What does you club need?/Who do you want your club to sign for next season?

[Mikey Brown]

Can't expand much on that. Nakarawa and Favaro are great shouts though.

[Adam_P]

Northampton desperately need to get rid of Burrell, and get some real proven quality in the centre. Pisi, Stephenson and Mallinder plus one really good signing would be good. I'd love to see T'eo, but as scrumhead said I'm not hopeful of that.

Could do with a quality 10 to bring in as first choice, with Myler as a very solid back up.

Also a quality fullback, with Foden in the twighlight years he is no where near what he once was, and again can act as a very good back up. I'd like to steal Pennell, but he has stuck with Warriors through demotion already so that shouldn't have much impact on his decision to leave. Also would love Woodward, but so would everyone!

I'm fairly happy with the pack, maybe another couple of props if Hill and E Waller leave as rumors are suggesting.

Well we didn't get rid of Burrell, but did at least sign Rob Horne. Also got a new 10 in Piers Francis, I'll be interested to see how he does, having played the vast majority of his super rugby at 12.

I still feel we could do with signing some fullback cover, although Tuala has come on leaps and bounds this season.

We've added Eadie and Ford-Robinson to the pack, but I still feel like we need a hefty loosehead, to give Waller a break if nothing else.

And as a bonus, Dickson is being replaced by Reinach! With him and Groom we look well stocked at 9 next season.

[Peej]

Saints look as though they are strengthening - but the rumours of Picamoles going back to France must be a worry.

Wasps are still a couple of props short, and I think we need more direct running in the centres. The rumour is Juan De Jongh, which would be a good blend of ball playing and carrying. Alternatively we need a bigger, harder running winger to complement Wade and Basset, and someone we can use in midfield to hold defences and create space out wide. Sackey and Lewsey - while not huge blokes - used to do this really well, and I think it's something we used well last year with Halai that we haven't done this year.

[Which Tyler]

Bath need a THP, desperately need a THP.
Thomas is ok but injured, and still not great in the tight.
KPN is fine as a 3rd-4th choice, Lahiff equally, and a better LHP.
Ideally, would want a strong scrummaging behemoth.

Beyond that, I'm fine if we keep those we've got, and add Freuan on a longer contract, keeping Ford...
Another lock would be nice, coming into the academy as I'm happy with our 4 seniors.

Of course, we also need Ford to make his damned mind up before Cruden and Russell move to France.

Off the pitch... a new pitch is a pretty high priority

Well, we now have Saun Knight at THP - not the behemoth I'd have liked, but also not the liability I was expecting. Serviceable, but I think we need an upgrade when any of Knight/KPN.Lahiff come up for renewal.

We've missed Freuan for understandable reasons, so do need another centre... unless early season form has Banahan as a serious option there again; in which case we're... okay though I'd like a 5th choice centre too. I still wish we'd "rescued" Jonny Williams from a year in the Championship; though rumours are that we're making enquiries as to when Joe Cokanasiga's contract is up, I'm much less fond of tempting academy players away from their clubs; at least let the club get a standard senior contract out of players fist (yes, I know what I said about Williams, and I know that Bath have stolen other people academy players before now, it always feels distasteful though). Of course, both Jonny and Joe are likely to get much more game-time at LI than with Bath.

Ford's obviously off, but Freddie is a fine replacement, and international class IMO (if only he'd not suffered that drop in form for his last year at Glos; maybe Farrell would have had a chance to develop properly wearing red/black instead of white).

Off the pitch, permission has been granted to extend the stadium as of next year (just moving the temporary stand back by a couple of meters to improve sightlines), and legal wrangling appear to have been sorted - now just planning permission to go...

[Puja]

Isn't London Irish your academy system anyway? It's not poaching - it's just the natural development pathway.

Puja

[Stom]

We've actually put out our top XV (minus Care and Clifford) against Saints, so it's a good barometer of what we need...

15. Mike Brown (VC)
14. Marland Yarde
13. Joe Marchant
12. Jamie Roberts
11. Tim Visser
10. Nick Evans - Demetri Catrakilis
9. Karl Dickson - Dave Lewis

1. Joe Marler
2. Rob Buchanan
3. Kyle Sinckler
4. Charlie Matthews
5. James Horwill (C)
6. Chris Robshaw
7. Luke Wallace
8. Mat Luamanu

16. Joe Gray
17. Mark Lambert
18. Will Collier - Phil Swainston
19. George Merrick
20. Dave Ward - Renaldo Botha
21. Charlie Mulchrone
22. Tim Swiel
23. Alofa Alofa

So, we could do with a lock, a world class 10 and a 12.

[Tigersman]

Tigers could prob do with
1) Hooker - either a project one to replace Thacker/Bateman who look like they have been moved to 7 and 3, or a starting one depending on what Youngs is doing.
2) Lock - Not a priority but an experience leader one who has experience in Lineout, mauls and maul defence. parling been linked would be perfect could also replace Blaze as a coach.
3) A Centre - someone who can play 12/13 and maybe even wing. Toomua sounds like he is our 2nd choice 10 so a Mermoz type signing would be great.
4) A 15 - a project 15, which would allow us to use Worth as a proper utility back covering 10,12,13 and 15. Linked with Morris which would be great.

8 was a big point but with the two Tongans likely coming might as well wait till mid of next season to re-evaluate it.

Currently next season our squad is looking like
1) Genge, Mulipola, Rizzo,
2) McGugian, Youngs,
3) Cole, Bateman, Cilliers,
4) Slater, Fitzgerald, Wells
5) Barrow, Kitchener,
6) Williams, Hamilton, Croft
7) O'Connor, Thacker, Evans
8) Kalamafoni, McCaffrey, Mapapalangi,
9) Youngs, Harrison, Kitto
10) Ford, Ford,
11) JPP, Betham, Brady
12) Toomua, Smith,
13) Manu, Catchpole,
14) Thompstone, Holmes,
15) Veainu, Tait,

Sign those 3 types of players and add current development players of Hills, Betts, Worth, Thacker, Yawayawa. and we should be alright IMO with the right coaching.

