Transfers 2012/13

[LittleGuy]

By the looks of where Doncaster are currently in the table, it looks like they are signing him to stave of relegation. They've only won one game this season, so they're not struggling quite as much as Phil Mackenzie's side was last season.

Connor Braid looked improved this November, when he came to Georgia in 2010 he was very young and looked a nervous and error prone and missed out on RWC 2011 I think. He may not be the world's greatest 10, but he looked competent, even in the Samoan thumping. I hope this move works well for him, most of the Canadians in that league seem to be regular starters for their teams and considered amongst their best players and are doing well.

Why did the BC Bears change their name to Pacific Tyee by the way?

The team was run by Rugby Canada this season and not the BCRU due to a dispute with Rugby Canada over the timing of the CRC season. They lost the rights to use the Bears name and the team wasn't able to field a %100 side. There should be some more info in the 2012 CRC season thread if your interested PD.

I have seen that Doncaster are performing poorly, looks like it could be between them and Jersey fighting to avoid relegation.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

Nicolas Mas from Perpignan to Montpellier.
Georges Jgenti from Montpellier to Perpignan.
Robins Tchale-Watchou from Perpignan to Montpellier.

 

[gaston le gaff]

Nicolas Mas from Perpignan to Montpellier.
Georges Jgenti from Montpellier to Perpignan.
Robins Tchale-Watchou from Perpignan to Montpellier.

dont believe everything written in the press especially Midol, Mas is coming to MHR but Giorgi Jgenti will not be leaving i would put serious money on that, we may get Tchale Watchou and also Jim Hamilton but nothing is signed yet, most of this comes from the players agents trying to up the price + their club commission

 

[psychic duck]

Nicolas Mas from Perpignan to Montpellier.
Georges Jgenti from Montpellier to Perpignan.
Robins Tchale-Watchou from Perpignan to Montpellier.

Mas to Montpellier is an odd move. He is a homegrown Catalan (he even speaks a little I read) and I thought he would stay at Perpignan for all his career.

I think Perpignan should really look to hold onto Mas as he is one of the few homegrown players they have left, Delpoux seems to have signed a lot of foreigners.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

I agree PD.

 

[gaston le gaff]

Sorry to upset you guys but he's coming to montpellier !!!!!

 

[Tony Manx]

You got an increase in your budget. Gaston?

 

[ZeFrenchy]

Argentina flanker Tomás Leonardi and scrum-half Nicolás Vergallo will play Super Rugby with the Southern Kings.

 

[psychic duck]

The Ospreys have signed Campbell Johnstone.

 

[Tony Manx]

The Ospreys have signed Campbell Johnstone.

Good luck with that one.......He is 32 and his best years are far behind him and Ospreys will be lucky to get that many games a season out of him.......how did he get on with Tasman when he "left" us?

 

[psychic duck]

Good luck with that one.......He is 32 and his best years are far behind him and Ospreys will be lucky to get that many games a season out of him.......how did he get on with Tasman when he "left" us?

Didn't Johnstone struggle quite a bit against Toulouse in the 2010 H Cup final and then get relegated behind Marconnet and Gomez Kodela and spend the last part of his Biarritz career just sitting on the sidelines?

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Argentina flanker Tomás Leonardi and scrum-half Nicolás Vergallo will play Super Rugby with the Southern Kings.

Good enough signings for the Kings if you look at who they already have there though I don't understand them; flank and scrumhalf is (along with lock arguably) perhaps the two positions where we have a wealth of good players and regularly produce world XV candidates. Why not go local in those positions, Kings?

Particularly if you take into account that the premise for bringing th Kings in ahead of a far superior Lions outfit who is a young team in development was to develop local talent???

Add to that the fact that flank, prop and scrumhalf and particularly wing are the positions that you might find qualtiy ethnic black players and it makes even less sense. That said it's hardly surprising taking into account the way the whole thing has played out already.

 

[psychic duck]

Good enough signings for the Kings if you look at who they already have there though I don't understand them; flank and scrumhalf is (along with lock arguably) perhaps the two positions where we have a wealth of good players and regularly produce world XV candidates. Why not go local in those positions, Kings?

Particularly if you take into account that the premise for bringing th Kings in ahead of a far superior Lions outfit who is a young team in development was to develop local talent???

Add to that the fact that flank, prop and scrumhalf and particularly wing are the positions that you might find qualtiy ethnic black players and it makes even less sense. That said it's hardly surprising taking into account the way the whole thing has played out already.

If they have any ambitions to not be languishing at the bottom of the log and be a laughing stock like the Lions were, then they have to look to sign the best players possible even if it means they aren't South African.

And when the big 3 teams basically hog all the best South African players, it means that the best South African options aren't necessarily available.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I'm not so sure. Overseas you have Fourie du Preez and Ruan Pienaar and I'm not going to go into the amount of quality SA backrowers overseas with F Louw probably the most desireable from a Bok perspective (nevermind a Kings perspective) to have him on home soil. Mujati is out of contract as I understand it as well and there are hosts of other players in other positions.

Get 6 to 8 of those experienced overseas based players and they would be the perfect backbone for young talent from the franchize area to be built around. The fact that the 'big 3' hog quality players doesn't mean the end of the world; just look at the cheetahs who seem to find and develop class players every year only for other to take them, mostly overseas teams i might add.

 

[psychic duck]

I'm not so sure. Overseas you have Fourie du Preez and Ruan Pienaar and I'm not going to go into the amount of quality SA backrowers overseas with F Louw probably the most desireable from a Bok perspective (nevermind a Kings perspective) to have him on home soil. Mujati is out of contract as I understand it as well and there are hosts of other players in other positions.

Get 6 to 8 of those experienced overseas based players and they would be the perfect backbone for young talent from the franchize area to be built around. The fact that the 'big 3' hog quality players doesn't mean the end of the world; just look at the cheetahs who seem to find and develop class players every year only for other to take them, mostly overseas teams i might add.

There is plenty of South African quality available, but I would expect if Pienaar or du Preez come back to SA it would most likely be with their former teams, getting those overseas players back won't be easy as I would expect that offers in France, Japan or England are more than the Kings offers. Whilst with these Argentine players they aren't competing with any big team to sign them so they will be a lot easier to bring in.

There is certainly the talent in SA for 5 good Super Rugby teams, but it is focused on the big 3 teams, just look at the amount of quality the Stormers have in their backline which next season will probably see Peter Grant, Gerhard van den Heever and Joe Pietersen just making bench appearances whilst worse players like Burton Francis is the Kings first choice #10.

The Kings just need to sign the best players possible whatever nationality as their South African ones aren't likely good enough to win too many games.

 

[j'nuh]

Didn't Johnstone struggle quite a bit against Toulouse in the 2010 H Cup final and then get relegated behind Marconnet and Gomez Kodela and spend the last part of his Biarritz career just sitting on the sidelines?

About the quality you'd expect for someone who is 3rd choice and only a half-year contract though.

 

[poopiepeople]

Connor Braid has been signed by Doncaster Knights.

Pacific Tyee >>>>>>>>Doncaster Knights.

I'm pretty excited about this. It's always good to see local talent being signed by bigger clubs.

He seemed pretty competent this November and hopefully will get some more game time. It will obviously only give him more confidence in his play, even if he is playing fullback at Doncaster.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Dan Caprice ---> London Welsh

Signed for rest of the season.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Rob Lewis (Cardiff Blues) ---> London Welsh (Season Long Loan)

Matthew Keyte (London Welsh) has also retired from pro rugby to pursue a career outside of the game.