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

Posted: Wed Apr 10, 2024 1:32 pm
by Mellsblue
Banquo wrote: Wed Apr 10, 2024 1:18 pm Money from the RFU isn't the issue imo. Its money you can earn day to day in the prem plus the environment you are in (ie I don't think its the England set up 'driving' players away (now))- and tbh, I think its an active choice to sample rugby life elsewhere early in an RWC cycle (Arundell/Willis)/late in ones career (Lawes, Ribbans-ish, Sinckler-ish, Simmonds)....or no club to go to in overlapping cases. Reality is French clubs can offer a load more money than ours, with or without the RFU; if the RFU give PRL (even) more money, England (even) more money, where do they reallocate it from? Women? Champ? Community?

Stage 1 of the COVID loans are all starting to be called in from today, btw. That'll focus a few minds.
More money and the knowledge that your team is unlikely to go under and therefore has the ability to honour the entirety of your contract. I doesn’t really matter if the Prem club you play for is financially stable (are there any?!?) as if one or two more go - and there are rumours around some - then the league starts to look pretty unsustainable. There’s only so many ad hoc fixtures the teams can arrange to fill the void weekends.

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

Posted: Wed Apr 10, 2024 2:04 pm
by FKAS
Banquo wrote: Wed Apr 10, 2024 1:14 pm
Which Tyler wrote: Wed Apr 10, 2024 8:34 am
FKAS wrote: Tue Apr 09, 2024 10:31 pmThis was the last rumour of him leaving he quashed.
Hostage video...
***likealot****
Agreed, the comment was top tier.

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

Posted: Thu Apr 11, 2024 9:57 am
by francoisfou
Jack Maunder has signed a two-year contract with Agen, currently 10th in ProD2, and with an outside chance of reaching the end of season playoffs for promotion to the Top14.
We already know that Courtney Lawes is to join Brive next season, who also have an outside chance of the playoffs.

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

Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2024 8:52 am
by Mikey Brown
Exeter are to sign Ealing prop Jimmy Roots in the summer.

The 24-year-old tight-head is the brother of Exeter's England forward Ethan and is a former New Zealand Under-20s international.

Roots played for North Harbour in the New Zealand's National Provincial Championship before joining English Championship side Ealing in 2021.

Jimmy Roots, like his brother Ethan, is eligible to play for England through his father, despite growing up in New Zealand.
Does it seem odd he'd play NZ U20s and immediately come to the UK to play for Ealing? I'm not sure.

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

Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2024 10:10 am
by FKAS
Mikey Brown wrote: Fri Apr 12, 2024 8:52 am
Exeter are to sign Ealing prop Jimmy Roots in the summer.

The 24-year-old tight-head is the brother of Exeter's England forward Ethan and is a former New Zealand Under-20s international.

Roots played for North Harbour in the New Zealand's National Provincial Championship before joining English Championship side Ealing in 2021.

Jimmy Roots, like his brother Ethan, is eligible to play for England through his father, despite growing up in New Zealand.
Does it seem odd he'd play NZ U20s and immediately come to the UK to play for Ealing? I'm not sure.
Depends why he came I suppose. When Ealing signed him the press release said they'd been monitoring him for a while. If he knew he was EQ and Ealing represented more money more quickly then why not. It's around the same time Ethan came to the UK (signing for Ospreys) so perhaps the whole family came over.

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

Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2024 10:31 am
by twitchy
Mikey Brown wrote: Fri Apr 12, 2024 8:52 am
Exeter are to sign Ealing prop Jimmy Roots in the summer.

The 24-year-old tight-head is the brother of Exeter's England forward Ethan and is a former New Zealand Under-20s international.

Roots played for North Harbour in the New Zealand's National Provincial Championship before joining English Championship side Ealing in 2021.

Jimmy Roots, like his brother Ethan, is eligible to play for England through his father, despite growing up in New Zealand.
Does it seem odd he'd play NZ U20s and immediately come to the UK to play for Ealing? I'm not sure.
Odd in what way?

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

Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2024 10:37 am
by Mikey Brown
Maybe a poor choice of words.

I suppose I figured if he’s in the international reckoning at that level he’d be wanting to push on with a super rugby team. Ealing is nice, but I hadn’t assumed the pay would be something to entice you half way across the world and out of reach of international recognition for NZ

But yeah, maybe being an EQP was a big factor.

