Transfer gossip - sometimes even accurate (accidentally) - Season 2022/23

[Mellsblue]

Agreed. We need to focus our energy and collective expertise on the more pressing matter, whether 28 year old Danny Care was actually good or not.

The real question was whether he was better than Heinz and Spencer…

No it's whether he could deliver the game plan better than Heinz or Spencer.

It’s one theory.

[Stom]

Bristol Evening Post saying that Pat Lam is looking at Fergus Lee-Warner for next year. Apparently feels the 2nd row is under powered and, due to cap cock up, was unable to replace Attwood.

I reckon he should give Danny Care a go there.

[Mr Mwenda]

I think the Care discussion is peak RR English board.

[Spiffy]

Care's skillset has always been pretty obvious. He is an attack orientated SH who is not particularly good in defence, always likely to make a couple of howlers, but capable of the unexpected and at times a match winner. Jones was well aware of this, so he selected him anyway and asked him to play a game that was not his natural one. If that did not work I would blame Jones, not Care.
It's the same as selecting Marcus Smith and asking him do do something different (and more constraining) than the things he does every week at Quins. We saw something like the real Smith in England's purple patch 10 min v. the All Blacks. If you have players with natural flair in some elements of the game, it's probably better to design tactics around the strength of those players rather than trying to shoe horn them into a game plan where they don't fit. Or, vice versa, if you want to play with specific tactics/game plan, then don't select players who are not comfortable with that setup.

Out of interest - who's fault is it if you select 14 players to suit the skillset of one? Or change the gameplan of the whole team to suit the gameplan of 1 player?
I seem to remember a hell of a lot of criticism of Jones using a gameplan to suit Tuilagi (who is a hell of a lot more justified in building a gameplan around than Danny Care is/was) even though it wasn't true that he'd done such a thing.

I was not suggesting that England should adopt tactics built around one player, Smith. That would be silly. I was simply using Smith as an example of a player whose natural skills are under utilized at international level. And there are others, within and outside the squad. I think it makes more sense to construct a game plan built on a foundation of skillful players, doing what they are good at, than one based on some theoretical tactics that the selected players are not capable of implementing . Players selected on club form, then asked to do something different for England, does not seem a great formula for success. E.g. why select dangerous runners then instruct them to kick the ball away (say - Smith); or vice versa, if you plan to play running rugby, why clog the midfield with a pedestrian 12 (say - Farrell, who is actually a pretty good 10 at Sarries but a very ordinary 12 for England.)

[Mikey Brown]

I also like the way Smith is now ‘dependant on having a huge 12’ rather than any flyhalf simply looking a lot better when they’ve got threats to the gain-line outside them.

I’m struggling to think of a way to pretend this is transfer related.

[Timbo]

Reportedly loads of good Welsh players on the verge of leaving the regions due to lack of contract offers.

[FKAS]

There's a freeze on offering regional contracts until the future funding for the Welsh game is secured. I presume they are banking on the fact if Gatland's Law plus the Prem's financial issues meaning that their best players won't be instantly snapped up. If they leave it to much longer it could get bad though, Rowlands is already gone (according to rumours).

[Mellsblue]

Not the first time the delayed funding issue has happened. It’s not a cunning plan based on external events just that I think the WRU like making the RFU look organised.

[jimKRFC]

Luke Morahan departs Bristol for Bayonne. Think he has one home game left to play then he's off. Bristol couldn't guarantee a contract in the summer and Bayonne offered a big last pay day on the proviso he join immediately as injury joker.

Sorry to see him go as he's been absolute class!

[Timbo]

Luke Morahan departs Bristol for Bayonne. Think he has one home game left to play then he's off. Bristol couldn't guarantee a contract in the summer and Bayonne offered a big last pay day on the proviso he join immediately as injury joker.

Sorry to see him go as he's been absolute class!

Completely understand why Bris fans will be sad to see him go….but objectively he’s exactly the kind of player English clubs shouldn’t be hanging on to while the cap remains as it is. Expensive, old and clearly on the way down performance-wise. Bears have got some talented & young back 3 players to focus on.

[Mellsblue]

Another RICH LANE!!! believer.

[ilovelamp]

George McGuigan rumoured to have signed for us at Glaws.

[FKAS]

George McGuigan rumoured to have signed for us at Glaws.

