Confirmed Transfers

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Rob du Preez leaving Sale at the end of the season
Very sad about that

Going to Bayonne


Would imagine we'll have another crack at Marchant, to replace him - would likely need another 10 as well, though, as Curtis hasn't kicked on and Davies is very young

You need a centre who can cover 10 ideally. Maybe look at a kiwi.

 

[BRSTLDRGN]

Moroni signs for Bristol as injury cover

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Ford signs a new 3 year contract at Sale, very very happy with that:

Ford commits long term future to Sharks | Sale Sharks

Sale Sharks and England fly-half George Ford has committed his long-term future to the club by signing a new three-year contract. The Oldham-born 32-year-old, who has won 102 England caps, became Shark #358 when he returned home to the north to sign for Sale ahead of the 2022/23 season. After...

www.salesharks.com

 

[Which Tyler]

Ford signs a new 3 year contract at Sale, very very happy with that:

Ford commits long term future to Sharks | Sale Sharks

Sale Sharks and England fly-half George Ford has committed his long-term future to the club by signing a new three-year contract. The Oldham-born 32-year-old, who has won 102 England caps, became Shark #358 when he returned home to the north to sign for Sale ahead of the 2022/23 season. After...

www.salesharks.com

Please encourage him to take his coaching badges during this period (probably post-RWC) - I do not want to lose that brain from the sport!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Please encourage him to take his coaching badges during this period (probably post-RWC) - I do not want to lose that brain from the sport!

Pretty sure he has been, he did some coaching sessions with local clubs when England were in Argentina - I reckon he does this contract then shifts into a coaching role at Sale while playing rugby league for his Dad's side (he's said a few times he wants to play at least one season for them and we have/had a few coaches still play amateur/semi-pro while coaching, so shouldn't be an issue)

 

[Which Tyler]

Dian Bleuler signs for Gloucester with immediate effect, Saffer LHP

 

[Rugbyfan564]

Tom Willis turns back on England by signing for Bordeaux in hammer blow to Borthwick

Exclusive: Saracens No 8 will become ineligible to represent country with move to France, having impressed during summer tour of Argentina

www.telegraph.co.uk

 

[TRF_Olyy]

They must be offering big big money for him to rule himself out of a World Cup

I suppose at the end of the day for a lot of pro players rugby is solely a job for them, and if that's the case then why wouldn't you maximise earnings while you can

People will use this as a reason why they should scrap the eligibility rules, but I think it emphasises why they're important tbh

 

[Rugbyfan564]

 

[Rugbyfan564]

They must be offering big big money for him to rule himself out of a World Cup

I suppose at the end of the day for a lot of pro players rugby is solely a job for them, and if that's the case then why wouldn't you maximise earnings while you can

People will use this as a reason why they should scrap the eligibility rules, but I think it emphasises why they're important tbh

I think the problem is international rugby is considerably more popular that club rugby so for the large amount of people who only really watch internationals it looks self sabotaging.

 

[BMatt]

Wow, I'm surprised. Especially as Willis had a central contract. I thought he was likely to be England's 8 for quite a while

 

[Rugbyfan564]

Wow, I'm surprised. Especially as Willis had a central contract. I thought he was likely to be England's 8 for quite a while

The RFU thought that too. I think he becomes the first person to have a central contract and never play under it.

 

[davten]

Well I'll cross him off my Red Bulls want list

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I think the problem is international rugby is considerably more popular that club rugby so for the large amount of people who only really watch internationals it looks self sabotaging.

I’d disagree, I think a lot of people who watch international rugby arnt rugby fans, they are national sports fans. Massive difference and one which you Mike Tindall should have known when conducting your poor market research.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

They must be offering big big money for him to rule himself out of a World Cup

I suppose at the end of the day for a lot of pro players rugby is solely a job for them, and if that's the case then why wouldn't you maximise earnings while you can

Doubtless £ will be a factor. But wonder how much of a part the lifestyle and wider rugby culture is also playing…..you can’t exactly say that Mill Hill is electric in the build up to a Sarries match.

And having already spent a season there he’s got a good idea what he’s getting into. His head hasn’t just been turned by some slick sales talk.

We have other number eights, but this raises some wider issues that SB / RFU should be concerned by.

 

[Scotty]

They must be offering big big money for him to rule himself out of a World Cup

I suppose at the end of the day for a lot of pro players rugby is solely a job for them, and if that's the case then why wouldn't you maximise earnings while you can

People will use this as a reason why they should scrap the eligibility rules, but I think it emphasises why they're important tbh

What's salary + central contract+ playing for England (what it means to him) < what France pay.

They must be putting up a fair amount, who is Sarries' marquee player? He must be a contender? Guessing itoje?

He's a player worth offering big money too.

 

[Arcturus]

Doubtless £ will be a factor. But wonder how much of a part the lifestyle and wider rugby culture is also playing…..you can't exactly say that Mill Hill is electric in the build up to a Sarries match.

And having already spent a season there he's got a good idea what he's getting into. His head hasn't just been turned by some slick sales talk.

We have other number eights, but this raises some wider issues that SB / RFU should be concerned by.

I don't blame him for going for the money. Too many people get wound up that players like him are ditching an England career, when if we were in their shoes of potentially doubling, trebling (or more) our income, we'd all jump at that. Particularly when rugby is a short career even if you stay injury free, and that's before considering the ongoing concussion issue.

I also think the abuse Farrell got from his own England fans showed that there is a toxicity in the national game that doesn't resonate elsewhere.

And yes the Stone X isn't the largest or noisiest stadium in England, but then not many are. The French game doesn't just have more money, it has larger stadiums, with unrivalled atmospheres and of course a lot of the best players. Kudos to the French for looking to the English football Premiership and thinking we need to rapidly commercialise their game and drive revenues.

As the divide between both leagues increases, more players will opt for the compensation and wellbeing of an attritional sport.

 

[BPM]

Maybe … although I'd argue that the best sports people put achievements above earnings. It disappoints me that Willis talked a good game when it came to England and then gone back on his own words.

To me it's telling that he made no mention of England in his exit statement. Just how much he loved his time at Saracens.

If he still gets the money from the central contract for the next year, it makes it even worse. A conscious decision that screws English rugby …

F**k off Tom.

And BTW. You clearly don't understand what people dislike about Owen Farrell. A significant proportion of the heat he has received isn't about him, it's about how he was fluffed up way beyond his ability by sections of the media and treated as undroppable even when he wasn't playing well enough to justify being picked. I don't have anything against him personally, but I don't buy in to the legend. That is what a lot of rugby fans dislike.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Maybe … although I'd argue that the best sports people put achievements above earnings. It disappoints me that Willis talked a good game when it came to England and then gone back on his own words.

To me it's telling that he made no mention of England in his exit statement. Just how much he loved his time at Saracens.

If he still gets the money from the central contract for the next year, it makes it even worse. A conscious decision that screws English rugby …

F**k off Tom

We’ll see soon enough, but my guess is that he has kept Eng in the loop and the timing has been driven by him not being in the AI squad that’s about to be announced. If that’s by his own choice then he surely can’t be eligible for any central contract money. If it’s SB’s call then maybe it’s slightly different contractually, if not morally.

But telling them now is surely a better thing than going through the whole season banking the money and caps in the knowledge you’re off?

Maybe TW has actually acted as well as he could in the circumstances? McCall didn’t seem overly mad and did say TW had shared things with him he wasn’t going to make public.

Guess we’ll find out more in due course.

 

[Scotty]

Any rumours about how much he he is getting? I'd be curious if its the cash and lifestyle over prem and England caps. Or just so much he couldn't say no.