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

[FKAS]

The Alan Dickens saga rumbles on. Not show up since pre season and not officially gone until the summer when a replacement will apparently join. Wonderful.

[Puja]

Good call on Carre re Scotland.

Phil Cokanasiga confirmed as leaving Tigers at the end of the season to join Ospreys.

Shame - I've picked PCokanasiga to be the breakthrough player for 2-3 of the last 4 prediction threads and been disappointed every time. There is something there, but will it ever come out? Who knows.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

Good call on Carre re Scotland.

Phil Cokanasiga confirmed as leaving Tigers at the end of the season to join Ospreys.

Shame - I've picked PCokanasiga to be the breakthrough player for 2-3 of the last 4 prediction threads and been disappointed every time. There is something there, but will it ever come out? Who knows.

Puja

I did the same for Jack Walker until the season he did breakthrough. Keep the faith.

[FKAS]

Good call on Carre re Scotland.

Phil Cokanasiga confirmed as leaving Tigers at the end of the season to join Ospreys.

Shame - I've picked PCokanasiga to be the breakthrough player for 2-3 of the last 4 prediction threads and been disappointed every time. There is something there, but will it ever come out? Who knows.

Puja

I still think we should have converted him to a winger. His step and acceleration are his strengths and given licence to come off his wing and look for work he could have been dangerous. Not that our wingers play like that.

His defensive game is poor, Championship level at best. Frustrating player.

[FKAS]

Some rumours of dubious legitimacy. Tigers have spoken to Sam Simmonds about any intentions he has of returning to the Prem, sounds like a no for know but could be revisited if Montpellier get relegated or possibly next season. Munster supposedly interested in bringing in Dan Kelly to replace Antoine Frisch who's now committed to France. As Kelly is under contract I doubt Tigers will be letting him move for free.

[twitchy]

Sam Spink to sarries.

[FKAS]

Good signing for them. Big bloke who's looked good with a run of games down in Australia.

[chris1850]

Nye Thomas signs for another 2 years at Sale. Good news for the future as he is starting to show his potential this season!

[Which Tyler]

https://archive.is/cLW1u

Martin Offiah’s son to sign for Bath after turning down Sale, Leicester, Gloucester and Wigan
Plus, read our exclusive interview with Tyler and Martin Offiah as the 17-year-old England flyer aims to be ‘better than dad’
Tyler Offiah, the son of rugby league great Martin, will join Bath on a three-year deal after rejecting interest from Leicester Tigers, Gloucester, Sale Sharks and Wigan Warriors.
The 17-year-old, who starred for England Under-18s in the recent Six Nations Rugby Festival in Italy, is currently part of the London and South Central academy, which was formed following the demise of London Irish last year and is funded by the Rugby Football Union.
The 6ft 3in winger attracted interest from several leading Gallagher Premiership clubs, which included a visit to Leicester and training with Sale as well as rugby league giants Wigan, where his father earned legendary status for his remarkable try-scoring exploits.
... ARTICLE CONTINUES



He's not short of confidence, that lad.

[twitchy]

Already talking about how much he loves american football.

[Puja]

No changes to England selection policy planned: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/68773665

Whatever you think about the policy, it's a good thing that the RFU have come out and been unequivocal about it, given the barracking in the press of late. Being publically firm that there are going to be no changes and, no matter how exceptional you think you are, you won't be an exceptional circumstance, is going to be key to encouraging players to not leave/come back, because it builds confidence that there's not going to be a change and no possibility of having cake and eating it.

Bill Sweeney also drops a line in there about Marchant "rumoured to be coming back to the Premiership this year," which is something I haven't heard elsewhere - could be bullshit, but good news story if true.

Puja

[FKAS]

This was the last rumour of him leaving he quashed.

[Mellsblue]

I’d fecking love it if the RFU and PR got their act together and players stayed in the Prem due to carrots and not sticks. Ho hum.

[Which Tyler]

Thankfully, that's been the case for the last 15 years or so.
Or is playing for England (and being paid very well to do so) not count as a carrot?

[Mikey Brown]

This was the last rumour of him leaving he quashed.

