Transfers 2013/14

[Teh Mite]

He'll likely come in as a 10 with 9 options. Then knowing Mallinder be dropped to the bench for all eternity after 1 bad game.

Ref the biggar comments, don't look now but "major teams"...
http://www.espnscrum.com/wales/rugby/player/27691.html

 

[j'nuh]

Isn't it rumoured that Saints might be interested in Fotuali'i as a fly-half, and he wants to play there? Certainly makes more sense given that they need a good 10 and have already got a good 9.

EDIT: beaten by Mite. Not sure how well this will pan out for any of the parties:
Ospreys lose their star player, but maybe at the right time?
Saints gain a world-class 9, but might not get their money's worth if he doesn't keep up the current form and in a different position?
Fotuali'i gains more money, but will he keep up his ability after leaving the team in which he played his best rugby with?
Stay tuned.

EDIT(x2): I'm actually appreciating that this is a very big risk for the Saints. Fotuali'i hasn't shown this kind of form for that long. Imagine if they had signed Priestland at the top of his game and put him on one of the biggest salaries in the squad? I suppose big risks sometimes = big payouts though.

 

[Teh Mite]

Damn it why the Saints why them, suppose if Lamb is going and also Myler is rumoured to be leaving he will be there kicking option.

Feel for the Osprey's, but why not france?

:wall:

saints will soon have a entire Back line of samoans + Foden and Dickson.

 

[pd rugby]

Yeh brah i'm mirin your gains in the signing deptartment.

will take Myler then, be a good back up to flood.

 

[Teh Mite]

You're welcome to him. You can back up an remarkably average bottler with a remarkably average... errr, backup player.

 

[psychic duck]

Why sign Fotuali'i as a 10? He rarely ever plays there, and his best play is as a 9. Nobody knows if he is actually a good 10 yet, and it seems a risk to pay high wages for someone to play a position where he is unknown.

It could be like when Gloucester signed Paterson in 2007 as a fly half when he normally played full back or wing, that move really didn't work out as Paterson wasn't a top fly half.

Also as j'nuh points out, Fotuali'i hasn't always been a top class 9, he took a while to settle in at the Ospreys and wasn't that impressive at the start and before that couldn't keep Ellis out the Crusaders team or make the Crusaders squad at all until 2008. He's been great over the past 6 months both for Ospreys and Samoa, but not consistently over a period of 3 or 4 years has he been one of the top scrum halves.

 

[Teh Mite]

Why sign Fotuali'i as a 10? He rarely ever plays there, and his best play is as a 9. Nobody knows if he is actually a good 10 yet, and it seems a risk to pay high wages for someone to play a position where he is unknown.

It could be like when Gloucester signed Paterson in 2007 as a fly half when he normally played full back or wing, that move really didn't work out as Paterson wasn't a top fly half.

Also as j'nuh points out, Fotuali'i hasn't always been a top class 9, he took a while to settle in at the Ospreys and wasn't that impressive at the start and before that couldn't keep Ellis out the Crusaders team or make the Crusaders squad at all until 2008. He's been great over the past 6 months both for Ospreys and Samoa, but not consistently over a period of 3 or 4 years has he been one of the top scrum halves.

TL;DR

"Well, he's **** anyway"

 

[nickdnz]

Why sign Fotuali'i as a 10? He rarely ever plays there, and his best play is as a 9. Nobody knows if he is actually a good 10 yet, and it seems a risk to pay high wages for someone to play a position where he is unknown.

It could be like when Gloucester signed Paterson in 2007 as a fly half when he normally played full back or wing, that move really didn't work out as Paterson wasn't a top fly half.

Also as j'nuh points out, Fotuali'i hasn't always been a top class 9, he took a while to settle in at the Ospreys and wasn't that impressive at the start and before that couldn't keep Ellis out the Crusaders team or make the Crusaders squad at all until 2008. He's been great over the past 6 months both for Ospreys and Samoa, but not consistently over a period of 3 or 4 years has he been one of the top scrum halves.

