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

[FKAS]

Still nothing official, doesn't mean it's not happening mind.

Problem for Lewis Chessum is he lost 12 months of development at a crucial age and found himself down the pecking order as a result. It's going to take a bit of time for him to make up the lost development time and it's probably frustrating for him that the period where we were short on locks coincided with him being injured whilst when he's back we've got a surplus. He's got bags of potential but it might take a bit of time.

[Captainhaircut]

Mail reckon Dan Kelly is going to Munster. I thought he was going to Sale but clearly think he has a chance of getting in the Ireland side. Guess with Henshaw, Aki and McKloskey all aging that might be true.

[FKAS]

Mail reckon Dan Kelly is going to Munster. I thought he was going to Sale but clearly think he has a chance of getting in the Ireland side. Guess with Henshaw, Aki and McKloskey all aging that might be true.

His agent has been shipping his CV around a fair bit. I get the impression where Tigers see his contract isn't where Kelly wants it to be. Whether nor not that's effecting his selection with Chieka I don't know but he's playing better than his game time suggests. Not sure Munster need a 12 do they? Not sure Sale do either but he's a Manchester boy originally.

[Mikey Brown]

Probably said it already, but I was really hoping Quins could nab him. A proper, rounded 12 and would get to play alongside the England flyhalf regularly.

Wouldn’t blame him for taking his chance with Ireland though.

[FKAS]

Probably said it already, but I was really hoping Quins could nab him. A proper, rounded 12 and would get to play alongside the England fullback regularly.

Wouldn’t blame him for taking his chance with Ireland though.

He'd fit brilliantly at Quins as well. Got an underrated passing game as well being able to do the direct stuff. Would very much help bring more width to the Quins attack and give Smith options to play with.

[Mikey Brown]

Don’t think I don’t see you, FKAS.

[Mellsblue]

Probably said it already, but I was really hoping Quins could nab him. A proper, rounded 12 and would get to play alongside the England fullback regularly.

Wouldn’t blame him for taking his chance with Ireland though.

FTFY

[FKAS]

Don’t think I don’t see you, FKAS.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Anthony Watson retires from rugby

[Puja]

I'd take Haffar, doubly so if it's to replace old man Cronin who's frustratingly inconsistent.

Seabrook I'm less fussed about. Feels like it would be a depth signing until other players come through and push him out. If anything we need pace out wide to replace Simmons, I'd rather take a punt on a Championship flyer.

Christ, I would be thrilled to get Haffar - he looks such a good player and him stabilising the Saints scrum away in SA was a *statement*.

Would seem to be an odd transfer though - I can absolutely see him being narked at how little gametime he's got for Saints (especially given his contemporary Baxter is now a regular England player and he's fallen from being named-checked by Borthwick to not even making the recent A squad), but Leicester seems an odd destination given that we have NSmith as undisputed first choice as well as Cronin for company (and, while I like the energy, FKAS, Cronin signed a contract extension in March and I doubt it was only for 1 year. Might've been 1+1, I guess?)

Haffar's good enough that he should oust Cronin straight away and NSmith given time, but if he's annoyed about game-time, then Leicester seems like an odd move given the best he can hope for straight away is the 17 shirt. Mind, I suppose the only clubs where that's not true right now are Newcastle and Exeter and he may not particularly want to move across the country again, so maybe he's coming on the idea that he'd have a season to persuade Cheika not to renew Smith.

Puja

Cronin is 34. I presume it's a 1+1 deal and not a straight two year deal. Well not unless Cronin agreed a significant pay reduction. Haffar coming in would provide us that mobile prop option Cronin does. Van Der Flier might have taken that role but looks like he's out for a while. Whitcombe has looked solid in his rare appearances but looks more like a Smith understudy as opposed to someone who can offer a difference.

Haffar didn't see much game time last season at Saints and this season has seen West come in. His agent might be just looking around.

