he'll be looked for a hefty three year deal to make the best economic sense of his remaining best years.

I mean, is knowing French *really* a necessity for communicating within some T14 teams nowadays?

Puja

Non!

[FKAS]

Depends where in France you are, might be fine in the club environment but going out and about with the family not speaking the language can be a barrier. I'm hoping Montoya sees it as that and opts to stay in Leicestershire.

Tigers won't be able to compete on price. Montoya is on a decent whack already and the French clubs won't be going lower.

[Puja]

I was attempting to be funny, rather than a serious suggestion. I hope we don't lose him, but I couldn't blame him for topping up his pension - he's been a good servant to the club. I don't think either FTT or Vanes will be ready to step up for next season though (and Clare is an honest trier rather than anything else), so it'd leave us having to go shopping again.

Puja

[Banquo]

I was attempting to be funny, rather than a serious suggestion. I hope we don't lose him, but I couldn't blame him for topping up his pension - he's been a good servant to the club. I don't think either FTT or Vanes will be ready to step up for next season though (and Clare is an honest trier rather than anything else), so it'd leave us having to go shopping again.

Puja

Vanes is 23 so when will he be ready?

[francoisfou]

I was attempting to be funny, rather than a serious suggestion. I hope we don't lose him, but I couldn't blame him for topping up his pension - he's been a good servant to the club. I don't think either FTT or Vanes will be ready to step up for next season though (and Clare is an honest trier rather than anything else), so it'd leave us having to go shopping again.

Puja

Vanes is 23 so when will he be ready?

Sadly, I don't get to watch Tigers as often as I would like (although I should be on the terrace for the Glaws game), but I''ve always thought that Clare was a more than able deputy. Can't comment on Vanes, but at 23 shouldn't he be banging on the door?

[FKAS]

Clare is a solid back up. Good work rate, good set piece and this season he's managed a couple of nice carries in the tight. Outside of the tight exchanges he a non-entity though. Vanes played at the weekend and looked similar to Clare but younger. FTT is a similar age and is a different type of hooker, he's mobile, abrasive and goes after the breakdown an additional backrow almost. They can all do a job at Prem level.

All of them are a massive step down on Montoya though. Sure Tigers could promote internally but we would be weaker as a result. Montoya is great in both the right and the loose. He's a good carrier, good hands, great at the breakdown. He's the best bits of our other three hookers and then some. Looking at the rest of the league I don't think there's another hooker you take over Montoya (George being the closest competition) and that's the problem.

Pollard's contract also up for renewal. Tigers could potentially have a huge amount of cap to play with of neither opts to stay.

[Puja]

I was attempting to be funny, rather than a serious suggestion. I hope we don't lose him, but I couldn't blame him for topping up his pension - he's been a good servant to the club. I don't think either FTT or Vanes will be ready to step up for next season though (and Clare is an honest trier rather than anything else), so it'd leave us having to go shopping again.

Puja

Vanes is 23 so when will he be ready?

I mean, I'd like him to have more than 4 Premiership/HEC appearances. It's entirely possible that he won't ever be ready and he's just not good enough for this level - the fact that he's so far down the pecking order for Leicester suggests that he's not banging on the door. It is entirely possible that he's a late bloomer/wasn't like by McKellar, Wigglesworth or Borthwick, and will flourish this season, but at the moment, I'm not sitting here saying that I'm confident he will own the 2 shirt if Montoya leaves.

Sadly, I don't get to watch Tigers as often as I would like (although I should be on the terrace for the Glaws game), but I''ve always thought that Clare was a more than able deputy. Can't comment on Vanes, but at 23 shouldn't he be banging on the door?

Clare is a good deputy and a solid squad player, but I wouldn't be pleased if he was our first choice hooker. He's the kind of player that we should be expecting our youngsters to surpass, and the fact that he does not appear to be remotely threatened by FTT or Vanes in the coaches' eyes is not encouraging.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

If Vanes doesn’t move to Vannes then why are we even bothering.

[Banquo]

I was attempting to be funny, rather than a serious suggestion. I hope we don't lose him, but I couldn't blame him for topping up his pension - he's been a good servant to the club. I don't think either FTT or Vanes will be ready to step up for next season though (and Clare is an honest trier rather than anything else), so it'd leave us having to go shopping again.

Puja

Vanes is 23 so when will he be ready?