[Raggs]

For Wasps, Gaby looks like a potentially good hard runner, probably destined for the 23 shirt. To be honest, I'm pretty happy with most our squad, and would only really trade in if players who hard good arguments to being world class came available. Vunipolas (Mako over Billy for Wasps, but not by much), SBW at 12 etc.

Wouldn't mind getting another old backrow in, in the Smith mould. To try and boost our turnover potential.

Biggest thing for me is a different defence coach, or at least a different defensive attitude. Blake at Tigers ran a fairly aggressive defence that absolutely blitzed the breakdown, but at Wasps we're just passive until we're basically in our own 22, and even if we turn it over there, the only sensible option 90% of the time is to boot it and give possession back. To get a more holistic game, I'd love to see us get a defence coach that focused on the breakdown, so we start forcing more turnovers. Mullan, Taylor, Launch, Hughes, Young/Thompson should be the basis of a pack capable of turning over ball.

[Scrumhead]

Bath need a THP, desperately need a THP.
Thomas is ok but injured, and still not great in the tight.
KPN is fine as a 3rd-4th choice, Lahiff equally, and a better LHP.
Ideally, would want a strong scrummaging behemoth.

Beyond that, I'm fine if we keep those we've got, and add Freuan on a longer contract, keeping Ford...
Another lock would be nice, coming into the academy as I'm happy with our 4 seniors.

Of course, we also need Ford to make his damned mind up before Cruden and Russell move to France.

Off the pitch... a new pitch is a pretty high priority

Well, we now have Saun Knight at THP - not the behemoth I'd have liked, but also not the liability I was expecting. Serviceable, but I think we need an upgrade when any of Knight/KPN.Lahiff come up for renewal.

We've missed Freuan for understandable reasons, so do need another centre... unless early season form has Banahan as a serious option there again; in which case we're... okay though I'd like a 5th choice centre too. I still wish we'd "rescued" Jonny Williams from a year in the Championship; though rumours are that we're making enquiries as to when Joe Cokanasiga's contract is up, I'm much less fond of tempting academy players away from their clubs; at least let the club get a standard senior contract out of players fist (yes, I know what I said about Williams, and I know that Bath have stolen other people academy players before now, it always feels distasteful though). Of course, both Jonny and Joe are likely to get much more game-time at LI than with Bath.

Ford's obviously off, but Freddie is a fine replacement, and international class IMO (if only he'd not suffered that drop in form for his last year at Glos; maybe Farrell would have had a chance to develop properly wearing red/black instead of white).

Off the pitch, permission has been granted to extend the stadium as of next year (just moving the temporary stand back by a couple of meters to improve sightlines), and legal wrangling appear to have been sorted - now just planning permission to go...

Are Bath rumoured to be in the market for anyone? Aside from Underhill and Burns, there's not been any real activity AFAIK?

Strange considering the squad is still small. I also would have expected Blackadder to want to put more of his own stamp on the squad.

[Which Tyler]

Squad grew to a reasonable level during the season IMO, but obviously with so little alternatives many of the players we got were overpriced.
Todd said something along the lines of looking at 5-7 players still, with 1-2 of them expected starters. No idea who or how advanced the negotiations, or if that includes extensions for any of our mid-season signings. You'd like to think at least one of the starter-qualith guys is a prop though, preferably THP.

[Tigersman]

Would like to change my tigers needs now.
Number 8
Centre
Full Back.

I'm happy with 2 and locks.

[Puja]

Would like to change my tigers needs now.
Number 8
Centre
Full Back.

I'm happy with 2 and locks.

Agreed. I'd also like another fly-half as backup, but we appear to be happy with Ford II.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

Surely you'd put Toomua at FH ahead of Ford Snr?

[Tigersman]

Would like to change my tigers needs now.
Number 8
Centre
Full Back.

I'm happy with 2 and locks.

Agreed. I'd also like another fly-half as backup, but we appear to be happy with Ford II.

Puja

As Which says if we sign another center then Toomua will certainly be the main back up.

[twitchy]

I want to see which piece of the jigsaw is next in baxter's master plan.

[Beasties]

I want to see which piece of the jigsaw is next in baxter's master plan.

More centres?

[Scrumhead]

I want to see which piece of the jigsaw is next in baxter's master plan.

More centres?

[Bloggs]

I want to see which piece of the jigsaw is next in baxter's master plan.

I think he's keen for a new full back

[Digby]

Exeter surely would want at least one lock and depending on what the situation is with Ewers that'd need to be looked at given Hortsmann and Johnson aren't 21

[Scrumhead]

Johnson is on their leavers list. I'm pretty sure at least one of the guys they've signed from the Championship is a back rower?

They're definitely after a new fullback. Apparently Woodward turned them down to go to Gloucester. A mistake IMO ...

[twitchy]

Baxter always seems to come up with left field signings that he thinks he can work on, it will be interesting to see what happens.

[Tigersman]

Parling will be a big loss for them.

[twitchy]

Parling will be a big loss for them.

Yeah I know nothing really about toby salmon I can't imagine he will be on parlings level.

[Timbo]

It'll be interesting to see how Sam Simmonds develops. He looks a great athlete, quick and powerful. Reminds me of a much younger version of Guy Thompson.

[fivepointer]

Simmonds looks really good. One to keep an eye on next season when he is bound to get a lot more game time.