Originally Posted by
psychic duck
Olivier Milloud - Bourgoin
Now one of the oldest players in the Top 14, at his peak he was a very tough scrummager and was unlucky to be in a generation of French props where competition was fierce, it's hard to gauge how good he is now because he has played very little for Bourgoin since the 2007 Rugby World Cup and suffered a couple of serious injuries, last season he was rotated with Arnauld Tchougong. To be honest I expected him to retire before this season, although there are a quite a few veteran props still going in the Top 14 (Freshwater, Scelzo, Marconnet) but none of them have had so much injury problems for four years. I expect he won't play too much after the World Cup when Roncero returns, hopefully for Stade Français he can help the development of France "A" prop Rabah Slimani.
Verdict: Good World Cup cover, his experience could be useful for the younger props but he won't be able to manage to many matches from the season
Stan Wright - Leinster
Another veteran who comes after suffering a serious injury, known by Leinster fans as the "cookie monster" he had a good few years for Leinster but was clearly not needed and thus has joined Stade simply the definition as the coaches pet. He never let down Leinster, and is quite a useful signing for Stade in my opinion, I doubt he will be too much of a burden on the wage bill and will be a good team player, this signing is a bit of a risk though as it's yet to be seen whether he will regain form after a nasty injury last year, at nearly 33 he may only have a couple of good seasons left in him and one more injury could finish him.
Verdict: A good cheap option although a bit of a risk after his form being unproven coming back from injury
Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro - Pampas XV
He wasn't the first choice Pampas XV tighthead, and I don't expect he will feature too much for Stade and will be a squad member like Pedro Ledesma the man he is presumably replacing. I think however the man who was the first choice Pampas XV tighthead Maximiliano Bustos would have been a good signing for Stade and could have been the first choice tighthead for many years, but Montpellier snapped him up.
Verdict: Decent backup, but Maxmiliano Bustos would have been a better signing
Zura Zhavia - AIA
Apparently he was immense in the Junior World Trophy (the Junior World Cup for second tier nations), I expect he will be your typical Georgian prop
Verdict: Stade could have unearthed another Kubriashvili
Aled de Malmanche - Chiefs
Stade needed a new reserve hooker as Szarzewski has spent a lot of the last couple of seasons injured, Gary Botha who signed for Toulouse would have been a better signing.
Verdict: Good enough for what Stade needed, but not sure if he's good value
Gerhard Mostert - Sharks
Possibly an underrated player, made his Springboks debut this summer due to a spate of injuries to locks, he played flanker earlier in his career which he may find himself doing more often again for Stade where there is less depth, with Tom Palmer missing for large chunks of the season in England training camps, and the possibility of Papé being missing too, I think he is an astute signing.
Verdict: Good signing, should give Palmer and Papé very hard competition for their places.
Anton van Zyl - Stormers
Man of the match for the Barbarians against South Africa last December, but then was ignored by the Stormers after the rise of Elstadt, a good signing. This kind of South African forward have a history of doing very well in France, players who haven't done much at international level have flourished in France such as Sowerby, Vosloo, Claassen and Adri Badenhorst.
Verdict: Another good value signing who won't hurt the budget
Scott LaValla - Ulster Ravens
I'm not sure what the point was in this signing, especially with van Zyl and Mostert arriving, and Flanquart as a young French player should be given game time ahead of him as well.
Verdict: Unless he becomes a versatile utility forward who would be useful on the bench, he will not play much and will be well behind Papé, Palmer, Mostert and van Zyl
Arthur Chollon - Bordeaux-Bègles
After there was a point when Stade had Haskell, Taylor, Bergamasco, Parisse, Rémy Martin, Leguizamon, Burban and Rabadan all in the same squad, the current back row or at least the flankers looks very low key, I can't judge Chollon after I've never heard of him but one would have expected after freeing up Haskell's no doubt inflated wages Stade could afford someone with international pedigree.
Verdict: Never heard of him, could turn out to be like Fakaté at Montpellier, who knows?
Lei Tomiki - Reds
Hardly played at all for the Reds, but was good for Castres a few years ago, a typical Pacific Island sort of back row, a good signing in my opinion and could be a useful impact player of the bench, I hope now any Wallaby hopes he ever had are gone he will play for the nation of his birth, Tonga.
Verdict: Surplus at the Reds, but could surprise people who've forgotten him from his time in France
David Lyons - Scarlets
Not a good signing, he has no chance of playing when Parisse is around and is likely to be in France just for the pay check, he didn't have the best season for the Scarlets last year either, Albi's former talisman Vincent Clément would have been a better signing.
Verdict: An expensive player to have sat on the bench
Jérôme Fillol - Racing-Métro
A player who's heart lies with the club, although he started with Toulouse and has played with rivals Racing-Métro for a few years he spent most of his best years of his career at Stade Français, he's only likely to be third choice scrum half and a fly half if needed though he stated he will play for Stade even if they were relegated to Féderale 2 (whilst in the club were in financial crisis), which suggests to me he is devoted to this club.
Verdict: Good signing, players like him around the squad are a bonus, which is why I think Mathieu Blin should have had his contract renewed last season as well
Byron Kelleher- Toulouse
A big name, and although he was good for Toulouse he is now 34 and has had a long term injury, I think he could just be there for the money, Stade will struggle to get two seasons out of him at his age.
Verdict: I feel Toulouse got rid at just about the right time
Paul Warwick - Munster
Warwick didn't have a great season with Munster, but is a useful player for a squad to have due to his versatility.
Verdict: Another player who Cheika perhaps knew well from his time in Ireland, but he has declined since Cheika left
Felipe Contepomi - Toulon
Not a great signing, a really nice guy and was awesome during his spell with Leinster, but had a poor spell with Toulon and hasn't looked good for Argentina over the past year, another concern is that he's been signed to play 10 when many including myself think he's more suited to 12.
Verdict: Not the player he was, another coaches pet, and like Kelleher Stade will struggle to get two seasons from him
Morgan Turinui - Dax
The very fact he could only play for a ProD2 team for the last couple of seasons shows how much he fell of the Aussie radar after his 20 Wallaby caps, not the most inspired replacement for Bastareaud.
Verdict: How did this guy win 20 Australia caps?
Paul Sackey - Toulon
Didn't have a good time at Toulon, probably there just for the money, I'm sure there were some better options to be signed out there than him. Hopefully for Stade he defends better than he did in that 6-42 match against South Africa a few years ago.
Verdict: Mercenary
Paul Williams - Sale
A good player, he impressed me playing for Samoa, and from reports he did well in a poor Sale side, should be a good reliable first XV player.
Verdict: Good signing
Alex Rokobaro & Vilive Namosolo Aria
Verdict: Two Fijian wingers who are nearly always very talented and should be good signings if their commitment is better than some of their fellow countyman
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