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

Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2024 10:54 am
by FKAS
Mikey Brown wrote: Fri Apr 12, 2024 10:37 am Maybe a poor choice of words.

I suppose I figured if he’s in the international reckoning at that level he’d be wanting to push on with a super rugby team. Ealing is nice, but I hadn’t assumed the pay would be something to entice you half way across the world and out of reach of international recognition for NZ

But yeah, maybe being an EQP was a big factor.
Only five super rugby teams. Good chance he'd have spent a few seasons in the provincial game. If you look at last year's AB under 20 props they have no Super Rugby games between them at this point and one is already playing over in America.

Earnings in NZ provincial rugby are about as good as the Championship if not worse. I presume there's top ups for making Super Rugby training squads and sponsorship deals but Ealing pay alright. Perhaps he saw it as a means to more senior rugby quicker with the option of the English Prem or Super Rugby if he showed up well.

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

Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2024 10:57 am
by Puja
Mikey Brown wrote: Fri Apr 12, 2024 10:37 am Maybe a poor choice of words.

I suppose I figured if he’s in the international reckoning at that level he’d be wanting to push on with a super rugby team. Ealing is nice, but I hadn’t assumed the pay would be something to entice you half way across the world and out of reach of international recognition for NZ

But yeah, maybe being an EQP was a big factor.
I mean "former NZ U20s international" can really mean anything - he could have 2 minutes off the bench at one point. Given that all.rugby says he never made it into the starting XV for North Harbour's NPC team and has only made 4 PRC appearances for Ealing, I'm not sure that it was the move that killed his hopes of international recognition with NZ.

Puja

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

Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2024 11:41 am
by 16th man
I wonder how concerned the ABs are about the switch.

Whilst he may not have been an absolute star of the system, they don't have enough depth to start losing too many youngsters abroad, especially not in positions like prop, where you don't really know how good someone is really going to be until they're 23 24 or possibly older.

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

Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2024 12:07 pm
by Puja
16th man wrote: Fri Apr 12, 2024 11:41 am I wonder how concerned the ABs are about the switch.

Whilst he may not have been an absolute star of the system, they don't have enough depth to start losing too many youngsters abroad, especially not in positions like prop, where you don't really know how good someone is really going to be until they're 23 24 or possibly older.
I'd be surprised if they even know who he is.

Puja

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

Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2024 12:36 pm
by Banquo
Puja wrote: Fri Apr 12, 2024 12:07 pm
16th man wrote: Fri Apr 12, 2024 11:41 am I wonder how concerned the ABs are about the switch.

Whilst he may not have been an absolute star of the system, they don't have enough depth to start losing too many youngsters abroad, especially not in positions like prop, where you don't really know how good someone is really going to be until they're 23 24 or possibly older.
I'd be surprised if they even know who he is.

Puja
Indeed. I'm surprised Exeter have signed him, having seen him in the champ

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

Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2024 4:59 pm
by FKAS
Leicester Tigers 2023/2024 Farewells

Phil Cokanasiga, Tiger #2381

Nic Dolly, Tiger #2348

Guy Porter, Tiger #2330

Joe Powell, Tiger #2407

Dan Richardson, Tiger #2359

Matt Scott, Tiger #2325

Jasper Wiese, Tiger #2339

Mike Williams, Tiger #2235

Ben Woollett, Tiger #2413

Francois van Wyk, Tiger #2350

Some of those left during the season. Most will have forgotten Ben Woollett actually joined seeing as he's not played even with injury crisis with wingers.

Rumours about Porter heading back to Australia seem likely to be accurate.

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

Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2024 5:23 pm
by Puja
FKAS wrote: Fri Apr 12, 2024 4:59 pm Leicester Tigers 2023/2024 Farewells

Phil Cokanasiga, Tiger #2381

Nic Dolly, Tiger #2348

Guy Porter, Tiger #2330

Joe Powell, Tiger #2407

Dan Richardson, Tiger #2359

Matt Scott, Tiger #2325

Jasper Wiese, Tiger #2339

Mike Williams, Tiger #2235

Ben Woollett, Tiger #2413

Francois van Wyk, Tiger #2350

Some of those left during the season. Most will have forgotten Ben Woollett actually joined seeing as he's not played even with injury crisis with wingers.

