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

[Timbo]

Feels bordering on negligent if Quins lose 3 academy lads in Lamb, Jibulu & Anyanwu in quick succession.

[FKAS]

Harry Simmonds retires at 27 having not recovered from an eye injury suffered earlier in the year Vs Leinster. Has joined the Tigers coaching staff.

[Puja]

Harry Simmonds retires at 27 having not recovered from an eye injury suffered earlier in the year Vs Leinster. Has joined the Tigers coaching staff.

Poor sod. Always felt like there was a really good player in there, but he always had appalling luck with injuries and they always struck just as it looked like he'd got his chance to have a run of games and was going to ink his place into the starting XV.

Puja

[FKAS]

Harry Simmonds retires at 27 having not recovered from an eye injury suffered earlier in the year Vs Leinster. Has joined the Tigers coaching staff.

Poor sod. Always felt like there was a really good player in there, but he always had appalling luck with injuries and they always struck just as it looked like he'd got his chance to have a run of games and was going to ink his place into the starting XV.

Puja

Yeah definitely. He'd got the pace, footwork and all round skillset to do well for us on that right wing. As you say, every time he seemed to be hitting his stride injury would strike. Hopefully he has more luck as a coach.

[Adam_P]

Saints have signed Henry Walker to cover the long term injury to Robbie Smith.

[Which Tyler]

Dan Frost to Bath seems to have gathered enough momentum to be a viable rumour, rather than Fissler throwing stuff at a wall.

NB: all 4 of Bath's hookers are off contract this summer, with Dunn and Annet both off the boil a bit

[Puja]

Dan Frost to Bath seems to have gathered enough momentum to be a viable rumour, rather than Fissler throwing stuff at a wall.

NB: all 4 of Bath's hookers are off contract this summer, with Dunn and Annet both off the boil a bit

Frost does seem too good of a player to be second choice - he'd be a good signing.

Puja

[FKAS]

Dan Frost to Bath seems to have gathered enough momentum to be a viable rumour, rather than Fissler throwing stuff at a wall.

NB: all 4 of Bath's hookers are off contract this summer, with Dunn and Annet both off the boil a bit

Frost does seem too good of a player to be second choice - he'd be a good signing.

Puja

Seb Blake has also been linked. Seems Bath want to add a bit more mobility to the front row.

[Which Tyler]

Dan too - but I didn't think either really classified beyond the realm of "well, they're looking for a hooker, and he's a hooker".

I suspect that Dunn, Annet and Faiva are fighting for 1 contract, Stewart should be safe behind them, and looking to bring in a probable starter in their mid-late 20s. Spandler and Tuipulotu in the academy are ready enough to fill in if we're needing a 4th choice hooker (or if not).

[FKAS]

Tigers announcing some re-signings this week. First up is Ollie Chessum.

[FKAS]

Rumours doing the rounds that Rob Baxter thought he had Ben White ready to sign a three year deal to join the Chiefs last summer only for him to sign an extension to 2026 with Toulon.

[Adam_P]

Saints have tied down Pollock on a 'multi-year contract'. Hopefully that means for the next 10 years at least

[FKAS]

Saints have tied down Pollock on a 'multi-year contract'. Hopefully that means for the next 10 years at least

Logical thing to tie him down early, looks like he's going to be a star.

In less headline news, Will Hurd has signed a new deal with Tigers. The Ashby lad is going to be increasingly useful as Dan Cole starts with wind down.

[Puja]

In less headline news, Will Hurd has signed a new deal with Tigers. The Ashby lad is going to be increasingly useful as Dan Cole starts with wind down.

Would be more useful if he was less Scottish, mind. With Heyes kicking on, we're looking to be still in a situation of losing two tightheads every international window.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

Would be more useful if he was less Scottish, mind. With Heyes kicking on, we're looking to be still in a situation of losing two tightheads every international window.

Bit jealous of that TBH, we lose 3; with a 4th if there's an age-grade match (well, we would, but I expect we'd take priority in that situation)

[Puja]

Would be more useful if he was less Scottish, mind. With Heyes kicking on, we're looking to be still in a situation of losing two tightheads every international window.

Bit jealous of that TBH, we lose 3; with a 4th if there's an age-grade match (well, we would, but I expect we'd take priority in that situation)

Fair point - at least we've only been greedy enough to have Scotland's 3rd/4th choice tighthead as our 2nd/3rd choice next year, as opposed to your deliberate and clearly planned decision to build your squad around having your third choice be someone that you should've known would be Wales's first choice tighthead before he'd started a top-tier club game.

Puja

[FKAS]

Would be more useful if he was less Scottish, mind. With Heyes kicking on, we're looking to be still in a situation of losing two tightheads every international window.

Bit jealous of that TBH, we lose 3; with a 4th if there's an age-grade match (well, we would, but I expect we'd take priority in that situation)

Fair point - at least we've only been greedy enough to have Scotland's 3rd/4th choice tighthead as our 2nd/3rd choice next year, as opposed to your deliberate and clearly planned decision to build your squad around having your third choice be someone that you should've known would be Wales's first choice tighthead before he'd started a top-tier club game.

Puja

He's only Wales first choice whilst old senility Gatland is in charge. By next summer someone else will be in post and it'll change.

[Which Tyler]

Max Clark (Bath, Dragons & Cardiff) to Newcastle - good player, shame he lured away by the dangle of caps

[Banquo]

Max Clark (Bath, Dragons & Cardiff) to Newcastle - good player, shame he lured away by the dangle of caps

Think he was loaned to Dragons, might be wrong, but they or Bath were offering him about in about Feb of this year (on ridiculous numbers). Hadn't he had a load of injuries after his first breakthru season or so.

Yet another through the Ampthill mincer, just for you FKAS

[Which Tyler]

Nope, he left Bath 2 years ago, seeking caps.
Few injuries in 2019/20, but I don't recall him being abnormally injury prone, just never first choice.

[FKAS]

Solomone Kata signs a new deal with Tigers.

[Puja]

Max Clark (Bath, Dragons & Cardiff) to Newcastle - good player, shame he lured away by the dangle of caps

Wait, was he eligible to play for Wales? I don't think that ever got mentioned on here at any point?

Puja
In case anyone's taking me seriously, there was a stage where he was in a run of form and there was a lot of repeated comment about him being eligible for Wales (with the implication that we should cap him first to be on the safe side), to the extent that it then became a punchline. Looooooong callback joke that I'm amazed I even remember.

[Puja]

Solomone Kata signs a new deal with Tigers.

Ugh. I'm still not a fan - he's such a basic player that it feels like we limit our playing style trying to incorporate his good bits.

Puja

[FKAS]

Solomone Kata signs a new deal with Tigers.

Ugh. I'm still not a fan - he's such a basic player that it feels like we limit our playing style trying to incorporate his good bits.

Puja

Yep. Agreed. For a player that is 5 or 6 out of 10 for most of the game but who then has two or three impressive impacts I'm not that fussed.

[Mikey Brown]

Is Kelly injured?