The Ins and Outs for the 10/11 Season

[Intercept King JDV]

There will be plenty of new faces appearing in the Magners League this season, and not just with the two new Italian clubs, Benetton Treviso and Aironi Rugby.

Ulster have signed three tip-top Springboks in Ruan Pienaar, Johan Muller and Pedri Wannenburg, while there are new Bok props at both Leinster (Heinke van der Merwe ) and Munster (Wiaan du Preez).

Magners League Grand Final winners the Ospreys have gone 'native' by bringing in four Welsh players. Heading their recruitment cast is 2005 Grand Slam hooker Mefin Davies, who has returned from English Premiership champions Leicester Tigers, while Richard Fussell has joined from the Dragons and Dai Flanagan from the Blues.

Another Leicester Tiger who has switched leagues is Johne Murphy, who has joined Munster along with former Worcester Warriors centre Sam Tuitupou.

The Magners League record points scorer Dan Parks has headed 'south' to Cardiff Blues from Glasgow Warriors, while two Welsh internationals, Robin Sowden-Taylor and Scott Morgan, have switched from the Blues to the Dragons.

Connacht have brought Super 14 forward Ezra Taylor across from Queensland to bolster their pack and the two Scottish teams, Glasgow and Edinburgh, have signed Argentinean internationals Martin Aramburu and Esteban Lozada.

MAGNERS LEAGUE INS AND OUTS 2010

(Please note the below lists are not official squad lists. These will be detailed on www.magnersleague.com on the date of the official deadline.)

AIRONI RUGBY
IN: Kaine Robertson (Viadana), Carlo del Fava (Viadana), Quintin Geldenhuys (Viadana), Gabriel Pizarro (Rovigo), Andrea de Marchi (Rovigo), Fabio Ongaro (Saracens), Matias Aguero (Saracens), Ludovic Mercier (Petrarca), Alberto de Marchi (Overmach Parma), Simone Favaro (Overmach Parma), Roberto Quartaroli (Overmach Parma), Nicola Cattina (Calvisano), Giovanbattista Venditti (Gran Parma Rugby), Giulio Rubini (Gran Parma Rugby), ***o Tebaldi (Gran Parma Rugby), George Biagi (Cavalieri Prato), Gareth Krause (Venezia), Riccardo Bocchino (Rugby Roma), Paolo Buso (Rugby Roma), Nick Williams (Munster), Marco Bortolami (Gloucester), Fabio Staibano (Castres Olympique), Salvatore Perugini (Bayonne), Julien Laharrague (Montauban), Danwel Demas (Cheetahs), Dylan Des Fountain (Stormers)

BENETTON TREVISO
IN: Matteo Pratichetti (Viadana), Michele Sepe (Viadana), Gonzalo Padro (Petrarca), Paul Derbyshire (Petrarca), Manoa Vosawai (Overmach Parma), Francesco Minto (Overmach Parma), Edoardo Gori (Cavalieri Prato), Valerio Bernabò (Rugby Roma), Joe Maddock (Bath)

CARDIFF BLUES
IN: Dan Parks (Glasgow Warriors), Michael Paterson (Hurricanes), Tom Brown (London Welsh), Bryn Griffiths (Doncaster) Tom Davies (Doncaster)

OUT: Scott Morgan (NG Dragons), Dai Flanagan (Ospreys), Darren Allinson (London Irish), Robin Sowden-Taylor (NG Dragons), Sam Norton-Knight (Sanyo Wild Knights), Andy Powell (London Wasps), Billy Millard - Backs Coach (Retired)

CONNACHT
IN: Shane Monahan (Leinster), Darragh Fanning (Leinster), Ezra Taylor (Queensland Reds)

OUT: George Naoupu (Kobe Kobelco Steelers)

EDINBURGH
IN: Netani Talei (Worcester Warriors), Alex Grove (Worcester Warriors), Jack Gilding (Worcester Warriors), Esteban Lozada (Toulon), Dave Denton (Edinburgh Academicals), Stuart McInally, (Edinburgh University), James King (Melrose), Lee Jones (Selkirk)

OUT: Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors), Ali Hogg (Newcastle Falcons), Jim Hamilton (Gloucester), Dave Callam (Released), Simon Cross (Retired)

GLASGOW WARRIORS
IN: Ryan Grant (Edinburgh), Federico Martin Aramburu (Dax), Robert Harley (West of Scotland), James Fleming (Dundee HSFP), Ryan Wilson (Moseley), Aly Muldowney (Moseley), Duncan Weir (Glasgow Hawks), Alex Dunbar (Selkirk), Chris Fusaro (Heriot's FP), Henry Pyrgos (Loughborough University)

