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Transfers 2014/15

If you look on the bright side, he will could learn from Wilson and Hatley, and prop alongside James who is one of he best loose heads in the league.
 
Ross Rennie and Stuart McInally (Edinburgh) --> Bristol (immediate - loan)

Thomas Waldrom --> Exeter

Leurence Pearce (Rotherham) --> Leicester
 
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j'nuh said:
Wish that Henry Thomas wouldn't go to Bath. Not good for England that the second and third choice tightheads will be competing for the same first team spot at club level.
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I'd disagree here. I mean, for one thing, at present, Thomas is not competing for Wilson's spot. Not in a month of Sundays.

Thomas is a young guy with plenty of learn and a body that needs building and looking after. At Bath, that will happen. There will be regular enough gametime if he merits it. Did having Castro at Leicester hamper Cole? No. A good rotation policy means there is enough time for both players, a high level of competition brings out the best in players and they'll arrive for international duty in a fit state. From England's perspective this could work out very nicely indeed.

From Bath's point of view, having two tightheads nigh guaranteed to be missing come international windows seems pretty bloody stupid... but longterm, Thomas is a huge prospect, and you've got to wonder how long Wilson will keep on plugging away at things before he gets a case of Tobyflooditis.
 
ratsapprentice said:
Ross Rennie and Stuart McInally (Edinburgh) --> Bristol (immediate - loan)
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Bristol are building up quite a decent back row. Ryan Jones and Ross Rennie along with Skirving, Koster and young prospect Mama. They must be confident of going up as the squad they are building for next season looks far too good for the Championship. They're only 4th right now, I wouldn't be surprised if they were a few more loan signings before the playoffs.
 
Thomas will do well at Bath - I have a feeling he is going to spend a lot of time in the gym initially.
And under the tutelage of Hatley I expect his scrummaging to improve considerably.

Nathan Hines would be a phenomenal signing for Sale.
 
ratsapprentice said:
Thomas will do well at Bath - I have a feeling he is going to spend a lot of time in the gym initially.
And under the tutelage of Hatley I expect his scrummaging to improve considerably.

Nathan Hines would be a phenomenal signing for Sale.
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Hines is 37 and has been better in his 30's than his 20's, just shows that dumping 30+ year olds shouldn't be the rule necessarily if they are still playing well. Some highly regarded coaches like Gatland dump older players despite form in favour of pushing kids.

Having said that though, you never know when an old player will suddenly decline. Ulster signed Rush from the Blues in 2010 aged 33 after a storming season, the Blues resigned him though and then after that he was a lesser player and more injury prone and in the end Ulster saved a fair chunk of money.
 
Tight 5 forwards will always mature at an older age as they are the only players who rely on strength more than power.
Most guys don't reach their peak strength until they are into their late thirties or early fourties.
The older tight 5 guys don't need to spend all that much time in the gym because their strength is relatively easy to maintain.
If a lock gets to 34 and can still hack it, the chances are that he can go on for another 3 to 4 years.
 
Imagine how good Hines will be in his 40s!

@rats, agree there. Baths packs has improved greatly, I would back Thomas to step it up.
@cymro, considering how much time Allen and Williams spend injured, could be a good signing.
 
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Very happy with Hines signing!

I wouldn't be so sure about Thomas improving massively under Hatley - we brought in Dan Richmond over the summer and every one of our frontrowers' scrummaging improved beyond all recognition (Cobilas,for example, went from average-to-below-average to a bloody good scrummager)....apart from Thomas, who has stayed the same. He very much has time on his side, though, so fingers crossed for England's/Bath's sake that he does get better with age.
 
TRF_Olyy said:
Very happy with Hines signing!

I wouldn't be so sure about Thomas improving massively under Hatley - we brought in Dan Richmond over the summer and every one of our frontrowers' scrummaging improved beyond all recognition (Cobilas,for example, went from average-to-below-average to a bloody good scrummager)....apart from Thomas, who has stayed the same. He very much has time on his side, though, so fingers crossed for England's/Bath's sake that he does get better with age.
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Was he not originally due to retire. At least Sale will have that bit of "thuggery" in pack. And I mean that in best of ways a guy who will relish the dirty dark areas of forwards rugby alas Cullen, Quinlan was, Martin Johnson and Danny Grewcock :p
 
TRF_Cymro said:
Craig Mitchell ---> Cardiff Blues
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Finally the Blues have captured a decent tighthead. If they can keep him injury free he should sure up their struggling scrum. A couple of good signings by the Blues, good on 'em.
 
Excellent signing for the Blues. There's an argument to be had that it's two seasons too late, with everyone else at the region now leaving, but it's still fantastic news that they now have a strong front five (Especially if Mathew Rees makes it back, and I think I speak for everyone when I say I am praying he will) and, therefore, can compete and given the Patchell/Williams/Allen midfield something to work with.
 

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