My heart sank (again) when I saw that first line, not realising it’s old.

[FKAS]

This was the last rumour of him leaving he quashed.

My heart sank (again) when I saw that first line, not realising it’s old.

Sarries have since signed Sam Spink. Unless they are losing a centre or two they have plenty of cover in Tompkins, Lozowski, Spink, Hartley, Cinti and Daly. Perhaps there's other sides interested.

[Mikey Brown]

Yeah fair point, though already having several (borderline international quality) options in one position often doesn’t seem to stop Saracens acquiring more of them.

I don’t imagine Quins would view it the same way with Joseph, Northmore and Beard available at 13, though is never fit and another is pretty versatile.

[Which Tyler]

This was the last rumour of him leaving he quashed.

Hostage video...

[Mellsblue]

Thankfully, that's been the case for the last 15 years or so.
Or is playing for England (and being paid very well to do so) not count as a carrot?

Carrots plural. I also specifically mention PR who have nothing to do with Sweeney having the luck to inherit a cash cow.

[Which Tyler]

Okay, I'm still confused - could you please clarify what you actually mean?

[FKAS]

Okay, I'm still confused - could you please clarify what you actually mean?

Apparently the PRL and RFU should do more than pay the players.

[Which Tyler]

Okay, I'm still confused - could you please clarify what you actually mean?

Apparently the PRL and RFU should do more than pay the players.

You mean, things like training weeks with the international coaches, and rest weeks during the season?
Presumably because if PRL don't provide those things, then the T14 will do (on top of the extra 8-9 matches a year).

Or are those sticks, rather than carrots - as I say, I'm confused.

[Mellsblue]

Okay, I'm still confused - could you please clarify what you actually mean?

Apparently the PRL and RFU should do more than pay the players.

You mean, things like training weeks with the international coaches, and rest weeks during the season?
Presumably because if PRL don't provide those things, then the T14 will do (on top of the extra 8-9 matches a year).

Or are those sticks, rather than carrots - as I say, I'm confused.

The RFU could turn their riches into consistently providing a top 3 international setup. You can mention training weeks with international coaches but those weeks are only good on paper if your head coach is making players cry, creating an unenjoyable camp, has a revolving cast of assistants or has assistants less able and experienced than those at the top clubs. They could also provide a well governed game where they don’t get into public spats with the community game and the second tier, and decimate the age grade pathway for a significant period of time. Kudos to them on women’s rugby, btw, where they’ve made good decisions and the carrots runneth over.

Surely we’re not doubting PR need to significantly up their game. With the caveat of the fact the game is woven into the fabric of some places in the south west of France, that the Top14 (and ProD 2 & 3) are where they are compared to their English equivalents when a decade ago the Top14 and the Prem were broadly similar on most metrics says it all. That France have more pro clubs than ten years ago and England has less says it all.

[Which Tyler]

I' even more confused now.
I thought we were talking about Premiership players staying in England rather than move to France due to encouragement not threats.
The above seems to be an overview of RFU competence, PRL competence, and an entitled attitude that we should be the best because... reasons...

If you'd said "I’d fecking love it if the RFU and PR were better" then no-one would have questioned you.
But you didn't.

[Mellsblue]

I honestly don’t know why there’s confusion. The RFU and PR need to create an environment/ecosystem/whatever term you want to use that players want to stay in regardless of outside offers and they haven’t due to their incompetence.

I’m not sure how anything I’ve posted doesn’t say ‘I’d fecking love it if the RFU and PR were better’.
All im saying is that wouldn’t it be great if England players were choosing to stay in the Prem/England because it’s a great place to play rather than because of consequences if they don’t.

The reasons the RFU should provide a top 3 international setup (note that I didn’t say that we ‘should be the best’ and that you’ve put words in my mouth) are obvious - it’s mostly because we have the most money.

If this has become a discussion on the merits of the ban on players playing both abroad and for England without you acknowledging that then I can assure you that’s not my angle. The ban is a necessity due to the current imbalances between the leagues. That I think the ban is one of the many historical problems that has led to the current imbalances is neither here nor there!