RugbyRebels

I've heard worse shouts, tbh. Sale do love a bargain buy and he'd certainly fit in. Can't imagine they've got cap space though, unless he's coming *really* cheap.

Puja
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I suspect Sale have no budget left now that Manu has extended for another 12 months. We will probably go with Tommy Taylor and Akker for the matchday squad with Caine and Thompson providing back up.

I was surprised LCD chose to leave too, tbh. From what I’ve read it was him & Nowell who were offered the best deals to stay out of all the leavers.

Although, when you consider their respective injury records maybe they both know they don’t have much more left in the tank.

Bryan Byrne departs Bristol at the end of the season to join Newcs.

A good squad player, he won't let Newcs down but think we've got more promise with Oghre joining. leaves us Thacker, Oghre, Capon and Kerr for next season (at present) but I suspect Kerr will go (due to lack of game time).

Conor McPhilips (attack & backs) now going as well, so we need two new coaches as well with Muldoon gone. Iro has stepped up but we need a scrum coach as well. Wonder if this is the door opener for Dave Walder..

Although could also be a clearing of the decks should a new DoR come in.

Bristol in need of a lot rebuilding over the summer!

Academy players signing professional contracts are:
Toby Baker, RFU Yorkshire Rugby Academy = Senior Academy
Isaac Campbell-Wu, Clifton College = Senior Academy
Kenzie Jenkins, Coleg y Cymoedd = Senior Academy
Louie Trevett, Clifton College = Senior Academy
Tom Ormsby, Redland Green School = Scholarship
Tom Gardner = BUCS Super Rugby, Loughborough University
Ollie Thraves = BUCS Super Rugby, Loughborough University

Tom West signs for Saracens. Bit surprised he's not staying at Leicester.

fivepointer wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 12:56 pm Tom West signs for Saracens. Bit surprised he's not staying at Leicester.

Oh ffs. Awful news. We need a new backup loosehead in - Whitcombe's not trusted, Leatigaga's off, and calling Van Wyk bang average would be a hell of a compliment. Frankly, I wouldn't mind a new starting 1, as I don't really rate Cronin very much.

Puja

Puja wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 1:04 pm

fivepointer wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 12:56 pm Tom West signs for Saracens. Bit surprised he's not staying at Leicester.

Oh ffs. Awful news. We need a new backup loosehead in - Whitcombe's not trusted, Leatigaga's off, and calling Van Wyk bang average would be a hell of a compliment. Frankly, I wouldn't mind a new starting 1, as I don't really rate Cronin very much.

Puja

FUCK

Any news about the Vunipolas yet?

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 2:57 pm Any news about the Vunipolas yet?

Think both are expected to stay having activated the extra year on the deals they signed last year.

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 2:57 pm Any news about the Vunipolas yet?

Rumoured very heavily to be both staying, which seems weird to have both BillyV and TWillis, but there we are.

Puja

Sarries must be doing some very clever salary cap shuffling to fit West and T Willis in alongside BillyV and Mako. Especially if Watson is allegedly signing as well.

They’ve just got a great culture. Special, you might even say.

FKAS wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 7:02 pm Sarries must be doing some very clever salary cap shuffling to fit West and T Willis in alongside BillyV and Mako. Especially if Watson is allegedly signing as well.

Max Malins must've been earning a hell of a wedge to be freeing up that much cap space.

I am joking, because I am bitter about missing out on West - I'm very certain that they are toeing the line, given their history. I'm just saddened that we either chose not to keep him or failed to keep him, because I doubt that he has gone for a significant amount more money and I really think that we will miss him.

Puja

Puja wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 7:37 pm

FKAS wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 7:02 pm Sarries must be doing some very clever salary cap shuffling to fit West and T Willis in alongside BillyV and Mako. Especially if Watson is allegedly signing as well.

Max Malins must've been earning a hell of a wedge to be freeing up that much cap space.

I am joking, because I am bitter about missing out on West - I'm very certain that they are toeing the line, given their history. I'm just saddened that we either chose not to keep him or failed to keep him, because I doubt that he has gone for a significant amount more money and I really think that we will miss him.

Puja

I wouldn't be surprised if he signed the deal before joining us. It was odd no one took him on earlier and that he signed on a short term deal. Much like Oghre I think his next move was decided before he pulled on a Tigers jersey.

