Transfers Rumours

[Melhor Time]

Stade seem to be putting alot of money into building a good squad and must be intent on getting back up to been a top team in Europe.

Paul Warwick is in the sights of Stade Français too. - Presumably to be used as a flyhalf. Lionel Beauxis has had two poor seasons. Since Hernández left the team hasn´t been the same.

Castrogiovanni would be a great purchase.

The team really needs some wingers. Two test fullbacks, two test centres, a test halfback but Ollie Phillips and Julien Arias being the best wingers. Camara played the other week for Stade Français and was crap yet again. He is a definite second division player.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I get the impression that mad Max decided to hold off on new signings at the end of last season so Michael Cheika could have a look at the players at his disposal. If Cheika's not happy with his team, Stade Francais will spend a huge amount getting him the players he wants.

 

[Melhor Time]

I get the impression that mad Max decided to hold off on new signings at the end of last season so Michael Cheika could have a look at the players at his disposal. If Cheika's not happy with his team, Stade Francais will spend a huge amount getting him the players he wants.

Quite a lot of truth to this. Gonzalo Tiesi was contacted and given a verbal agreement to join Stade Français from Harlequins and he immediately announced he would be leaving Harlequins but said nothing about where he sould be going. This was back in February. It took over 3 months for it to be announced that he would be playing in Paris.

Cheika must be ****** that Stade Français allowed Racing Metro to sign Mirco Bergamaco.

Come on SF get sme decent wingers!

BTW Byron Kelleher is being targetted by both Stade Français and Bayonne. Toulouse are not going to re-sign him.

 

[munstermuffin]

Kelleher would be a great signing but I can't see Dupuy been a 2nd fiddle,

 

[TRF_Olyy]

The Times is saying Sheridan to Toulon is a done deal, and that Charlie Hodgson is heading to Saracens to link back up with Wigglesworth.

Not to fussed about Sheridan, he's nor value for money, but gutted about Hodgson.

The Express said yesterday Brewer was sacked due to extreme player disaffection, and Sheridan and Hodgson have both been singled out by him in the past as the reason we have lost games, so hopefully they'll (well, at least Hodgson) will have a change of heart now he's gone…

 

[Intercept King JDV]

Looks like Butch James will be heading back to SA soon...

James broke back into the Springbok squad last season but was injured playing for them in the TriNations.

Now that he is back in the fold for South Africa he stands a chance of playing in the Rugby world cup next year.

The Golden Lions Rugby Unions tried to buy James out of his Bath contract earlier this month but they failed in their bid as Bath and James wanted him to finish the season at The Rec.

The 31-year-old Springbok still has one year left on his current deal but a move to South Africa - most likely Johannesburg - looks set to happen in or around June.

"There's a couple of reasons (for wanting to leave Bath) and the World Cup is one of them," said James.

"I'm not too sure how much longer these legs have in them and I want at least one season at home (before retiring)."

James says that the move is yet to be confirmed but if he does move he will almost the entire Super 15 Rugby season.

If he returns to play for the Lions and they make the play-offs he could feature but it is unlikely.

James said that he wants to play at least one season more in South Africa before retiring and after the injuries he has had he does not know how many seasons he has left in him.

"You never know when that day might come and so I want to get back there and not regret not having gone home," he told BBC Points West.

"These have probably been my most enjoyable years playing rugby (at Bath), it's been fun.

"I will miss this place but I will definitely return and watch Bath play rugby again."

Source

 

[Peat]

Apparently Niall O'Connor's going west.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Poor Connacht.

 

[Peat]

Poor Connacht.

My sentiments entirely.

Agent O'Connor: Ensuring Ulster's presence in the HC come what may!

They'd be better off trying to persuade McKinney to come and play for them...

 

[Feicarsinn]

Quite. Connacht need a serious investment from the other provinces. A few two year deals are needed so they can actually look to build a squad. They're in short supply of decent second rowers while they'll now be looking for some new backs and a hooker. If it were up to me the following would go west:

Trevor Hogan
Dave Kearney
Denis Fogarty/Mike Sherry/ J Harris Wright. Two of them please.
Niall Morris
Paul O'Donohoe
Ryan Caldwell
Dave Ryan
Ian Madigan

Then they could look to kick on. If the IRFU is serious about helping Connacht, that's the kind of talent dump that needs to happen next season.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Niall O'Connor is an awful player. Maybe ex-Ireland flyhalf Eric Elwood can coax decent performances out of him but I somehow doubt it. He can't pass, run, tackle or kick with any accuracy. Ian Keatley may have his faults but O'Connor is a big step backwards for Connacht.

Just sending a load of kids west won't help Connacht- they need an infusion of decent experienced players too. Looking at their squad for next season, only Brett Wilkinson, Jamie Hagan, John Muldoon, Ray Ofisa and Gavin Duffy are any use. They're in big trouble unless they recruit decent players. Niall O'Connor or others of his ilk are not the way to go.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Caldwell, Hogan and O'Donohoe have all been around the block for a while now. I agree that they need more than a group of kids but that's all they're likely to get really. I mean, who else is there?

 

[Peat]

Lewis Stephenson and John Andress both have contracts up at Quins. I know Ulster have made approaches for both last year, but Connacht could look at them as well as they might prefer to move out there.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

There's not many playing in Ireland. Perhaps they'll raid the Premiership for Irish players who want to come home. Apparently their newly increased funding will see Connacht in the market for higher quality imports too. Whereas in the past Leinster, Ulster and Munster were plucking international players from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa to fill their squads, Connacht had to make do with unproved club players of little pedigree from those countries when filling their squad. For every Brett Wilkinson who worked out, there were three or four chancers picked up too. If they can now recruit proven, solid ITM Cup, Top 14, Premiership and Currie Cup players, it will help the kids they also recruit along immensely. Just adding kids will see them finish below Aironi next season.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Dave Gannon is still at Exeter and Dave McGowan is at La Rochelle. Louis Stevenson is at Harlequins. Exeter also have Ruaidhri Murphy, Tommy Hayes, Paul McKenzie and Gareth Steenson on their books. Brian Blaney is at London Irish. Jeremy Staunton is doing well at Tigers, but I can't see him wanting to go to Connacht.


Any others still around? Whatever happened to mark McHugh out of interest?

 

[Peat]

Don't forget the Championship - we got Tuohy straight from there.

 

[Feicarsinn]

And the mighty Ben Prescott...

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Last I heard of Mark McHugh he was playing in the lower divisions in France. Could have been for Nice.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Who wouldn't want to trade the south of France for rainy nights at the Sportsground? Bring back Andy Dunne.

 

[Bryan Badonde]

Is there any truth to the rumour that Rhys Priestland maybe Gloucs bound? If so I think he would be a good signing- correct me if Im wrong but I believe he's a better goal-kicker than Robinson and can play FH and FB