RugbyRebels

FKAS wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 4:20 pm

twitchy wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 4:13 pm Ehren Painter to exe.

Thacker, Moriarty and Volavola all linked as well.

Painter can join Marcus Street in the not kicked on tightheads selection at Chiefs.

Harsh but unfortunately not wrong. Street just seems to be injured an awful lot of the time. Painter doesnt have an unblemished fitness record either.
Really hope for an improvement for both of them.

*Street plays tonight in a friendly against the Navy!!

FKAS wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 4:20 pm

twitchy wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 4:13 pm Ehren Painter to exe.

Thacker, Moriarty and Volavola all linked as well.

Painter can join Marcus Street in the not kicked on tightheads selection at Chiefs.

Would be gutted to lose Thacker - he's good in the tight, great in the loose and his lines are generally good. I find it baffling that he's never near the England squad (especially when given Dunn has caps...). Can't imagine PL would let him go voluntarily..

Hooker-wise I think Kerr would be most likely to go (based on appearances).

The Thacker rumour still baffles me. A player less suited to the Exeter ethos of bigger==better is hard to imagine.

Puja

Puja wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 6:41 pm The Thacker rumour still baffles me. A player less suited to the Exeter ethos of bigger==better is hard to imagine.

Puja

Well unless he plays 8...

He actually makes a lot of sense in a way. His lineout throwing is good and he's solid at the back of a rolling maul (which is an underrated skill). He'd give them someone to actually threaten the breakdown, he carries well in contact and has a high work rate.

If Calum Chick and Ross Moriarty were to both sign (as tenuous rumours suggest) then a pack of Sio, Thacker, Painter, Gray, Jenkins, Chinenza, Vermulen, Moriarty would actually work with Thacker in there. A more conventional hooker and you'd maybe lack some mobility and breakdown presence.

Marmion confirmed now.

Not sure what he's like, but hasn't played for Ireland for long enough to be eqp it seems!

jimKRFC wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 7:06 pm Marmion confirmed now.

Not sure what he's like, but hasn't played for Ireland for long enough to be eqp it seems!

Move to Bristol through the Pat Lam/Connacht connection. He is still a good scrum half who has been sharing starting duties with Blade (another good one.) For some reason he was edged out of the Ireland squad under Schmidt, despite playing well whenever he got the chance. Most Ireland fans can't figure out why. He does all the basics well and still has good gas on the break. At 31 he still has a few good seasons left in him.

Painter seems like a very Chiefs style tighthead - much like Williams and Francis, he’s big but largely (no pun intended) unimpressive.

Quins have been linked with Jarrod Evans. I’d be very happy with him as a replacement for Allan and blokes with his surname typically do well for us.

This is to be Ben Morgan's last season, he will retire from rugby at the end of the 22/23 season. Who Mercer replaces is now solved

Gloskarlos wrote: ↑Thu Mar 02, 2023 4:16 pm This is to be Ben Morgan's last season, he will retire from rugby at the end of the 22/23 season. Who Mercer replaces is now solved

Great servant for us and deserving of more than 31 caps. He has been awarded a testimonial next season with all proceeds going to the 4Ed campaign and Sam Polledri Foundation - both fantastic causes.

Scrumhead wrote: ↑Thu Mar 02, 2023 8:23 am Painter seems like a very Chiefs style tighthead - much like Williams and Francis, he’s big but largely (no pun intended) unimpressive.

Seems pretty harsh on Francis & Williams. I think both are past their best, but at their peaks they were very good club tight heads, with Francis proving to be a solid test tight head.

Is it? Would it have been any different if I’d written ‘mostly average’ instead of ‘largely unimpressive’?

Scrumhead wrote: ↑Thu Mar 02, 2023 8:15 pm Is it? Would it have been any different if I’d written ‘mostly average’ instead of ‘largely unimpressive’?

