Carlin Isles to Glasgow

[norcalbuff]

http://www.rugbymag.com/americans-overseas-/10511-isles-signs-overseas.html

Carlin Isles has signed with the Glasgow Warriors of the RaboDirect Pro 12. Isles, who signed a futures contract with the Detroit Lions earlier this year and was under a training contract with USA 7s team, is expected to join the Warriors as early as next week.

Isles' deal will see him spend the rest of the season, and potentially longer, with the Warriors. The speedster could well be released for the four remaining tournaments in the IRB 7s World Series.


Having been a 7s specialist since taking up rugby in the summer of 2012, Isles has played very little 15s. While stationed at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, he played some with the San Diego Old Aztecs.


Isles joins 7s teammate Folau Niua in Glasgow. Both Niua and Isles will make considerably more money with the Warriors than they were making with the 7s Eagles.


There's been a lot of speculation about whether Isles would pursue a career with the Lions in the NFL or stick with rugby. For now, rugby is his choice. The Warriors deal allows him to make a legitimate living and continue to develop his rugby skills, all with the Olympics still squarely in his sights.

 

[irelandfan123]

Is this really real? I thought he was signed by an NFL club

 

[nickdnz]

If it is real it's very strange. He said he wanted to play 7's as his chance to make the Olympics...

I actually think he'll be pretty terrible in XV's anyway. Yeah he's quick which is extremely handy with the space 7's provides - but in XVs you need more skills that Isles just doesn't have. I think the hype is the only reason anyone would sign him - and he certainly seems to believe the hype himself from listening to him talk. Glasgow has plenty of depth in the outside backs anyway...wierd.

 

[William18]

If it is real it's very strange. He said he wanted to play 7's as his chance to make the Olympics...

I actually think he'll be pretty terrible in XV's anyway. Yeah he's quick which is extremely handy with the space 7's provides - but in XVs you need more skills that Isles just doesn't have. I think the hype is the only reason anyone would sign him - and he certainly seems to believe the hype himself from listening to him talk. Glasgow has plenty of depth in the outside backs anyway...wierd.

And then he decided he would rather have the money.

 

[Tmartin995]

If it is real it's very strange. He said he wanted to play 7's as his chance to make the Olympics...

I actually think he'll be pretty terrible in XV's anyway. Yeah he's quick which is extremely handy with the space 7's provides - but in XVs you need more skills that Isles just doesn't have. I think the hype is the only reason anyone would sign him - and he certainly seems to believe the hype himself from listening to him talk. Glasgow has plenty of depth in the outside backs anyway...wierd.

I heard that its been agreed that he'll be released by Glasgow to play in the World Sevens Series in the same way that Niua will. The way I see it, its beneficial for all parties:
1. Isles gets more money than he would if he were just a 7s player.
2. Isles develops more of his skills i.e. tackling, rucking, passing, kicking that will all benefit both his 7s and potentially his 15s should he play there.
3. USA 7s get to sign on another player with the salary they were paying Isles - they become deeper.
4. The USA 15s team MAY get another pacy winger to go with Ngwenya giving them the quickest international wings around.

 

[Groundhog]

Really interested to see how he goes. People say he will be smashed but to be fair, guys like Wade could be used as a yardstick. At club level he could definitely be used, but he'll need to up his skills.
I definately think he has the athletic ability to play 15's, but he's still really a rookie in rugby.

 

[Feicarsinn]

And then he decided he would rather have the money.

Glasgow aren't exactly rolling in it...

Anyway, as people have said, Glasgow is a really odd choice of destination. They're relatively stacked on the wings.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Would be surprised if he was any good.
Speedsters that make the move from 7s to 15s rarely make the cut (e.g. Dan Caprice, who was far better in 7s than Isles, and then was muck when he moved to Biarritz).

 

[norcalbuff]

Re:money, the guy just wants a reasonable living. The full time 7s players in the US get somewhere between $15k and $20k a year. That's pretty crappy.

 

[Pockets]

Glasgow aren't exactly rolling in it...

Anyway, as people have said, Glasgow is a really odd choice of destination. They're relatively stacked on the wings.

Surely them being stacked is why it isn't an odd choice? It means they can release him for sevens tournaments and he can develop as a 15s player without being under pressure to be amazing from the start.

 

[norcalbuff]

Surely them being stacked is why it isn't an odd choice? It means they can release him for sevens tournaments and he can develop as a 15s player without being under pressure to be amazing from the start.

Odd choice for Glasgow, not for Isles. Anything in pro 15s where he gets full time training and still is able to turn out for the 7s is a great situation for him, even if the Scotstoun pitch is not exactly optimal for his talents.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

In fairness, DTH, Maitland and Peter Horne are out injured for the foreseeable future, and Hogg, Seymour and Lamont with Scotland (Matawalu also liable to see himself with the international side at times), I suppose it makes sense to... sign Lee Jones on loan. He is, though, a bums-on-seats player, at least until he turns out to be rubbish at XVs. On the upside, Carlin Isles gets a chance to learn XVs, possibly have a shot at a World Cup. I can see the Eagles management attempting to fast-track him through if he shows any signs of picking it up. I can definately see the sense in signing him from both sides, even if it isn't all that great.

 

[Jaguares]

I'm not sure. His defence is poor

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

4. The USA 15s team MAY get another pacy winger to go with Ngwenya giving them the quickest international wings around.

actually since Ngwenya is in the retiring stage atm i think Carlin Isles would make a good replacement for him, he will take a while to settle in though but if he plays for the usa 15s then you do have another fast winger when Ngwenya retires

 

[Zed]

I think if you have a warm, dry day on a fast pitch, Carlin Isles could be sensational - you could run some 1st phase moves with him coming in and if done correctly would be nigh on impossible to stop him with his speed. But it's the dour, wet muddy days, when he's having to field up & unders with a forward pack bearing down on him that he's going to be found wanting or against a very good 10 who is going to exploit his naivety. Positionally, wing is one of the hardest positions to play and it can take years to know exactly where you have to be at a certain point in the game.

 

[nickdnz]

actually since Ngwenya is in the retiring stage atm i think Carlin Isles would make a good replacement for him, he will take a while to settle in though but if he plays for the usa 15s then you do have another fast winger when Ngwenya retires

Umm, Ngwenya is only 28. He's easily got the next RWC and potentially the one after...truth be told while Ngwenya is seen as only an extremely quick player by some, he's got subtle skills I doubt Isles will ever have. He has a better step, a good chip and regather game and better defence. For .3 of a second, I don't think Isles will ever be a great replacement.

 

[goodNumber10]

I think if you have a warm, dry day on a fast pitch, Carlin Isles could be sensational - you could run some 1st phase moves with him coming in and if done correctly would be nigh on impossible to stop him with his speed. But it's the dour, wet muddy days, when he's having to field up & unders with a forward pack bearing down on him that he's going to be found wanting or against a very good 10 who is going to exploit his naivety. Positionally, wing is one of the hardest positions to play and it can take years to know exactly where you have to be at a certain point in the game.

you could, but the likely end scenario is him getting buried.

Watching him in the 7's the one thing he's got going for him is Speed and serious upper body strength (wait, that's two things). He's got no awarness of the game, no passing ability, no defence (he can chase people down but his tackling is like a 7 year old).

the trys he scores could be scored by pretty much anyone playing in those 7 series sides.

 

[Pockets]

I'll admit I've only watched a bit of sevens, but his passing didn't seem that bad to me. Not international standard, sure, but not terrible just mediocre. It's the defensive side of things that looked shaky to me. As an option for the last 10 minutes when you're chasing the game, might be good?