OUT: Dan Parks (Cardiff Blues), Mark McMillan (Bath), Kelly Brown (Saracens), Dan Turner (Toyota Shokki Shuttles), Tim Barker (Ulster)

LEINSTER
IN: Ed O'Donoghue (Ulster), Isaac Boss (Ulster), Heinke van der Merwe (Golden Lions), Joe Schmidt - Head Coach (Clermont Auvergne)

OUT: CJ Van Der Linde (Cheetahs), Simon Keogh (Released), Chris Keane (Released) Malcolm O'Kelly (Retired), Girvan Dempsey (Retired), Bernard Jackman (Retired), Michael Cheika (Coach - Stade Francais), Chris Whittaker (Team Manager - Stade Francais), Alan Gaffney - Backs Coach (IRFU), Kurt McQuilken - Defence Coach (Retired), Kyle Tonetti (Sale Sharks)

MUNSTER
IN: Johne Murphy (Leicester Tigers), Sam Tuitupou (Worcester Warriors), Wian Du Preez (Cheetahs), Peter Borlase (Crusaders), Corey Hircock (Bedford)

OUT: Nick Williams (Aironi Rugby), Jeremy Manning (Newcastle Falcons), Julien Brugnaut (Racing Metro), Jean de Villiers (Stormers), Ciaran O'Boyle (Released)

NEWPORT-GWENT DRAGONS
IN: Matthew Jones (Worcester Warriors), Hugo Ellis (London Wasps), Arthur Ellis (London Wasps), Nicky Griffiths (Doncaster), Andrew Coombs (Newport), Tom Evans (Hartpury College), Danny Wilson - Forwards Skills Coach (London Welsh), Scott Morgan (Cardiff Blues), Robin Sowden-Taylor (Cardiff Blues)

OUT: Richard Fussell (Ospreys), Hoani MacDonald (Melbourne Rebels), Grant Webb (Otago), James Arlidge (Nottingham), James Harris (Released), Alex Walker (Released)

OSPREYS
IN: Dai Flanagan (Cardiff Blues), Richard Fussell (NG Dragons), Mefin Davies (Leicester Tigers), Morgan Allen (Pontypool)

OUT: Ed Shervington (Worcester Warriors), Marc Breeze (London Welsh), Liam Davies (Dax), Ross Davies (Released), Jonny Vaughton (Released), Lyndon Bateman (Retired), Filo Tiatia (Retired)

SCARLETS
IN: Joe Ajuwa (Llandovery)

OUT: Rob Higgitt (Worcester Warriors), Darren Daniel (Carmarthen Quins), Jamie Corsi (Released), John Muggleton (Defence Coach)

ULSTER
IN: Ruan Pienaar (Sharks), Johann Muller (Sharks), Pedrie Wannenburg (Bulls), Tim Barker (Glasgow Warriors)

OUT: Ed O'Donoghue (Leinster), Isaac Boss (Leinster), Timoci Nagusa (Montpellier), Clinton Schifcofske (Crusaders, Rugby League), Justin Fitzpatrick (Retired), Matt McCullough (Retired), Tamaiti Horua (Released)
Source

 

[Feicarsinn]

Cillian Willis is also on his way west having departed Ulster.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/my_club/ulster/8849111.stm

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Big Gavin Quinell is back at the Scarlets:

http://scarlets.co.uk/eng/news/2909.php

Also seen nothing about Jaime Corsi leaving the Scarlets also!

 

[Jockstap]

Munster have probably made the best signings, Munster could actually look pretty decent next year if they went with

15 Felix Jones
14 Doug Howlett
13 Keith Earls
12 Sam Tuitupo
11 Johne Murphy
10 Paul Warwick
9 Tomas O'Leary
8 Dennis Leamy
7 David Wallace
6 Donncha Ryan
5 POC
4 DOC
3 Peter Borlase
2 Damien Varley
1 Wian Du Preez

16 Jerry Flannery
17 Tony Buckley
18 Dave Foley
19 Peter O'Mahony
20 Duncan Williams
21 Ronan O'Gara
22 Mafi

But they'll probably persist with Quinlann, Stringer, Horan, Hayes, Mick O'Driscoll, Ronan O'Gara etc.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Missed Matt Evans, Canada fullback, from the Dragons signings. I feel as though they've made the best signings. OK, no big stars, but then the closest to be major signing in the whole league is Dan Parks to Cardiff. Evans, Sowden-Taylor and Jones really have nothing to lose, and should perform pretty well, as the only one with any kind of expectations at all is RST, who fell away so much last term, people will have forgotten what a threat he poses. They're really starting to build a great squad.

The Ospreys have signed some good players, but they won't play them. The Scarlets have made two signings, and even then, one of which has been playing for them for the past year. As for the Blues, Patterson sounds promising, and Parks is a great move.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Not many teams have significantly improved their squads. In my opinion Ulster have recruited best of all, significantly improving their options in the pack and also adding Ruan Pienaar to spark their backline into life.

