Transfer news, rumours, speculation, insinuations, and outright transfer slanders - Season 2025/26

[Captainhaircut]

I think it’s safe to say they aren’t going to go with the same coaching team but agreed they need to make a big move there in the next few months so players understand who they will be working with.

Then they really need to get a few big names out of the gate which will convince others of their seriousness. CCS and Willis for example. They’ve been linked with Ben White too and Belleau is a great shout.

Davison and Hodge both out of contract and could maybe be tempted back. Marchant is engaged to Shearers daughter so surely something to work with there. Those 7 would go some way to making a very competitive side.

On top of that they have some decent young players like Joe Davis and Oscar Usher who could be very good, players like Lockwood and Fletcher who could take their game to another level, some solid pros like Hearle, Arnold, Clark, Gordon and Christie plus a few Argentine internationals in Bello and SBC.

So potential to make a real big leap forward if it all goes right. Big if…

[FKAS]

Merchant would be a good shout. Great PR move with him pretty much part of the Shearer family.

There's loads of cap to bring in a lot of quality, quickly.

They desperately need some eye catching announcements to start the momentum and encourage those deals across the line.

[Adam_P]

Apparently Tom Willis is signing for Bordeaux, which would be terrible news for England

[Stom]

Done deal, announced. England can't be that important for him...

Hope we see more of CCS at 8 now.

[Beasties]

Apparently Tom Willis is signing for Bordeaux, which would be terrible news for England

Nooooooooooooooo….

[FKAS]

Shame we can't take away his central contract. Completely wasted on him now.

[Mikey Brown]

Shame we can't take away his central contract. Completely wasted on him now.

Do you know what the limitations on that are? Do you just mean for the remainder of the season? Honestly I’d assume it ties you in to playing rugby in England, or remaining eligible in whatever form that takes.

Weird situation overall. You feel like there must be something more to this.

[Stom]

Shame we can't take away his central contract. Completely wasted on him now.

Do you know what the limitations on that are? Do you just mean for the remainder of the season? Honestly I’d assume it ties you in to playing rugby in England, or remaining eligible in whatever form that takes.

Weird situation overall. You feel like there must be something more to this.

Yeah. Strip him and demand the pay he's got this season back.

[Stom]

Oh, and he should be qualified as non-EQP, so Saracens get shafted if they play him. Let him rot.

[Mellsblue]

Bloody hell. He’s moving to France, presumably to earn more money from a short career, be nearer to his brother and to enjoy a better lifestyle, not been named in the Epstein files. If he read the overreactions on here he’ll probably think with even more certainty that he made the right decision.

[Which Tyler]

Any chance you could quote the hyperbole that would be akin to being named in the Epstein files?
Surely, no-one accusing others of hyperbole would ever lower themselves to the use of hyperbole

[TheNomad]

If you really want to wind yourself up about Willis, take a look at the stats on Turnovers and Defenders beaten.

Leading Turnovers: 8, second is Willis with 7
Leading Defenders Beaten: Willis, 35. Next highest....18

Honestly, I don't think it's too much of a stretch to say that he and his brother are as good as any back rowers in Europe. Again, without commenting on right or wrong, it's just so gutting not have them available for the national side

[Mikey Brown]

Guantanamo for both of them, I say.

[Danno]

Send it to Parliament

[Mellsblue]

Any chance you could quote the hyperbole that would be akin to being named in the Epstein files?
Surely, no-one accusing others of hyperbole would ever lower themselves to the use of hyperbole

You make my point for me, thank you. Any overreaction to highlight an overreaction.

[Mellsblue]

Guantanamo for both of them, I say.

Finally, a considered response. It’s about time someone listened to my interjections.

[Which Tyler]

Re: Willis - is what I'm seeing right?
He wasn't feeling loved by England because he started 5 out of 6 matches, was told he was first choice 8, but was inly offered a 1 year contral contract, matching the 1 year he had left on his Sarries contracy?

IF all that adds up to not feeling wanted, the... well... poor little diddums

[Oakboy]

Maybe, TW felt being dragged off at 60 minutes every game, following Dombrandt getting a long stint disproportionate to their relative playing standards was an indication that he was not as highly rated as he should be. Was he truly first choice ahead of Earl in SB's mind or was he an on-going experiment in fiddling with 6:2 bench splits. His brother was not first choice when he should have been and headed for France. Debate the rights and wrongs but England would be stronger with both in the back row. I'd have hoped that a way could be found to have both available. England's rules on player location curb debate on the one hand. The Willises' decision to desert the cause curbs it on the other. For the fan it is just disappointing.

[FKAS]

Borthwick has never shied away from the fact he will adjust his team selection dependent on game plan and opposition. TWillis has been first choice 8 for 2025, the use of Earl off the bench gave England a different way to play in the final quarter of games. Against Wales the roles were reversed so a marauding TWillis could enjoy a Welsh defence we knew would tire.

Jack Willis was first choice in the lead up to the last world cup. The lack of success in the build up led to a dramatic change in tactics that didn't suit his game but did get us results. Large difference there was that JWillis was already settled in France and didn't have a chunky Prem contract which was topped up with an RFU central contract.

I've already heard rumours that Sarries have agreed to splash significant cash on a replacement. Bordeaux plus the French tax regime effectively doubling TWillis salary, again rumours.

[Scrumhead]

Large difference there was that JWillis was already settled in France and didn't have a chunky Prem contract which was topped up with an RFU central contract.

Exactly this. Their situations are not comparable.

Any player that is willing to jump ship because their place isn’t absolutely guaranteed has the wrong mindset IMO. No one is entitled to be selected.

[Oakboy]

Large difference there was that JWillis was already settled in France and didn't have a chunky Prem contract which was topped up with an RFU central contract.

Exactly this. Their situations are not comparable.

Any player that is willing to jump ship because their place isn’t absolutely guaranteed has the wrong mindset IMO. No one is entitled to be selected.

Oh, I completely agree. I was just offering possible thoughts on some issues that might explain why his decision-making process came down on the side of relocating. What motivates one player might not be top priority for another. I cannot understand how any player could shelve his chances of international representation when rugby-only factors are considered. Even taking the whole-life dilemma on board, I'd have thought he was several years too young. Why not go straight after the RWC?

[Scrumhead]

Exactly. Which is why it is disappointing. With a bit of patience he could have done it all.

[FKAS]

Would Bordeaux be willing to wait until after the world cup? Some of the rumours are they offered Sarries a chunk of cash to make the move immediate. Sarries refused as they couldn't source a replacement, the amount Bordeaux were offering was acceptable so can't have been cheap.

Willis already knows Bordeaux having played there before. They are currently a high performing team domestically and in Europe. Another French side might not have the same draw.

[Puja]

Would Bordeaux be willing to wait until after the world cup? Some of the rumours are they offered Sarries a chunk of cash to make the move immediate. Sarries refused as they couldn't source a replacement, the amount Bordeaux were offering was acceptable so can't have been cheap.

Willis already knows Bordeaux having played there before. They are currently a high performing team domestically and in Europe. Another French side might not have the same draw.

Shame they couldn't make a deal for the immediate switch really. England could get their central contract back straight away, we'd probably see more of Earl at 8 for Saracens, and we wouldn't have to put up with a whole season of pundits wanking off in games about how well TWillis is playing and how Bestwig should be more flexible.

Puja