FKAS wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 9:31 pm

Puja wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 7:37 pm

FKAS wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 7:02 pm Sarries must be doing some very clever salary cap shuffling to fit West and T Willis in alongside BillyV and Mako. Especially if Watson is allegedly signing as well.

Max Malins must've been earning a hell of a wedge to be freeing up that much cap space.

I am joking, because I am bitter about missing out on West - I'm very certain that they are toeing the line, given their history. I'm just saddened that we either chose not to keep him or failed to keep him, because I doubt that he has gone for a significant amount more money and I really think that we will miss him.

Puja

I wouldn't be surprised if he signed the deal before joining us. It was odd no one took him on earlier and that he signed on a short term deal. Much like Oghre I think his next move was decided before he pulled on a Tigers jersey.

That makes a lot of sense - I can't imagine that we've taken a look at what he's been doing over the past couple of months and decided, "Nah, we're good."

If that's the case, Saracens have probably got an utter bargain. Back then, he was the injury-prone, barely-played-in-2-seasons, former gifted U20, who no-one in the Prem was willing to take a chance on, so he's probably a very economical signing.

Puja

Tigers confirm Eli Snyman is off to Bennetton at the end of the season.

FKAS wrote: ↑Thu Apr 27, 2023 12:42 pm Tigers confirm Eli Snyman is off to Bennetton at the end of the season.

No great loss when we've got Martin, Chessum, Wells and Henderson, as well as the likes of Chessum the Younger and Manz who can step in (Not to mention Hatherell can apparently step in too). Wouldn't be hugely surprised to see Green move on as well.

Puja

Puja wrote: ↑Thu Apr 27, 2023 2:24 pm

FKAS wrote: ↑Thu Apr 27, 2023 12:42 pm Tigers confirm Eli Snyman is off to Bennetton at the end of the season.

No great loss when we've got Martin, Chessum, Wells and Henderson, as well as the likes of Chessum the Younger and Manz who can step in (Not to mention Hatherell can apparently step in too). Wouldn't be hugely surprised to see Green move on as well.

Puja

Green is rumoured to have suffered a serious injury and be facing retirement otherwise I suspect we'd have kept him for another year to mitigate the potential call up impact whilst Chessum Jnr, Manz and maybe Carmichael get their eye in at senior level.

Ethan Grayson and Frankie Sleightholme let go by saints.

"Northampton Saints can confirm that Brandon Nansen, Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi, Ethan Grayson, Frankie Sleightholme, Callum Burns, Archie Kean and Joseph Gaffan will leave the Club at the end of the 2022/23 campaign."

I'm surprised by Ethan Grayson going, I presume he's got an offer that will mean he plays more rugby.

Grayson looked pretty sharp for the U20s. Think he's been on loan at Bedford so maybe its a full time arrangement with them.
Hobbs-Awoyemi was another who looked destined for big things at age group level.

Yeah pretty surprised by Grayson and Sleightholme the even younger. Like you said, it might be a case of signing on full time with the likes of Bedford for more game time - but they were turning out plenty for them on loan (well, Grayson was). Less surprised by Hobbs-Awoyemi, who we've barely seen since his second coming at Saints due to injury. We could really do with a solid bit of recruitment in that position, and hope that Iyogun can get fit and stay fit and continue pushing on.

I feel like this has already been mentioned but as I know we don’t mind a bit of repetition on this thread I thought I’d post anyway.

Banquo wrote: ↑Thu Apr 27, 2023 4:45 pm Ethan Grayson and Frankie Sleightholme let go by saints.

Those are surprising names, both in the sense of them both being promising players and in the sense of their surnames leaving Saints.

Wouldn't mind seeing Ethan Grayson rocking up at Leicester tbh, although it's entirely probable that he's gone to a Champ club with an eye to starring eith regular game time.

Puja

Puja wrote: ↑Thu Apr 27, 2023 7:27 pm

Banquo wrote: ↑Thu Apr 27, 2023 4:45 pm Ethan Grayson and Frankie Sleightholme let go by saints.

Those are surprising names, both in the sense of them both being promising players and in the sense of their surnames leaving Saints.

Wouldn't mind seeing Ethan Grayson rocking up at Leicester tbh, although it's entirely probable that he's gone to a Champ club with an eye to starring eith regular game time.

Puja

Nevermind the Champ he could go up to Falcons and get the starting job. Rumours Moroni and Lucock are both leaving.