I think very good club players would do. In fact, impressive at that level- nearly 200 appearances for one of Englands best teams despite only starting at age 24 for Williams is nowt to be ashamed of. Not intl quality, but top club player.

ilovelamp wrote: ↑Thu Mar 02, 2023 4:41 pm

Gloskarlos wrote: ↑Thu Mar 02, 2023 4:16 pm This is to be Ben Morgan's last season, he will retire from rugby at the end of the 22/23 season. Who Mercer replaces is now solved

Great servant for us and deserving of more than 31 caps. He has been awarded a testimonial next season with all proceeds going to the 4Ed campaign and Sam Polledri Foundation - both fantastic causes.

But for injury, Morgan would have had more caps. Excellent servant for Glaws, and an ok intl.

Mikey Haywood the Saints hooker also retiring at the end of the season.

FKAS wrote: ↑Thu Mar 02, 2023 8:44 pm Mikey Haywood the Saints hooker also retiring at the end of the season.

A year later than I thought he would, but he’s been decent this season to be fair. Top club man.

Banquo wrote: ↑Thu Mar 02, 2023 8:47 pm

FKAS wrote: ↑Thu Mar 02, 2023 8:44 pm Mikey Haywood the Saints hooker also retiring at the end of the season.

A year later than I thought he would, but he’s been decent this season to be fair. Top club man.

He's been a stalwart there. One of those where they'll really miss him when he's gone. With Matavesi and Smith they've got a good couple of hookers on the books though if Matavesi goes to the world cup they'll need some extra bodies in.

Bristol rumored to still be after Jack Willis - Fissler rumor, but some support for it from posters on the sportsnetwork site

Also being linked with Ben Williams from Scarlets (on loan at Ospreys) who sounds like the sort of player Lam likes: https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... 255177.amp

I suspect Jack Willis has a number of offers on the table but is holding out hoping that the RFU relax their rules so he can stay playing in France making the big cash and still get the England match day fees.

FKAS wrote: ↑Mon Mar 06, 2023 9:52 am I suspect Jack Willis has a number of offers on the table but is holding out hoping that the RFU relax their rules so he can stay playing in France making the big cash and still get the England match day fees.

Based on his in/out 6N experience with travelling etc., I'd expect him to give priority to his international status by putting in 4/5 years here before going back to France. Long-term, he'd probably get more job satisfaction without dipping out too much on net pay. If he doesn't, he can't whinge if Curry's return pushes him out.

It's awkward for England to have him and possibly others dipping in and out but he might not be minding. Particularly if he can earn £100k extra on his base salary in France and get the £20k a game England appearance fee on top. Having been looking down the barrell of no club/no contract not so long ago he might have certain preferences about maximising his earning capabilities.

FKAS wrote: ↑Mon Mar 06, 2023 11:03 am It's awkward for England to have him and possibly others dipping in and out but he might not be minding. Particularly if he can earn £100k extra on his base salary in France and get the £20k a game England appearance fee on top. Having been looking down the barrell of no club/no contract not so long ago he might have certain preferences about maximising his earning capabilities.

I'm sure *he* wouldn't mind - it's the problems it causes elsewhere that'd be the issue.

Puja

Puja wrote: ↑Mon Mar 06, 2023 11:13 am

FKAS wrote: ↑Mon Mar 06, 2023 11:03 am It's awkward for England to have him and possibly others dipping in and out but he might not be minding. Particularly if he can earn £100k extra on his base salary in France and get the £20k a game England appearance fee on top. Having been looking down the barrell of no club/no contract not so long ago he might have certain preferences about maximising his earning capabilities.

I'm sure *he* wouldn't mind - it's the problems it causes elsewhere that'd be the issue.

Puja

Oh I don't think the RFU should relax the rules for a second but a player as high profile as Jack Willis not having a contract for next season suggests he's hoping for a rule change.

Facundo Cordero leaves Exeter immediately to join Glasgow for the rest of the season.

What is going on at the Chiefs?

Was he getting much game time?

He had dropped well down the pecking order though I'm not sure why. Looked dangerous when he did play for them and they could do with a bit more spark in their attack. Hodge cuts a lonely figure in that backline sometimes.