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

[Puja]

Fuck you too Puja

[Mellsblue]

lol. My favourite ever exchange on RR.

[Danno]

Do I have to retire now

[Captainhaircut]

Mail reckon Gloucs want Sotutu to replace Mercer. Fancy Saints and Leicester might have a look too if he’s available.

[Puja]

Mail reckon Gloucs want Sotutu to replace Mercer. Fancy Saints and Leicester might have a look too if he’s available.

Glaws appear determined to have an 8 who'll move countries and then be disappointed at the lack of interest from England.

Puja

[Danno]

Mail reckon Gloucs want Sotutu to replace Mercer. Fancy Saints and Leicester might have a look too if he’s available.

Glaws appear determined to have an 8 who'll move countries and then be disappointed at the lack of interest from England.

Puja

[FKAS]

Mail reckon Gloucs want Sotutu to replace Mercer. Fancy Saints and Leicester might have a look too if he’s available.

Glaws appear determined to have an 8 who'll move countries and then be disappointed at the lack of interest from England.

Puja

Very good. I'd definitely be interested to have him at Tigers, doubly so if the rumours are accurate and Beets isn't coming.

[jimKRFC]

Not sure if it should go here, but Fissler reporting that the Irish sides are looking at signing George Kloska as he's Irish qualified and he's seen as a potential future Irish international.

[FKAS]

Not sure if it should go here, but Fissler reporting that the Irish sides are looking at signing George Kloska as he's Irish qualified and he's seen as a potential future Irish international.

The Irish provinces have been told they aren't allowed anymore non-IQ props. Any uncapped IQ prop is going to be getting offers given how short some of the squads are currently. Ulster are very keen for reinforcements for instance.

[Which Tyler]

This one has progressed beyond Fissler (though unknown if he's still the source), so becomes worth considering:
Willie Le Roux to Bath

I don't think we need him, I'm happy with TdG and Harris, with Donoghue as the (current) young up and comer and Bailey able to cover as necessary. I'm also happy that JvG lost his security blanket in Gallagher (no issue with Gallagher per se, but I do feel that he put a handbreak on TdG's development, and indeed, Bath's game plan).

Rumour is that he's looking for a player/coach role though, which makes it much more interesting.

If we're looking at a back 3 player, I'd be more interested in Loader / Radwan (for the right price)

[jimKRFC]

Bristol sign Jamie Hodges on a two month loan deal. Sounds like a decent bit of cover but would be good to get Joe Owen some more game time.

Ilona Maher also joining a short term deal, 3 months, from January.

[Puja]

Bristol sign Jamie Hodges on a two month loan deal. Sounds like a decent bit of cover but would be good to get Joe Owen some more game time.

Ilona Maher also joining a short term deal, 3 months, from January.

Good call all around - she'll draw a crowd and drive a lot of interest from Yank country, and it's good that she's at a decent club with a good stadium. Hopefully she'll take well to XVs.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

Ilona Maher also joining a short term deal, 3 months, from January.

That's a hell of a signing

[jimKRFC]

Bristol sign Jamie Hodges on a two month loan deal. Sounds like a decent bit of cover but would be good to get Joe Owen some more game time.

Ilona Maher also joining a short term deal, 3 months, from January.

Good call all around - she'll draw a crowd and drive a lot of interest from Yank country, and it's good that she's at a decent club with a good stadium. Hopefully she'll take well to XVs.

Puja

Seems to be having an effect already. The Bristol - Glaws Hartpury game apparently having unprecedented demand and been moved to Ashton Gate.

[Adam_P]

Munga has signed on for more at Saints. Was a bit underwhelmed by him last year, but he's definitely kicked on and bedded in this season and been strong, long may the progression continue.

[Puja]

Ilona Maher also joining a short term deal, 3 months, from January.

That's a hell of a signing

Apparently Bristol once again being far ahead of the rest of the pack in spotting a PR coup early:

She contacted several clubs at the end of 2023 as she wanted to play in the English top flight. Maher had it in mind to join a club after the 2024 Olympics had concluded. However, as she had not played 15s rugby since 2021 she was not eligible to play.

However, during her stint on Dancing with the Stars, Bristol got in touch and said they would put the work in to get Maher a visa so she could play for them. This included an appeals process, which the Rugby Football Union supported, and the club were successful.

It was then, when reports emerged that Maher may be joining an English club, that other sides started to contact the star.

“All of a sudden I was getting all of these calls and emails from people saying: ‘We’re hearing you might be eligible to play, you want to come for us?’ OK well I did want to play for you, I did want to do this. I had a lot of other teams calling to come play. I think I stood by Bristol because they did this work and I wanted to stick with them.”

Their backroom and marketing really are streets ahead of the rest of the Premiership.

Puja

[francoisfou]

Just read on MidiOlympique that Quins’ Irné Herbst had signed a two-year deal with Brive (currently 2nd in ProD2).