Haffar starting the last two big games for Saints feels like this has fallen by the wayside; either because there was never anything to it, or Haffar wanted assurances of important gametime, which is now being delivered upon.

Puja

[FKAS]

Christ, I would be thrilled to get Haffar - he looks such a good player and him stabilising the Saints scrum away in SA was a *statement*.

Would seem to be an odd transfer though - I can absolutely see him being narked at how little gametime he's got for Saints (especially given his contemporary Baxter is now a regular England player and he's fallen from being named-checked by Borthwick to not even making the recent A squad), but Leicester seems an odd destination given that we have NSmith as undisputed first choice as well as Cronin for company (and, while I like the energy, FKAS, Cronin signed a contract extension in March and I doubt it was only for 1 year. Might've been 1+1, I guess?)

Haffar's good enough that he should oust Cronin straight away and NSmith given time, but if he's annoyed about game-time, then Leicester seems like an odd move given the best he can hope for straight away is the 17 shirt. Mind, I suppose the only clubs where that's not true right now are Newcastle and Exeter and he may not particularly want to move across the country again, so maybe he's coming on the idea that he'd have a season to persuade Cheika not to renew Smith.

Puja

Cronin is 34. I presume it's a 1+1 deal and not a straight two year deal. Well not unless Cronin agreed a significant pay reduction. Haffar coming in would provide us that mobile prop option Cronin does. Van Der Flier might have taken that role but looks like he's out for a while. Whitcombe has looked solid in his rare appearances but looks more like a Smith understudy as opposed to someone who can offer a difference.

Haffar didn't see much game time last season at Saints and this season has seen West come in. His agent might be just looking around.

Haffar starting the last two big games for Saints feels like this has fallen by the wayside; either because there was never anything to it, or Haffar wanted assurances of important gametime, which is now being delivered upon.

Puja

Or even his agent just wanted to apply a bit of pressure to negotiations to ensure his client got what he wanted. Hardly an out of the way exercise to get Haffar to drive up to Oval Park for a visit.

[Mikey Brown]

We need a quick acronym for ‘maybe it was their agent trying to get them a better deal’.

[Captainhaircut]

Fissler reckons Jonny Hill is off to Racing.

James Whitcombe to Edinburgh in same article.

[FKAS]

Fissler reckons Jonny Hill is off to Racing.

James Whitcombe to Edinburgh in same article.

Unless he's been told Lancaster is going the only draw for Racing is the cash and living in Paris. Struggling to meet expectations every season isn't fun.

Whitcombe to Edinburgh would be similar. Nice place to live but the team there is a mess and the head coach seems clueless in how to improve things.

[Mellsblue]

Fissler reckons Jonny Hill is off to Racing.

James Whitcombe to Edinburgh in same article.

Unless he's been told Lancaster is going the only draw for Racing is the cash and living in Paris. Struggling to meet expectations every season isn't fun.

Whitcombe to Edinburgh would be similar. Nice place to live but the team there is a mess and the head coach seems clueless in how to improve things.

Loads of cash and living in Paris? Sounds terrible. Add in the pension and it’s a bit of a no brainer.

[FKAS]

Fissler reckons Jonny Hill is off to Racing.

James Whitcombe to Edinburgh in same article.

Unless he's been told Lancaster is going the only draw for Racing is the cash and living in Paris. Struggling to meet expectations every season isn't fun.

Whitcombe to Edinburgh would be similar. Nice place to live but the team there is a mess and the head coach seems clueless in how to improve things.

Loads of cash and living in Paris? Sounds terrible. Add in the pension and it’s a bit of a no brainer.

Yeah as I was saying everything bar the rugby aspect will be lots of fun.

[Puja]

Fissler reckons Jonny Hill is off to Racing.

James Whitcombe to Edinburgh in same article.

Unless he's been told Lancaster is going the only draw for Racing is the cash and living in Paris. Struggling to meet expectations every season isn't fun.

Whitcombe to Edinburgh would be similar. Nice place to live but the team there is a mess and the head coach seems clueless in how to improve things.

