Richie Gray joins Sale (next season)

[TRF_Olyy]

Three year contract starting in June
http://www.salesharks.com/RugbyNews.../name/Scots star Richie Gray signs for Sharks
Very happy with that!

Sent from my HTC Incredible S using Tapatalk

 

[lynam1104]

Don't know how to feel about this on one hand he'll be part of a slightly better team. On the other hand Scottish rugby needed to keep its starts ad he's one of them.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Good signing and shows Sales good relationship with Scots players.

Glasgow have got to be dissapointed.

 

[Seaton]

My feelings are summed up by this word:

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[ZeFrenchy]

Terrible news for scottish rugby

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

That's a fantastic signing for Sale. Gray is well on his way to becoming a world class second row.

 

[psychic duck]

Richie Gray will join Sale for the 2012/13 season

Sale have signed Scotland lock Richie Gray for the 2012/13 season, Gray who despite being around for a while is still only 22, is widely regarded as one of Scotland's best forwards and is expected to get even better in the future. This signing by Sale is a blow for Scottish rugby as Gray was one of the players they most wanted to keep playing for one of Scotland's professional teams, Gray is also another player who has left Scotland to play rugby in what is becoming a growing list (Dan Parks, Kelly Brown, Jim Hamilton, Richie Vernon and Max Evans have all quit playing in Scotland recently).

Sale supremo Steve Diamond says "He has been courted by three Premiership sides and several French clubs, but he has brought into out vision at Sale Sharks. Sale have had a great relationship with Scottish rugby players down the years, from Bryan Redpath and Jason White through to Alasdair Dickinson, Richie Vernon and Fraser McKenzie."

Richie Gray said "I was impressed with the efforts Glasgow and Scottish rugby made to keep me in Glasgow and it's without doubt the toughest decision I've ever had to make. This isn't about money, I've always wanted to test myself in England".

This is a big coup for Sale, and Gray is probably Diamond's biggest signing (literally as well) from his time at Sale. Sale have had a difficult two or three years after a period where there was a mass of quality players leaving, and who were replaced by inadequate replacements who have also hence been cleared out as well last season. Steve Diamond has made it his mission to strengthen the Sale pack, and although the backs could do with some reinforcements, Sale have a good back row and decent second row which is now being strengthened by Gray, the front row however is not so impressive and the signing of Buckley has been as stupid as it sounded at the time.

As for Scottish rugby, they have emphasised they gave Gray a "substantial and competitive offer" to stay in Scotland, but players leaving Scotland is become a worrying trend for Glasgow and Edinburgh. Question: do you think that a Scottish team playing outside of Scotland would beat one with players just from Glasgow and Edinburgh?






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[DuncTheDoodle]

He can do better than Sale, one of the best locks in the world. Either stay in your home town of Glasgow or go to a big club.

 

[HowieLO6]

Solid signing, has already arguably cemented his place in the second row for the next Lions jaunt. A big coup for Sale too, as they really need to try and find themselves an indentity. Looked like they've simply been treading water since the halcion Robinson days so fingers crossed that this will be a marque signing to help them up the table.

A real shame that Glasgow lost him though, especially considering the recent improvements that the Scottish teams have been making in recent years. I would say that he's come south to try his hand at a higher level of competition, but i'm not sure that thats fair on the Celtic teams. No top-teir teams interested? I'd find that very hard to believe.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

No top-teir teams interested? I'd find that very hard to believe.

Turned down Saracens, Bath, Toulouse and another French club, apparently

Think location plays a part in it (as it did with Hendre Fourie) - he's only a couple of hours from Glasgow instead of 6+ hours, he's also good friends with Richie Vernon so he may have had a word

Also Sale is great, and you're all mad jelly, so there's that too

 

[m0rris]

Whilst there are reasons why he would go to Sale of all the premiership clubs... why are Sale buying up players like Richie when they really need a decent front row?

How are Sales finances post clearout?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Apparently there's another player to be announced soon that is a forward, fingers crossed it's a scrummaging tighthead...

No idea what the finances are like, presume it's pretty much as it was because of the number of the new signings, and the length of the contracts (most new players signed on 3 year contracts). There'll be a few to go at the end of the season, and I don't think we'll sign new players for all of the departures, but rather give some spots to academy players (+ Richie Gray and A.N Other)

I'm getting more annoyed that we signed Buckley, especially now that the coaches seem to have realised that he's f***ing dreadful - he's not got more than 15mins game time per match yet and has been crap in the lot. He's on a bloody three year contract as well, so it's not like we can ship him off at the end of the season and bring in someone who can scrummage.

