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

[FKAS]

Which, if there was a like button your post would get one. Ta.

Going to be a few handy players on the market shortly.

Tis the way of the market at present - more decent players than there are jobs going for them. There's going to be a few surprising ones without chairs when the music stops, methinks.

Puja

Second tier French sides and Championship clubs going to be watching with interest.

[Banquo]

Which, if there was a like button your post would get one. Ta.

Going to be a few handy players on the market shortly.

Tis the way of the market at present - more decent players than there are jobs going for them. There's going to be a few surprising ones without chairs when the music stops, methinks.

Puja

Second tier French sides and Championship clubs going to be watching with interest.

Worcester for sure

[Puja]

Tis the way of the market at present - more decent players than there are jobs going for them. There's going to be a few surprising ones without chairs when the music stops, methinks.

Puja

Second tier French sides and Championship clubs going to be watching with interest.

Even with them, I think there's going to be a few good players left without a home.

Worcester for sure

I mean, if that actually happens, it will soak up a chunk of the spare capacity in the system. Do we have anything beyond hopeful press releases to suggest that it will be in place for next season?

Puja

[Puja]

I know it's realistically going to be nothing, but the idea of Eddie Jones taking over Wales has so much great potential.

Wayne Pivac must be wetting himself laughing.

Puja

[Banquo]

Tis the way of the market at present - more decent players than there are jobs going for them. There's going to be a few surprising ones without chairs when the music stops, methinks.

Puja

Second tier French sides and Championship clubs going to be watching with interest.

Even with them, I think there's going to be a few good players left without a home.

Worcester for sure

I mean, if that actually happens, it will soak up a chunk of the spare capacity in the system. Do we have anything beyond hopeful press releases to suggest that it will be in place for next season?

Puja

They’ve made it to the selection stage for T2, need to clear financial hurdles.

[Oakboy]

Which, if there was a like button your post would get one. Ta.

Going to be a few handy players on the market shortly.

Tis the way of the market at present - more decent players than there are jobs going for them. There's going to be a few surprising ones without chairs when the music stops, methinks.

Puja

Mr Mod, Sir, should this not be on the other thread.

[Puja]

Which, if there was a like button your post would get one. Ta.

Going to be a few handy players on the market shortly.

Tis the way of the market at present - more decent players than there are jobs going for them. There's going to be a few surprising ones without chairs when the music stops, methinks.

Puja

Mr Mod, Sir, should this not be on the other thread.

Speaking of needing a like button...

Puja

[Mellsblue]

Second tier French sides and Championship clubs going to be watching with interest.

Even with them, I think there's going to be a few good players left without a home.

Worcester for sure

I mean, if that actually happens, it will soak up a chunk of the spare capacity in the system. Do we have anything beyond hopeful press releases to suggest that it will be in place for next season?

Puja

They’ve made it to the selection stage for T2, need to clear financial hurdles.

Q1. Have you or any companies associated with professional rugby in Worcester been put into administration in the last five years?
A. Ah, right. Shit.
Q2. Do you have evidence of a business model similar to yours running as a sustainable, profit making entity in Worcester or in the vicinity of Worcester?
A. How about Glouces… ah, no, wait. Errrr, pass.
Q3. Does your stadium have, or has it ever had, a jacuzzi?
A. Now we’re talking. Yes!
Q4. Could the previous owners afford to heat the jacuzzi?
A. Doubt it. Sorry for wasting your time.

[Banquo]

Even with them, I think there's going to be a few good players left without a home.


I mean, if that actually happens, it will soak up a chunk of the spare capacity in the system. Do we have anything beyond hopeful press releases to suggest that it will be in place for next season?

Puja

They’ve made it to the selection stage for T2, need to clear financial hurdles.

Q1. Have you or any companies associated with professional rugby in Worcester been put into administration in the last five years?
A. Ah, right. Shit.
Q2. Do you have evidence of a business model similar to yours running as a sustainable, profit making entity in Worcester or in the vicinity of Worcester?
A. How about Glouces… ah, no, wait. Errrr, pass.
Q3. Does your stadium have, or has it ever had, a jacuzzi?
A. Now we’re talking. Yes!
Q4. Could the previous owners afford to heat the jacuzzi?
A. Doubt it. Sorry for wasting your time.

Coventry and Nottingham are spitting blood for different reasons.
I think it’s about paying down debt on a serious note.

[Puja]

Arundell to Bath confirmed.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

[snip]

Putting Bath's transfers together:
Arundell <=> Grace - probably not too far off in terms of salary demands. You could make an argument for both that they're worth more than the other.
Van Der Linde <=> Schreuder - definitely leaves us some cash in hand.
Frost <=> Annett - probably not too far off in terms of salary demands.
Nobody <=> Du Plessis - perfectly respectable amount of cash in hand.
Nobody <=> Faiva - large amount of cash in hand.
Carreras <=> McConnochie - would likely take all of Faiva's and Du Plessis' money as well. Do that, and the salaries won't be too far off, maybe even a little in profit.

Of course, we don't know if there are any other incomings at the moment; but all 3 strong rumours have already come through.

[Puja]

[snip]

Putting Bath's transfers together:
Arundell <=> Grace - probably not too far off in terms of salary demands. You could make an argument for both that they're worth more than the other.
Van Der Linde <=> Schreuder - definitely leaves us some cash in hand.
Frost <=> Annett - probably not too far off in terms of salary demands.
Nobody <=> Du Plessis - perfectly respectable amount of cash in hand.
Nobody <=> Faiva - large amount of cash in hand.
Carreras <=> McConnochie - would likely take all of Faiva's and Du Plessis' money as well. Do that, and the salaries won't be too far off, maybe even a little in profit.

