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

[Oakboy]

Wales going to run the Scotland strategy of having only 2 clubs to keep their costs low whilst letting English clubs pay for their stars and also develop their young players.

The RFU just sit back and allow it. I know everyone disagrees but we really need to reduce the amount of non-English in squads.

Scotland's SH infused golden generation is starting to fade and outside of that they've been largely rubbish for the last 25 years. Wales going the same way is fine by me. With the increase to give years in residency there's no more easy imports to prop either side up. Added to that Wales don't have a well run club like Scotland do with Glasgow.

We'll take the Welsh youngsters and hopefully convince, IFW style, the best dual qualified ones to see the light.

Increasing EQ required numbers without first substantially increasing the quality of EQ players is just a race to the bottom.

Should we not do whatever is best for us at any time? Financially, paying top money for Scottish and Welsh players whilst ours get even more going to France seems odd. In principle, would rejecting the Celts and promoting our youngsters not enable us to outbid the French for the top EQ earners?

[Puja]

Really? You don’t care if Wales just drop off the map? Is their mis-management and lack of funding that offensive? Why wouldn’t you want them to be a good side too?

There’s a point (with all sports I guess) where this all becomes so centred around who has got the most money that I just stop caring who even wins games.

I really want a strong Wales (except when they play against us, obvs), but I can understand wishing them consequences if they do effectively declare they're outsourcing some of their development to the systems that we've set up.

The solution should be the IRB applying a more stringent interpretation on the residency timescales not applying to children still in education. If an adult spends 5 years in a country, then that's surely reasonable to consider it one of their homes, but simply getting a scholarship to a school should not.

Puja

[FKAS]

Wales going to run the Scotland strategy of having only 2 clubs to keep their costs low whilst letting English clubs pay for their stars and also develop their young players.

The RFU just sit back and allow it. I know everyone disagrees but we really need to reduce the amount of non-English in squads.

Scotland's SH infused golden generation is starting to fade and outside of that they've been largely rubbish for the last 25 years. Wales going the same way is fine by me. With the increase to give years in residency there's no more easy imports to prop either side up. Added to that Wales don't have a well run club like Scotland do with Glasgow.

We'll take the Welsh youngsters and hopefully convince, IFW style, the best dual qualified ones to see the light.

Increasing EQ required numbers without first substantially increasing the quality of EQ players is just a race to the bottom.

Should we not do whatever is best for us at any time? Financially, paying top money for Scottish and Welsh players whilst ours get even more going to France seems odd. In principle, would rejecting the Celts and promoting our youngsters not enable us to outbid the French for the top EQ earners?

Nope. Currently it's far more rewarding for Prem teams to keep their homegrown talent instead of buying in from Wales or Scotland. What with the homegrown credits etc. the draw of France is always going to remain for some, especially if they aren't an England international. TWillis was getting good cash with Sarries and an England central contract but still wanted to head back over. Alex Moon was a regular for his boyhood club but fancied a new experience. It's tough.

[Oakboy]

Scotland's SH infused golden generation is starting to fade and outside of that they've been largely rubbish for the last 25 years. Wales going the same way is fine by me. With the increase to give years in residency there's no more easy imports to prop either side up. Added to that Wales don't have a well run club like Scotland do with Glasgow.

We'll take the Welsh youngsters and hopefully convince, IFW style, the best dual qualified ones to see the light.

Increasing EQ required numbers without first substantially increasing the quality of EQ players is just a race to the bottom.

Should we not do whatever is best for us at any time? Financially, paying top money for Scottish and Welsh players whilst ours get even more going to France seems odd. In principle, would rejecting the Celts and promoting our youngsters not enable us to outbid the French for the top EQ earners?

Nope. Currently it's far more rewarding for Prem teams to keep their homegrown talent instead of buying in from Wales or Scotland. What with the homegrown credits etc. the draw of France is always going to remain for some, especially if they aren't an England international. TWillis was getting good cash with Sarries and an England central contract but still wanted to head back over. Alex Moon was a regular for his boyhood club but fancied a new experience. It's tough.

So, we offer the Celts a better standard of play to help them when selected for their national teams. Conversely, the French (arguably) offer our guys a better standard but they don't get selected. I'll keep working on understanding that. Willis going to Leicester instead of Wainwright seems somewhat preferrable somehow, the way things are.