I mean, I'd like him to have more than 4 Premiership/HEC appearances. It's entirely possible that he won't ever be ready and he's just not good enough for this level - the fact that he's so far down the pecking order for Leicester suggests that he's not banging on the door. It is entirely possible that he's a late bloomer/wasn't like by McKellar, Wigglesworth or Borthwick, and will flourish this season, but at the moment, I'm not sitting here saying that I'm confident he will own the 2 shirt if Montoya leaves.

Sadly, I don't get to watch Tigers as often as I would like (although I should be on the terrace for the Glaws game), but I''ve always thought that Clare was a more than able deputy. Can't comment on Vanes, but at 23 shouldn't he be banging on the door?

Clare is a good deputy and a solid squad player, but I wouldn't be pleased if he was our first choice hooker. He's the kind of player that we should be expecting our youngsters to surpass, and the fact that he does not appear to be remotely threatened by FTT or Vanes in the coaches' eyes is not encouraging.

Puja

Its in Tigers gift on the game time. He has the talent from what I have seen.

[Puja]

Vanes is 23 so when will he be ready?

I mean, I'd like him to have more than 4 Premiership/HEC appearances. It's entirely possible that he won't ever be ready and he's just not good enough for this level - the fact that he's so far down the pecking order for Leicester suggests that he's not banging on the door. It is entirely possible that he's a late bloomer/wasn't like by McKellar, Wigglesworth or Borthwick, and will flourish this season, but at the moment, I'm not sitting here saying that I'm confident he will own the 2 shirt if Montoya leaves.

Sadly, I don't get to watch Tigers as often as I would like (although I should be on the terrace for the Glaws game), but I''ve always thought that Clare was a more than able deputy. Can't comment on Vanes, but at 23 shouldn't he be banging on the door?

Clare is a good deputy and a solid squad player, but I wouldn't be pleased if he was our first choice hooker. He's the kind of player that we should be expecting our youngsters to surpass, and the fact that he does not appear to be remotely threatened by FTT or Vanes in the coaches' eyes is not encouraging.

Puja

Its in Tigers gift on the game time. He has the talent from what I have seen.

That's promising to hear - I will take your opinion of him, as I have seen precious little myself, due to the aforementioned 87 minutes of first team rugby.

I really hope that he does get more game-time this season and proves you right. It's definitely a good sign that Cheika rates him highly enough to put him into the 16 shirt this early in the season, albeit in a rotated side.

Puja

[Puja]

If Vanes doesn’t move to Vannes then why are we even bothering.

Agreed - Vannes should be looking to build a brand there: Van Zyl, Van der Flier, Van der Merwe, Vanneste, Vainikolo...

Puja

[Which Tyler]

Sponsored by "We Buy Any Van"

[jimKRFC]

Toby Fricker back at Bristol for 3 months as injury cover.

[francoisfou]

Midi Olympique are speculating this morning about Julian Montoya attracting the interest of Top14 clubs.
I don't know when his current contract at Leicester expires but who'd blame him for heading this side of the Channel?

The Telegraph says Montoya will join Pau next season. Sam Simmonds has also been rumoured to be going there too where brother Joe is enjoying life.

[FKAS]

Midi Olympique are speculating this morning about Julian Montoya attracting the interest of Top14 clubs.
I don't know when his current contract at Leicester expires but who'd blame him for heading this side of the Channel?

The Telegraph says Montoya will join Pau next season. Sam Simmonds has also been rumoured to be going there too where brother Joe is enjoying life.

[Puja]

Freeman extends his contract with Saints. Good news for the Prem and England.

Puja

[jimKRFC]

Bristol in a bit of bother...
Jamie Williams - 12 weeks out with a pec injury
Malins - 8 weeks with a knee injury

That's the 2nd & 3rd choice 10 cover missing ..

Adds to Heward, Siva and Ravouvou both being out.

[Mellsblue]

You don’t need a 10 with RICH LANE!!! at 15.

[Which Tyler]

Du Plessis back to South Africa (I think it was the Sharks who were sniffing around him) - immediate effect
https://www.bathrugby.com/content/du-pl ... bath-rugby

[FKAS]

Du Plessis back to South Africa (I think it was the Sharks who were sniffing around him) - immediate effect
https://www.bathrugby.com/content/du-pl ... bath-rugby

Hope the family reasons are due to not settling as opposed to something more serious. Shame for Bath as he'd looked like a good signing for them.