Whitcombe might have a Scots granny which he's looking at the option of using as well?

Puja

[FKAS]

Fissler reckons Jonny Hill is off to Racing.

James Whitcombe to Edinburgh in same article.

Unless he's been told Lancaster is going the only draw for Racing is the cash and living in Paris. Struggling to meet expectations every season isn't fun.

Whitcombe to Edinburgh would be similar. Nice place to live but the team there is a mess and the head coach seems clueless in how to improve things.

Whitcombe might have a Scots granny which he's looking at the option of using as well?

Puja

Doesn't make much difference for Scotland does it? Will Hurd barely plays for Tigers and is in the Scotland squad for the 6N.

Would have to be a granny because Whitcombe's father and one grandfather are born and bred Yorkshire whilst the other grandfather is Welsh.

[Puja]

Unless he's been told Lancaster is going the only draw for Racing is the cash and living in Paris. Struggling to meet expectations every season isn't fun.

Whitcombe to Edinburgh would be similar. Nice place to live but the team there is a mess and the head coach seems clueless in how to improve things.

Whitcombe might have a Scots granny which he's looking at the option of using as well?

Puja

Doesn't make much difference for Scotland does it? Will Hurd barely plays for Tigers and is in the Scotland squad for the 6N.

Would have to be a granny because Whitcombe's father and one grandfather are born and bred Yorkshire whilst the other grandfather is Welsh.

Yeah, but Hurd's scrummaging is at least a strength that puts him vaguely near an international level. Whitcombe is nowhere near (and won't ever be on his current trajectory), so he may be looking at it as an opportunity to get time, develop, and be in the eyeline of people in the Scottish setup.

Not sure he'll be drowning in offers if he wants to go somewhere that will give him more gametime

Puja

[FKAS]

Whitcombe might have a Scots granny which he's looking at the option of using as well?

Puja

Doesn't make much difference for Scotland does it? Will Hurd barely plays for Tigers and is in the Scotland squad for the 6N.

Would have to be a granny because Whitcombe's father and one grandfather are born and bred Yorkshire whilst the other grandfather is Welsh.

Yeah, but Hurd's scrummaging is at least a strength that puts him vaguely near an international level. Whitcombe is nowhere near (and won't ever be on his current trajectory), so he may be looking at it as an opportunity to get time, develop, and be in the eyeline of people in the Scottish setup.

Not sure he'll be drowning in offers if he wants to go somewhere that will give him more gametime

Puja

Whitcombe is solid at scrum time. He's solid everywhere really, it's part of his issue. He's solid at everything but doesn't really excel at any of them.

Hurd is no more than solid at scrum time either, likes a big tackle in defence and that's about it. More telling to Scotland's desperation for tighthead options to back up Zander.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Fissler reckons Jonny Hill is off to Racing.

James Whitcombe to Edinburgh in same article.

Unless he's been told Lancaster is going the only draw for Racing is the cash and living in Paris. Struggling to meet expectations every season isn't fun.

Whitcombe to Edinburgh would be similar. Nice place to live but the team there is a mess and the head coach seems clueless in how to improve things.

That's a pretty decent draw

[FKAS]

Fissler reckons Jonny Hill is off to Racing.

James Whitcombe to Edinburgh in same article.

Unless he's been told Lancaster is going the only draw for Racing is the cash and living in Paris. Struggling to meet expectations every season isn't fun.

Whitcombe to Edinburgh would be similar. Nice place to live but the team there is a mess and the head coach seems clueless in how to improve things.

That's a pretty decent draw

Yeah but when work is a drag because the team aren't performing it can drag you down wherever you are. The cash also has to be good if you're living in Paris.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Adam Radwan joins Tigers with immediate effect

[FKAS]

Adam Radwan joins Tigers with immediate effect

Cracking signing. That's how to replace Ant Watson.

[Mikey Brown]

What? Old Mikey Brown on the wing isn't good enough anymore? Is that it?