Of course, we don't know if there are any other incomings at the moment; but all 3 strong rumours have already come through.

You think Arundell and Grace are going to be on similar money? You signed Grace when he was newly back from having been completely broken, without having played a single minute of his new sport - I can't imagine he was on very much at all!

Puja

[Which Tyler]

Broadly similar, yeah.
Arundell supposedly on circa £200k in France, Grace supposedly on more.
Both failed in France, and will be on less coming to England.
Grace had already spent 3-4 months with Bath before signing that contract, so it wouldn't have been the peanuts gamble that the 3-4 months had been, and Bath would have been confident that he was over them.
So yeah, I'd expect them to have been in the same ballpark - not equal, but same ballpark - fringe international with a lot to prove.

I'd certainly expect the difference to be less than the difference between Van Der Linde and Schreuder (and yes, I do expect Arundell to be worth more than Grace, just not hugely).

Of course, it's entirely possible that I'm undervaluing Arundell, as I see him as someone who failed in a move to France, was overvalued whilst there, and still has everything to prove as a rugby player (as opposed to athlete) - others see him as an international miracle worker.
I expect him to be taking a pay cut from £200k, others see him as doubling it.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Dan Kelly confirmed to Munster

[Mikey Brown]

What a shame.

I don't really get where those few seasons have gone since he got capped. Injuries obviously, but I wish someone else had picked him up. He has a taste for the physical graft in defence, can straighten the line, can kick and has a nice range/timing of pass. A complete dearth for England at 12 and somehow this guy hasn't even been in the frame.

Form simply not been demanding a spot for Leicester this season or has this move been brewing and (like Anyanwu) is not worth investing the minutes in to?

[Spiffy]

Broadly similar, yeah.
Arundell supposedly on circa £200k in France, Grace supposedly on more.
Both failed in France, and will be on less coming to England.
Grace had already spent 3-4 months with Bath before signing that contract, so it wouldn't have been the peanuts gamble that the 3-4 months had been, and Bath would have been confident that he was over them.
So yeah, I'd expect them to have been in the same ballpark - not equal, but same ballpark - fringe international with a lot to prove.

I'd certainly expect the difference to be less than the difference between Van Der Linde and Schreuder (and yes, I do expect Arundell to be worth more than Grace, just not hugely).

Of course, it's entirely possible that I'm undervaluing Arundell, as I see him as someone who failed in a move to France, was overvalued whilst there, and still has everything to prove as a rugby player (as opposed to athlete) - others see him as an international miracle worker.
I expect him to be taking a pay cut from £200k, others see him as doubling it.

I have not seen much of Arundell in the Top 14 so can't really comment on whether he was a failure in France. But on paper, a strike rate of 13 tries in 30 games is not that bad.

[TheDasher]

Do you think the RFU have got Schmidt lined-up for when Borthwick inevitably fails?

[FKAS]

Do you think the RFU have got Schmidt lined-up for when Borthwick inevitably fails?

Doubt it. He's been doing the Aussie job whilst living in New Zealand because he wants to be close to his family. If being close to his family is his priority, which is one of the things he said after leaving Ireland, than a move back north doesn't seem likely.

He'd be the ideal replacement if he's changed his mind, very good at getting a simple game plan together and player buy in.

[Danno]

Schmidt is leaving Aus after the RC and going back to NZ, no chance we tempt him over imo

[Which Tyler]

Meanie

[Danno]

Soz.

[Puja]

Tangential, but Joe Schmidt has signed a 2 month extension to his Australia contract so that he leaves after the Rugby Championship, rather than directly after the Lions tour, but the press release makes it clear that he's not entertaining a longer contract because he's determined to stick by his original plan of spending more time with his family.

Fair play to him and I respect it, but I do wish he could be persuaded to come and mentor our coaches for a couple of years! Maybe we can persuade him to do it via zoom?

Puja

Anyone know if Schmidt is leaving Aus after the RC?

Puja

[Mellsblue]

I have a bit of breaking news. It’s from a wholly unreliable source but, and I can’t remember all the details, Schmidt is leaving Aus after the RC.

[Banquo]

Broadly similar, yeah.
Arundell supposedly on circa £200k in France, Grace supposedly on more.
Both failed in France, and will be on less coming to England.
Grace had already spent 3-4 months with Bath before signing that contract, so it wouldn't have been the peanuts gamble that the 3-4 months had been, and Bath would have been confident that he was over them.
So yeah, I'd expect them to have been in the same ballpark - not equal, but same ballpark - fringe international with a lot to prove.

I'd certainly expect the difference to be less than the difference between Van Der Linde and Schreuder (and yes, I do expect Arundell to be worth more than Grace, just not hugely).

Of course, it's entirely possible that I'm undervaluing Arundell, as I see him as someone who failed in a move to France, was overvalued whilst there, and still has everything to prove as a rugby player (as opposed to athlete) - others see him as an international miracle worker.
I expect him to be taking a pay cut from £200k, others see him as doubling it.

Very harsh on Arundell.

[Puja]

Of course, it's entirely possible that I'm undervaluing Arundell, as I see him as someone who failed in a move to France, was overvalued whilst there, and still has everything to prove as a rugby player (as opposed to athlete) - others see him as an international miracle worker.
I expect him to be taking a pay cut from £200k, others see him as doubling it.

I would generally agree with your assessment of Arundell as a player currently, but I would imagine there's still enough people on the hype train that he could command a decent enough salary on the open market, especially since he does have ridiculous potential. Might not be getting the same wedge he was offered when he turned down Bath the other year and chose to re-sign with Racing, but I'd be surprised if he's cheap.

Puja