[FKAS]

Should we not do whatever is best for us at any time? Financially, paying top money for Scottish and Welsh players whilst ours get even more going to France seems odd. In principle, would rejecting the Celts and promoting our youngsters not enable us to outbid the French for the top EQ earners?

Nope. Currently it's far more rewarding for Prem teams to keep their homegrown talent instead of buying in from Wales or Scotland. What with the homegrown credits etc. the draw of France is always going to remain for some, especially if they aren't an England international. TWillis was getting good cash with Sarries and an England central contract but still wanted to head back over. Alex Moon was a regular for his boyhood club but fancied a new experience. It's tough.

So, we offer the Celts a better standard of play to help them when selected for their national teams. Conversely, the French (arguably) offer our guys a better standard but they don't get selected. I'll keep working on understanding that. Willis going to Leicester instead of Wainwright seems somewhat preferrable somehow, the way things are.

Of course it would. I'd take that trade but you can't convince players who want to experience life living outside the UK that the Leicestershire Countryside is nicer than the South of France.

[Danno]

In excellent news for people that read, Stephen Jones has transferred from writing bollocks to the retirement place. (Not dead, I wouldn't celebrate that)

[Scrumhead]

Now that is an excellent bit of news.

[Mellsblue]

His final column was a mixture of hyperbole and rampant self confidence. Perfect. Well, almost. This was the postscript: ‘Stephen Jones will continue to be a contributor to The Sunday Times’

[twitchy]

He was ahead of his time, really. This is where all journalism is sliding.

[Mellsblue]

He was ahead of his time, really. This is where all journalism is sliding.

Very true.

[twitchy]

Not worth its own thread, but the last 2 episodes of cole and youngs podcast are decent listens. The first is a chat with an analyst and they discuss the current tactical trends. The second is an interview with freddie burns which involves some fun stories.

I think their pod is much better when they just get someone on who they get on with and have a long chat with them on things they both find interesting. Worth it if you have a commute or go to the gym or whatever.

[Puja]

Fissler reckons Dan McFarland is in the mix to be the new Newcastle coach long-term. The article reads as highly speculative and drawing its conclusions from McFarland having gone to Newcastle Uni and knowing the Red Bulls managing director from working with him at Ulster, but it would be a good idea IMO. He did a belting job with Ulster and presumably will only have improved from working with Rennie in Japan for the last 2 years.

Puja

[Epaminondas Pules]

In excellent news for people that read, Stephen Jones has transferred from writing bollocks to the retirement place. (Not dead, I wouldn't celebrate that)

And the irony being he did it on a day that Simon Shaw MkII made his Prem debut

[charlesdeboeuf]

Rusi Tuima confirmed to be joining NRB in the summer.

[Scrumhead]

Fissler reckons Dan McFarland is in the mix to be the new Newcastle coach long-term. The article reads as highly speculative and drawing its conclusions from McFarland having gone to Newcastle Uni and knowing the Red Bulls managing director from working with him at Ulster, but it would be a good idea IMO. He did a belting job with Ulster and presumably will only have improved from working with Rennie in Japan for the last 2 years.

Puja

Agreed. Ulster are my second team and I thought McFarland did a good job in tricky circumstances. He’s not a ‘big name’ but he has solid experience in a major league and at test level.

[FKAS]

Fissler reckons Dan McFarland is in the mix to be the new Newcastle coach long-term. The article reads as highly speculative and drawing its conclusions from McFarland having gone to Newcastle Uni and knowing the Red Bulls managing director from working with him at Ulster, but it would be a good idea IMO. He did a belting job with Ulster and presumably will only have improved from working with Rennie in Japan for the last 2 years.

Puja

I always thought McFarland did a good job but Ulster fans weren't fond of him towards the end and apparently he lost the changing room. Still think he's a good pick up for NRB who are starting to look promising.

Tuima is a good signing, adds more ball carrying threat to the pack and with an attack that's starting to look good then adding him and Sotutu should only help that further.

[twitchy]

Rusi Tuima confirmed to be joining NRB in the summer.

I am sad to see him go, but more from a perspective of what could have been rather than the player he is currently.

[fivepointer]

Seems to have stalled a bit after getting rave reviews and attention from England. Not getting many starts at Exeter, so a move might help reignite his career.

