Transfers 2012/13

[TRF_Olyy]

John Yapp and Richie Rees to Edinburgh:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/17687882

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Whatever about established Welsh internationals joining French clubs for big money, if the likes of Edinburgh can outbid Welsh regions for muck like Rees and Yapp, the regions are rightly screwed.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Well Yapp is poor and Rees has hardly sparkled in the last year or so. Blues have 3 good scrum halves in Lloyd Williams, Lewis Jones and Tom Rowlands also Rhys Downes is about. It's not a problematic area.


Byron Kelleher has left Stade: http://planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16024_7668338,00.html

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Dean Schofield (Toulon) ---> Worcester

 

[psychic duck]

Yapp is poor

this is what Edinburgh say about him ...

A prop with experience at both sides of the scrum, his power, experience and versatility is a significant boost to the club's strength in depth across a front-row

:lol:

 

[TRF_Cymro]

this is what Edinburgh say about him ...



:lol:

All the best with that for them.

 

[04perryo]

Dean schofield to worcester not to sure about this signing he's a bit old isnt he

 

[Draggs]

Campese Ma'afu to Cardiff Blues.
Undoubtedly one of the worst international props I have ever seen (besides Cian Healy, right?)

 

[cyRil]

Campese Ma'afu to Cardiff Blues.
Undoubtedly one of the worst international props I have ever seen (besides Cian Healy, right?)

So the minstrels say...

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Burnell is hailing Ma'afu signing because in his eyes he did well against Adam Jones in November 2010. Says it all about this man as a coach, if he was that good he would not be playing grade rugby in Australia. But then let's not write off Ma'afu ... yet.

 

[psychic duck]

don't know what Burnell was watching but Campese Ma'afu was mullered by Adam Jones in 2010, in fact Wales were outplayed in that match and made so many errors, Huw Bennett in particular having a 'mare. But the thing that allowed Wales to draw was the scrum, a penalty try from the scrum was the only try that Wales scored.

Ma'afu was also munched by Adam Jones in the 2011 World Cup

don't know what Burnell is doing, I know he doesn't have a huge budget but I'm sure just a Currie Cup prop would be a better option than Ma'afu

Burnell is clearly the wrong man to oversee the Cardiff Blues rebuilding period, or in fact just the wrong man for any period, shouldn't have got the job in the first place

Speaking of the signing Ma'afu, Burnell said.

Campese Ma'afu came to my attention in the 16-all-draw against Wales. I thought he did well in the scrum in certain aspects against Adam Jones, who as we know, is one of the best tight-heads in the world. To see him scrum in the World Cup and against New Zealand in the warm up games showed he's an exciting prospect. I'm pleased with the two signings who are on two year contracts with Campese working alongside Scott Andrews, Sam Hobbs and Marc Breeze. I think they are more than capable of accounting well for themselves.

watch the video: (go to 2 minutes)

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/wNMh5dZt_oU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Ma'afu's a passable carrier and held his own against Namibia in the World Cup. Considering their budget, he's probably the best they could do, to be fair.

 

[psychic duck]

Ma'afu's a passable carrier and held his own against Namibia in the World Cup. Considering their budget, he's probably the best they could do, to be fair.

they don't need a passable carrier though they need a passable scrummager

no disrespect to Namibia but I don't think they are renowned scrummaging nation, I'm pretty sure there must be some better options

 

[dullonien]

they don't need a passable carrier though they need a passable scrummager

no disrespect to Namibia but I don't think they are renowned scrummaging nation, I'm pretty sure there must be some better options

Agree completely. They need at least two props who can scrummage well. It doesn't matter if they don't do any other good things in the game, just as long as when they pack down for a scrum they don't go backwards. Just look at Mike Ross for Leinster and Ireland, he's not a flashy player, doesn't carry much ball, but he's a good scrummager, and that's what counts. Adam Jones as well, he's a scrummaging powerhouse, and an excellent fringe defender, but I wouldn't say he adds a huge amount in the loose, but that doesn't stop him being one of the best tightheads in the world, because a tightheads job is to be an effective scrummager, everything else is a bonus.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Agree completely. They need at least two props who can scrummage well. It doesn't matter if they don't do any other good things in the game, just as long as when they pack down for a scrum they don't go backwards. Just look at Mike Ross for Leinster and Ireland, he's not a flashy player, doesn't carry much ball, but he's a good scrummager, and that's what counts. Adam Jones as well, he's a scrummaging powerhouse, and an excellent fringe defender, but I wouldn't say he adds a huge amount in the loose, but that doesn't stop him being one of the best tightheads in the world, because a tightheads job is to be an effective scrummager, everything else is a bonus.

Well said on both counts. I vividly recall Adam Jones' man of the match performance against Munster in the Heineken Cup last season. He won that award despite not touching the ball once but having destroyed the Munster scrum and the confidence of their pack. If your props can hold a scrum up or better, they've done their job. If they're active in general play, that's a bonus. Mike Ross will never get much kudos but we all saw what happened Ireland's scrum when he got injured early on against England.

If Ma'afu can't scrummage, he's no improvement on what the Blues already have. One thing I will say in favour of their management is that they saw a problem in the tight five and are trying to rectify it. Whether it works or not is another issue.

 

[big ginger 8]

Campese Ma'afu to Cardiff Blues.
Undoubtedly one of the worst international props I have ever seen (besides Cian Healy, right?)

I know your looking for me to bite...so I will.

You just made the list.

Can't wait for the hilarious interpitations of what the list means but you know what it means. :ar15firing5de:

 

[Draggs]

Burnell is hailing Ma'afu signing because in his eyes he did well against Adam Jones in November 2010. Says it all about this man as a coach, if he was that good he would not be playing grade rugby in Australia. But then let's not write off Ma'afu ... yet.

I remember Adam absolutely dominating Ma'afu before he was pulled off. A penalty try soon followed.

 

[welshglory]

One thing I will say in favour of their management is that they saw a problem in the tight five and are trying to rectify it. Whether it works or not is another issue.

If they couldn't see that then i would really question their sanity

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

It's one thing identifying a problem, it's another thing entirely rectifying that problem.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

It's one thing identifying a problem, it's another thing entirely rectifying that problem.

Well they had to address the problem with Jenkins, Yapp leaving and Filise retiring.