Leinster have improved their depth but not their first team. Isaac Boss and Heinke Van Der Merwe will increase competition for places while O'Donoghue is a very useful Magners League starting calibre player. Supposedly Leinster are in the market for an Argentinian international second row since Leo Cullen is likely to be out injured for a while. The biggest issue is how Joe Schmidt fares in replacing Michael Cheika.

I like what the Dragons have done on a tight budget.

 

[coonor]

I think Ulster have signed some really great players and that will hopefully add some class into the squad. Munster have signed some much needed players with good potential. I think Leinster have just filled ina few spots and no signing will matter unless the coach is good. I think dan parks isa great signing for Cardiff they will have to hope his form continues. Glasgow may have bought a fair number of players but the loss of Brown and Parks.

 

[cyRil]

I think Glasgow are buggered next season. Losing Brown, Parks, Thom Evans and now Johnnie Beattie being ruled out for 6 months. S'gonna be leeeaaan, leeeaaan, leeeaaaan!

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Ulster and Dragons have recruited smartly for me.

 

[cyRil]

Why, who've they signed for you?

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Why, who've they signed for you?

Some lad called T.Davies from South Wales

 

[cyRil]

He is a legend in the making, that geezer!!
As a matter of fact, I think the Blues have signed a Tom Davies! Obviously not as good as this one though!

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Leinster announced the remainder of their squad today:

Leinster Academy Panel 2010/11: Noel Reid, Darren Hudson, Ben Marshall, Jack O’Connell, John Cooney, Sam Coghlan Murray, Jordi Murphy (all Year 1), Dominic Ryan, Michael Keating, Ian Madigan, Mark Flanagan, Ciaran Ruddock, Stewart Maguire (all Year 2), Ian McKinley, Tom Sexton, Eamonn Sheridan (all Year 3)

New recruits are in bold. Last year they went to Wales and poached/recruited Stewart Maguire and the Ruddock brothers. This year they've stuck with Leinster bred recruits. Six of the seven new members of the academy went to the U20 World Cup a month ago. The other, Sam Coghlan Murray, is straight out of school in Newbridge.

In all, 10 of last year's academy have graduated to pro contracts. Seven are still with Leinster (Andrew Conway, Brendan Macken, Dave Kearney, Jack McGrath, Eoin Sheriff, Paul Ryan and Rhys Ruddock) with the others (Shane Monahan, Dave Moore and Kyle Tonetti) earning contracts with Connacht, Quins and Sale.

 

[munstermuffin]

Well lads its great to be back and well rested up for another long season.

Munster looking very well in pre-season well with all the internationals back last Monday the feeling is alot better.
Paulie will still be out unfortunately for few weeks more but well not really a signing but can say over last 2 weeks Munster have had John Eales in to pass on his advise to younger players and well help show tips on the pitch which is important to the young guys and 1/2 experienced heads too.

 

[Draggs]

No confirmation from the Scarlets, but a few days back (since withdrawn) the Magner's League website had Simon Easterby and Mark Jones listed as retiring.
I'll wait until something comes from the Scarlets, but it seems likely, especially with Mark's injuries. Both great players and loyal to the Scarlets.

 

[tinchy17]

Ruan Pienaar for Ulster? I wasn't expecting that

 

[durbutter]

Well lads its great to be back and well rested up for another long season.

Munster looking very well in pre-season well with all the internationals back last Monday the feeling is alot better.
Paulie will still be out unfortunately for few weeks more but well not really a signing but can say over last 2 weeks Munster have had John Eales in to pass on his advise to younger players and well help show tips on the pitch which is important to the young guys and 1/2 experienced heads too.

Seen a few photos on the Munster site of Sam ***outipou (sp!?) in a cast boot thingy. Anyone know if its a a long term injury or anything?

 

[munstermuffin]

Darbutter,
He was injured while doing a contact session and well was the victim of a hard drill on dodgy ground. He should be ok for season opener and hopefully wont be serious.
Great to see Gallimh join the coaching staff too.

 

[profitius]

Dan Parks is probably the best signing. Massive blow for Glasgow who based their whole game around him.

Leinster will have a fresh look about their side this season. Munster have signed some quality players and have their injured players coming back. Ulster have lost some but gained more. They should be a bit stronger this season.

 

[Conal]

to be fair ulster lost a second row who wasnt a regular starter and gained two much more physical second rows
lost a nearly regular international scrum half and replaced him with ruan pienarr
also got a great back rower to cover when ferris isnt there in pedrie warrenburg
lost jimmy nagusa but we have simon danilliei and trimble anyways (even thugh he is injured)
ulster are very much on the up or should be