[FKAS]

From Tigers

The club is disappointed to confirm that Corné Beets will not be joining Leicester Tigers this season.

Beets, who was announced in March of this year as a signing for the 24/25 season, will remain in South Africa after visa requirements to allow him to play in the Premiership, were not met.

Despite sustained efforts from the club, the player, and his management, exploring all avenues, securing a visa for Beets is not going to be possible this year, therefore both parties have agreed to terminate the agreement.

Speaking about the outcome, General Manager Richard Wilks said: "Unfortunately, he falls just short of the visa requirements which would have allowed him to join us at Leicester Tigers this season, both parties are extremely disappointed and will continue to be in communication moving forward."

"For now, I want to thank Corné, his management and commend the efforts of all at Leicester Tigers in trying to find a positive outcome and, on behalf of the club, wish him all the best for the future."

[Puja]

From Tigers

The club is disappointed to confirm that Corné Beets will not be joining Leicester Tigers this season.

Beets, who was announced in March of this year as a signing for the 24/25 season, will remain in South Africa after visa requirements to allow him to play in the Premiership, were not met.

Despite sustained efforts from the club, the player, and his management, exploring all avenues, securing a visa for Beets is not going to be possible this year, therefore both parties have agreed to terminate the agreement.

Speaking about the outcome, General Manager Richard Wilks said: "Unfortunately, he falls just short of the visa requirements which would have allowed him to join us at Leicester Tigers this season, both parties are extremely disappointed and will continue to be in communication moving forward."

"For now, I want to thank Corné, his management and commend the efforts of all at Leicester Tigers in trying to find a positive outcome and, on behalf of the club, wish him all the best for the future."

Piss. Now what.

Puja

ETA. On the bright side, I am perversely pleased that it was a visa that killed it. The rumour mill was suggesting that he'd just decided he didn't fancy it, which I would've been quite annoyed about, so having it be out of everyone's control is a better situation than what I had worried about. Bloody Rassie Erasmus though - chucked caps at everyone this year to build depth; couldn't he have brought Beets off the bench for one game?!

[FKAS]

From Tigers

The club is disappointed to confirm that Corné Beets will not be joining Leicester Tigers this season.

Beets, who was announced in March of this year as a signing for the 24/25 season, will remain in South Africa after visa requirements to allow him to play in the Premiership, were not met.

Despite sustained efforts from the club, the player, and his management, exploring all avenues, securing a visa for Beets is not going to be possible this year, therefore both parties have agreed to terminate the agreement.

Speaking about the outcome, General Manager Richard Wilks said: "Unfortunately, he falls just short of the visa requirements which would have allowed him to join us at Leicester Tigers this season, both parties are extremely disappointed and will continue to be in communication moving forward."

"For now, I want to thank Corné, his management and commend the efforts of all at Leicester Tigers in trying to find a positive outcome and, on behalf of the club, wish him all the best for the future."

Piss. Now what.

Puja

ETA. On the bright side, I am perversely pleased that it was a visa that killed it. The rumour mill was suggesting that he'd just decided he didn't fancy it, which I would've been quite annoyed about, so having it be out of everyone's control is a better situation than what I had worried about. Bloody Rassie Erasmus though - chucked caps at everyone this year to build depth; couldn't he have brought Beets off the bench for one game?!

Rumours are we've Jed Holloway for 6 months. Which doesn't exactly help that much. I guess it's back to the drawing board and we go searching with potentially a good chunk of cap to play with for next season.

Josh Manz has been included in the European wide squad so there's a faint hope he'll be back soon and can step up to be a viable option.

[twitchy]

Corne Beets is actually starring in a hollywood remake of deliverance.

[Puja]

Rumours of Dino Lamb leaving Quins mid-season to join Perpignan as medical joker. Not sure how accurate they are though, given that he's starting for Quins this weekend and you'd imagine they'd need a good few quid to be persuaded to release him.

Puja

[FKAS]

Rumours of Dino Lamb leaving Quins mid-season to join Perpignan as medical joker. Not sure how accurate they are though, given that he's starting for Quins this weekend and you'd imagine they'd need a good few quid to be persuaded to release him.

Puja

With rumours that Herbst is off at the end of the season as well you'd have thought they wouldn't be bog fans of that move unless it was a short term loan (they were being compensated for).

[Mikey Brown]

I was slightly confused to see his name on the teamsheet just then. Thinking he'd already gone to Italy at some point. I think the same happened with Lynagh last season.

Launch, Lewies and Hammond would be a nightmare in terms of their ability to pick up injuries.

[Stom]

I was slightly confused to see his name on the teamsheet just then. Thinking he'd already gone to Italy at some point. I think the same happened with Lynagh last season.

Launch, Lewies and Hammond would be a nightmare in terms of their ability to pick up injuries.

He did. He came back.