To be fair - in his last season in NZ he was easily the better halfback between him and Ellis. Was likely to be an All Black ahead of Ellis before choosing Samoa. Also - for Bay of Plenty he played quite a bit at fly half and looked good there - though his best position is halfback. Part of the reason for his late entrance to Super Rugby was that he played for Tasman in the NPC - certainly hard to look good there.

I'd say since 2010 he's looked like one of the best scrum halves going - really only got up North noticed when Osprays signed him and had a great RWC.

 

[j'nuh]

TL;DR

"Well, he's **** anyway"

I think most level-headed people know that Fotuali'i is probably within the best 3 scrum-halves in the world. What we don't know is where he lies as a fly-half. Being paid the salary of a top 3 scrum-half to play a less familiar position on less than a year of that top-form is very risky. I'm not confident to say how it might end, but will say that for the money I expect he'll be on and the form he's been brought in on, anything less than being the second-best fly-half to Nick Evans in the Premiership is a fail imo.

 

[pd rugby]

You're welcome to him. You can back up an remarkably average bottler with a remarkably average... errr, backup player.

We at tigers are alright when it comes to average back-up fly halfs such as the brilliant Staunton etc, but i wouldn't call Flood a bottler, yeh he not the best england fly half but he a damn good club fly half who like to attack the gain line.

And i think Myler would suit tigers, he got a good boot, Wouldn't want him being are main fly half though.

 

[pd rugby]

I reckon Fotuali'i is going to be top fly half would work well with the pisi brothers which maybe one of the reasons he choose saints, hope Mailinder dosn't mess him up. also saints back line will look dangerous as fly half has been there biggest problem.

 

[j'nuh]

I reckon Fotuali'i is going to be top fly half would work well with the pisi brothers which maybe one of the reasons he choose saints, hope Mailinder dosn't mess him up. also saints back line will look dangerous as fly half has been there biggest problem.

Still missing a decent winger. And 12. And fullback... maybe they could sign Halfpenny?

 

[pd rugby]

Still missing a decent winger. And 12. And fullback... maybe they could sign Halfpenny?

hope you're joking about full back foden is great he just needs a winger to help him. (and i was just being nice about saints, there gonna need it when they don't get into the top 4 this season)

also wasn't glous linked with halfpenny a few seasons ago. mind you glous are linked with everyone now.

 

[j'nuh]

Shh, trying to start off a famous TRF Foden-Halfpenny debate.

Seriously though, Saints have one great fullback and loads of players who aren't fullbacks covering fullback. They do need at least a second specialist, or move someone there permanently and specialise them.

They could do with going after Rob Miller. That said, Glos are linked with him haha.

 

[Teh Mite]

Shh, trying to start off a famous TRF Foden-Halfpenny debate.

Seriously though, Saints have one great fullback and loads of players who aren't fullbacks covering fullback. They do need at least a second specialist, or move someone there permanently and specialise them.

They could do with going after Rob Miller. That said, Glos are linked with him haha.

That's James Wilson. He's like Bruce Reihana Mk. 2.

 

[pd rugby]

Shh, trying to start off a famous TRF Foden-Halfpenny debate.

Seriously though, Saints have one great fullback and loads of players who aren't fullbacks covering fullback. They do need at least a second specialist, or move someone there permanently and specialise them.

They could do with going after Rob Miller. That said, Glos are linked with him haha.

Ahh okay

Yeh i wouldn't mind miller to Tigers He could be fly half for us

 

[Draggs]

That's James Wilson. He's like Bruce Reihana Mk. 2.

How is Wilson getting on? Massive bloke for back, wonder if he has a Welsh grandfather.

 

[Teh Mite]

Bloody brilliant... when he's not crocked.

 

[j'nuh]

Fissler on twitter saying that he's heard that Kvesic has signed for Gloucester and might be announced tomorrow. Get in!

Savage, Kvesic, Morgan + Qera, Kalamafoni

Be afraid. Be very afraid.<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><iframe id="rufous-sandbox" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" style="display: none;"></iframe>

 

[Draggs]

Holy cock Gloucester are building a team!
I think Glouc could do with a top notch scrum half. Can I interest you in Rhys Webb? He has caps and all.