Blamire has just signed a new deal at Falcons which suggests that McGuigan is indeed off. Surprised it's Glaws, he was rumoured to be heading down to Chiefs to replace LCD. With Socino and Singleton I thought Glaws were pretty well stocked.

[Puja]

George McGuigan rumoured to have signed for us at Glaws.

Blamire has just signed a new deal at Falcons which suggests that McGuigan is indeed off. Surprised it's Glaws, he was rumoured to be heading down to Chiefs to replace LCD. With Socino and Singleton I thought Glaws were pretty well stocked.

Great ness for Blamire, but agreed that Glaws seems an odd destination.

Puja

[FKAS]

Rumours that McGuigan could join Glaws as early as next week after Singleton underwent surgery on an injury he picked up last weekend.

Also rumours that Will Stuart is being chased by Glaws as a possible addition for next season.

[Gloskarlos]

Looks like Balmain could be out for a while now too. Real shame, been awesome again this season, which might put us in the market for an injury replacement at TH.

[fivepointer]

Bad luck for Balmain and Glos. He really has been a rock at TH for them.

[Timbo]

Reading some interviews with Jack Willis over the weekend and it’s clear that he’s eyeing up the potential of staying in France post World Cup. Would be another excellent player lost to both the Prem and the test team in their prime.

[Banquo]

Reading some interviews with Jack Willis over the weekend and it’s clear that he’s eyeing up the potential of staying in France post World Cup. Would be another excellent player lost to both the Prem and the test team in their prime.

More cash in France, can't blame them. Not sure what the prem can do- paradoxically we prob need to raise the salary cap at the same time as not being able to afford it. Central contracts may be one answer- but I'd think that would both denude the prem and also lead to more journeymen o/s signings.

[francoisfou]

Two UK-based fly halves are allegedly on their way to play in the Top14 next season.
According to Midi-Olympique, Tommaso Allan is off to Perpignan next summer having signed a two-year contract, and Gareth Anscombe is in the sights of Pau.

[Banquo]

Two UK-based fly halves are allegedly on their way to play in the Top14 next season.
According to Midi-Olympique, Tommaso Allan is off to Perpignan next summer having signed a two-year contract, and Gareth Anscombe is in the sights of Pau.

That's sensible pension fund acquisition I'd think.

[Timbo]

Reading some interviews with Jack Willis over the weekend and it’s clear that he’s eyeing up the potential of staying in France post World Cup. Would be another excellent player lost to both the Prem and the test team in their prime.

More cash in France, can't blame them. Not sure what the prem can do- paradoxically we prob need to raise the salary cap at the same time as not being able to afford it. Central contracts may be one answer- but I'd think that would both denude the prem and also lead to more journeymen o/s signings.

The salary cap is due to go back up the season after next. Hopefully only those clubs who can really afford to pay more do so. I suppose the worry then might be that the likes of Bristol, Bath, Sarries etc might be operating on 20-25% bigger budgets than most of the rest of the league. In a depressed wage market those clubs could build very formidable squads and be quite dominant.

[Banquo]

Reading some interviews with Jack Willis over the weekend and it’s clear that he’s eyeing up the potential of staying in France post World Cup. Would be another excellent player lost to both the Prem and the test team in their prime.

More cash in France, can't blame them. Not sure what the prem can do- paradoxically we prob need to raise the salary cap at the same time as not being able to afford it. Central contracts may be one answer- but I'd think that would both denude the prem and also lead to more journeymen o/s signings.

The salary cap is due to go back up the season after next. Hopefully only those clubs who can really afford to pay more do so. I suppose the worry then might be that the likes of Bristol, Bath, Sarries etc might be operating on 20-25% bigger budgets than most of the rest of the league. In a depressed wage market those clubs could build very formidable squads and be quite dominant.

.....I mean raise substantially for recruitment, retention and rotation but maybe tied to academy investment. As callous as it is, I'd like to see super clubs as it were.

[FKAS]

Looks like Balmain could be out for a while now too. Real shame, been awesome again this season, which might put us in the market for an injury replacement at TH.

Real shame, he's been excellent for Glaws. I think McCalum is stil without a club so could be an easy acquisition to the end of the season.

[fivepointer]

BREAKING: Gloucester have announced the signing of hooker George McGuigan from Newcastle.

He will join the squad immediately