Alasdair Dickinson has been surprisingly good in the scrum, considering his reputation - If I were headcoach I'd play him and Vadim Cobilas together, which would be an average premiership front row - not going to be demolishing Saints/Tigers, but not going to be giving away a penalty every single scrum, however Tony Hanks would rather play him and Henry Thomas (who is good for a 19 year old, but is still only 19. He's not going to get parity against guys like Ayerza and Tonga'uiha), with Cobilas covering loosehead from the bench and Buckle as replacement tighthead
Aston Croall should be used more as well, as he's a decent scrummager
It's annoying how obvious the solution is, but it's not being used.
[/rant]

 

[Saintjay]

He can do better than Sale, one of the best locks in the world. Either stay in your home town of Glasgow or go to a big club.

Depends what you mean by a big club, I guess it would rule out Ospreys

 

[psychic duck]

The fact Buckley has Heineken Cup winner and 25 Ireland caps and is more of a known name than say Cobalas probably ups his salary more

he's 31 now by the way, so a three year contract is just mad

try Nahuel Lobo the Argentine tighthead who was winning penalty tries in the Junior World Cup this year

there must be tonnes of quite cheap players who can do a reasonable job at club level

 

[Melhor Time]

He´ll develop as a player but will certainly be a huge loss to Glasgow.

 

[m0rris]

Thanks for that lot Olyy, things do seem to be looking up at Sale. Your front row will still give Bath a hard time even if Buckleys on!

As for Buckley, he is Bath's luckiest miss. We "signed" him a while ago only for him to tell us to shove it and he stayed in Ireland...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

The fact Buckley has Heineken Cup winner and 25 Ireland caps and is more of a known name than say Cobalas probably ups his salary more

Agreed completely

I think Cobilas must be one of the best value for money players in the Sale Squad - I'm not sure how professional the Russian league is, but he came from there to us, so wouldn't be on a massive wage, but is easily our best scrummaging prop - he also runs the ball hard and has a good pass (for a front rower )

try Nahuel Lobo the Argentine tighthead who was winning penalty tries in the Junior World Cup this year

I imagine there's a load of untapped talent in Eastern Europe/Russia plus other less 'traditional' rugby countries (along with Argentina)
I'd like to think Steve Diamond knows what he's doing with regards to new players (because he certainly didn't when it came to signing Buckley :lol: ) as Cobilas has done well, and Joaquin Tuculet performed VERY well for us before tearing his hamstring

Thanks for that lot Olyy, things do seem to be looking up at Sale. Your front row will still give Bath a hard time even if Buckleys on!

Only because they'll have to keep picking mud out of their teeth because he keeps collapsing

 

[jaffka]

This is a fantastic bit of news, the glory years will be coming back

 

[Groundhog]

pretty good signing for Sale i guess as for the subject of Buckley haha he's your problem now i cant believe munster didnt have to pay Sale to take him

 

[Seaton]

He can do better than Sale, one of the best locks in the world. Either stay in your home town of Glasgow or go to a big club.

This

No offence to Sale of course, if they keep the signings up then yes the move may pay off.

But is he not better off at a team that is going to be regularily competing in the HC cup, where he will get decent competition for his starting place as well as a whack of dosh? I've heard the distance to Glasgow and Vernon line dished out, but with regular flights to Edinburgh/ Glasgow I can't see where the difference of driving a shorter distance to flying a longer distance in the same time lies? I just think he has been poorly advised. However if Sale do manage some top 4 finishes and get regular HC action with good competition to keep Gray off his laurels, well then I won't complain.

As for it's impact on Glasgow and Scotland? We can but hope that his presence down south will lead to more Sky/ BBC coverage, which will in turn help us more than him being ignored by the media in our own Borders. Interestingly enough, his leaving was the leading sports story on Radio Scotland. Not even the national team getting knocked out of the world cup made first place on their agenda list.

Although not to the same level, I am convinced that Harley can make the step up and play to a good level for Glasgow at lock, and I hope that Nick Campell can also put in some good shifts from the bench.