[Captainhaircut]

Tuima a clever pick up I think. Got something to prove having fallen down the pecking order and a new environment may just challenge him to step up.

[Puja]

This made me laugh: https://www.rugbypass.com/news/gallaghe ... layer-exit

"STRUGGLING HARLEQUINS BRACE FOR ANOTHER SEISMIC PLAYER EXIT" screamed the ad on social media and I click through to discover that Fissler is reporting Lewies going back to South Africa which was a) fairly heavily well rumoured, and b) only really seismic to the club's medical staff, considering he's played a grand total of 31 games across the last 4 seasons.

Puja

[Danno]

This made me laugh: https://www.rugbypass.com/news/gallaghe ... layer-exit

"STRUGGLING HARLEQUINS BRACE FOR ANOTHER SEISMIC PLAYER EXIT" screamed the ad on social media and I click through to discover that Fissler is reporting Lewies going back to South Africa which was a) fairly heavily well rumoured, and b) only really seismic to the club's medical staff, considering he's played a grand total of 31 games across the last 4 seasons.

Puja

Yeesh, I'd rather Fissler had retired instead of Jones in some ways. At least Jones made up stuff in his head instead of scanning twitter and coughing out guffs from people with 17 followers

[Cameo]

Not worth its own thread, but the last 2 episodes of cole and youngs podcast are decent listens. The first is a chat with an analyst and they discuss the current tactical trends. The second is an interview with freddie burns which involves some fun stories.

I think their pod is much better when they just get someone on who they get on with and have a long chat with them on things they both find interesting. Worth it if you have a commute or go to the gym or whatever.

Just listened to the first one. Really interesting thanks, though I did laugh at their insistence that, if only people understood the intracacies of setting up a box kick, they would be fascinated.

[Captainhaircut]

Sanderson saying they need to pay a fee for Kpoku. Hopeful they can get it done but La Rochelle having a look too.

Hope it gets done. Couldn’t a real World Cup wildcard- especially since Martin can’t seem to get fit.

[Scrumhead]

Fissler reckons Dan McFarland is in the mix to be the new Newcastle coach long-term. The article reads as highly speculative and drawing its conclusions from McFarland having gone to Newcastle Uni and knowing the Red Bulls managing director from working with him at Ulster, but it would be a good idea IMO. He did a belting job with Ulster and presumably will only have improved from working with Rennie in Japan for the last 2 years.

Puja

I always thought McFarland did a good job but Ulster fans weren't fond of him towards the end and apparently he lost the changing room. Still think he's a good pick up for NRB who are starting to look promising.

Tuima is a good signing, adds more ball carrying threat to the pack and with an attack that's starting to look good then adding him and Sotutu should only help that further.

Possibly, but it’s a funny set up. I think that’s more of a general frustration with Ulster failing to be seriously competitive in the URC or Champions Cup, but the IRFU pretty much ensure that Leinster are the only club with any real opportunity for success. Unless something changes (which is unlikely), I don’t see Ulster, Munster or Connacht being anything other than a supporting cast.

[FKAS]

Fissler reckons Dan McFarland is in the mix to be the new Newcastle coach long-term. The article reads as highly speculative and drawing its conclusions from McFarland having gone to Newcastle Uni and knowing the Red Bulls managing director from working with him at Ulster, but it would be a good idea IMO. He did a belting job with Ulster and presumably will only have improved from working with Rennie in Japan for the last 2 years.

Puja

I always thought McFarland did a good job but Ulster fans weren't fond of him towards the end and apparently he lost the changing room. Still think he's a good pick up for NRB who are starting to look promising.

Tuima is a good signing, adds more ball carrying threat to the pack and with an attack that's starting to look good then adding him and Sotutu should only help that further.

Possibly, but it’s a funny set up. I think that’s more of a general frustration with Ulster failing to be seriously competitive in the URC or Champions Cup, but the IRFU pretty much ensure that Leinster are the only club with any real opportunity for success. Unless something changes (which is unlikely), I don’t see Ulster, Munster or Connacht being anything other than a supporting cast.

There certainly is a bit of that. I think he also lost his preferred coaches and the club replaced them with a poorer backroom staff which probably didn't help.

He'd be a good stepping stone coach, set NRB up ready for success then in two or three years when his contract runs out a big name coach comes in to drive them forwards to silverware.