Rumours about Porter heading back to Australia seem likely to be accurate.
Nic Dolly's a shame. Is he going elsewhere or has injury forced a retirement on him? Porter going to Australia is a shame too. Am I right in thinking that he can't now play for Australia as his only claim was residency and, despite having lived there from ages 7-23, he's not eligible to change under the 3 year rule?

Puja

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

Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2024 5:46 pm
by FKAS
Porter not eligible for Aus.

No news on where they are going yet.

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

Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2024 6:25 pm
by Banquo
FKAS wrote: Fri Apr 12, 2024 4:59 pm Leicester Tigers 2023/2024 Farewells

Phil Cokanasiga, Tiger #2381

Nic Dolly, Tiger #2348

Guy Porter, Tiger #2330

Joe Powell, Tiger #2407

Dan Richardson, Tiger #2359

Matt Scott, Tiger #2325

Jasper Wiese, Tiger #2339

Mike Williams, Tiger #2235

Ben Woollett, Tiger #2413

Francois van Wyk, Tiger #2350

Some of those left during the season. Most will have forgotten Ben Woollett actually joined seeing as he's not played even with injury crisis with wingers.

Rumours about Porter heading back to Australia seem likely to be accurate.
agent porter did his job well in oz :)

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

Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2024 6:43 pm
by FKAS
Banquo wrote: Fri Apr 12, 2024 6:25 pm
FKAS wrote: Fri Apr 12, 2024 4:59 pm Leicester Tigers 2023/2024 Farewells

Phil Cokanasiga, Tiger #2381

Nic Dolly, Tiger #2348

Guy Porter, Tiger #2330

Joe Powell, Tiger #2407

Dan Richardson, Tiger #2359

Matt Scott, Tiger #2325

Jasper Wiese, Tiger #2339

Mike Williams, Tiger #2235

Ben Woollett, Tiger #2413

Francois van Wyk, Tiger #2350

Some of those left during the season. Most will have forgotten Ben Woollett actually joined seeing as he's not played even with injury crisis with wingers.

Rumours about Porter heading back to Australia seem likely to be accurate.
agent porter did his job well in oz :)
Two try Guy, what a guy.

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

Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2024 7:20 pm
by Puja
Image

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

Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2024 8:44 pm
by FKAS
Puja wrote: Fri Apr 12, 2024 7:20 pm Image
:lol:

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

Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2024 7:40 am
by FKAS
Francois van Wyk to Bath is a rumour.

Vaea Fifita is being offloaded by Scarlets who can't afford to keep him. Number of offers from Prem, France and Japan for the versatile 31 year old Kiwi.

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

Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2024 6:47 pm
by FKAS
Not Prem or England linked but amusing in that I thought it was a late April Fools joke.

https://m.independent.ie/sport/rugby/al ... 75741.html

Leinster bring in Jordie Barrett for just over half of next season.

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

Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2024 6:56 pm
by Puja
Ah yes, cause what Leinster really desperately needed was yet another world-class talent in their team. That's just cruel to the rest of Europe.

Puja

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

Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2024 7:39 pm
by FKAS
Puja wrote: Mon Apr 15, 2024 6:56 pm Ah yes, cause what Leinster really desperately needed was yet another world-class talent in their team. That's just cruel to the rest of Europe.

Puja
They didn't dismantle Tigers with the expected ease so it's a knee jerk reaction :lol:

Be interesting to see who they drop for him whether it's Henshaw or Ringrose. Maybe they ship him back to 15 and drop Keenan? Embarrassment of riches.

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

Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2024 11:09 am
by Margin_Walker
FWIW RiL saying that Bath have signed Charlie Griffin and Kepu Tuipulotu.

If that's true as well as the rumour about Offiah going there, they are really cleaning up on the best of that LI U17 crop from last year.

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

Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2024 11:14 am
by FKAS
Margin_Walker wrote: Tue Apr 16, 2024 11:09 am FWIW RiL saying that Bath have signed Charlie Griffin and Kepu Tuipulotu.

If that's true as well as the rumour about Offiah going there, they are really cleaning up on the best of that LI U17 crop from last year.
Bath at least used to wait until their early twenties before raiding LI...