Transfers 2014/15

[TRF_Cymro]

Leigh Halfpenny ---> Toulon

£395k a season

 

[munstermuffin]

Leigh Halfpenny ---> Toulon

£395k a season

He'd want to sack his agent, that is poor money for his quality

 

[ratsapprentice]

Depends on what sort of accommodations were made to his Wales career.

 

[Patchey]

Auterac was a few years below me at my school.
My abiding memory of him was that he always had a protien shaker in his hand.
All day... errday.

Good to see Bath sticking with the "young and English" theme.

As someone pointed out on the Bath forum, we have nice age spread in both Prop positions.

Any word on how long their contracts are? Both good young signings, despite question marks over Thomas' scrummaging. If I was Bath and tell Auterac to abuse Sarrie's clearly incredibly S&C department as much as possible before leaving!

 

[ratsapprentice]

Thomas - 3 years
Auterac - 2 years

Re: the s&c dept. I think he's way ahead of you - he certainly isn't small.

 

[gaston le gaff]

He'd want to sack his agent, that is poor money for his quality

If that is poor money why did he leave, did he turn down better money in Wales to play better quality rugby who knows, but another good player leaves the UK for the TOP 14.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

395k is small?!
Won't that make him the highest paid rugby player? Or is habana's contract more?
Considering they all ready have Mitchell and Armitage it's almost surprising they went that high

 

[gaston le gaff]

395k is small?!
Won't that make him the highest paid rugby player? Or is habana's contract more?
Considering they all ready have Mitchell and Armitage it's almost surprising they went that high

MONEY TALKS.......... last season it was Sexton who was quoted by the Media as being the highest paid, here they are quoting 480,000€'s for Halfpenny not quite the highest but up amonst the best paid.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

MONEY TALKS.......... last season it was Sexton who was quoted by the Media as being the highest paid, here they are quoting 480,000â'¬'s for Halfpenny not quite the highest but up amonst the best paid.

Ah, I forgot about Sexton.
Still, £395k = â'¬483k, so it's not like he's being paid less than the other big names, seems to have gone for the going rate

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Christ I hate Toulon.

I'm a big fan of halfpenny don't get me wrong...but if his incredible kicking percentage at any point begins to drop just a little the shine will go off him quickly. Again, there's more to him than just kicking - but it's become his skeleton. You almost feel he'd still be getting picked if he couldn't run a line to save his life (and he can) just as long as he keeps banging them over. If he was less metronomic in front of goal, the battle between him and delon armitage at full-back would be less one-sided.

 

[Draggs]

Christ I hate Toulon.

I'm a big fan of halfpenny don't get me wrong...but if his incredible kicking percentage at any point begins to drop just a little the shine will go off him quickly. Again, there's more to him than just kicking - but it's become his skeleton. You almost feel he'd still be getting picked if he couldn't run a line to save his life (and he can) just as long as he keeps banging them over. If he was less metronomic in front of goal, the battle between him and delon armitage at full-back would be less one-sided.

Maybe the pressure of Armitage and Mitchell breathing down his neck will help, could develop his playing style

 

[Thingimubob]

So I get Halfpenny leaving and everything, don't blame him at all with the mess that is Welsh club rugby at the moment, but why Toulon? They already have a class goal kicker in Wilkinson, though from what I hear he's only staying another year. Add onto that another world class young back 3 player with class goal kicking in James O'Connor, just seems like an odd move. Probably will make Toulon more open to letting Halfpenny go off to whatever Wales camp he wants to with O'Connor ready and able to shift to 15 or wherever. Just seems like there's almost too many players to cram into the starting XV! Could end up being a bit wasteful with the possibility of one or the other getting left out with Armitage, Mitchell and Wulf already there...

 

[munstermuffin]

Just to put in Heaslip signed 3 year deal with Leinster and IRFU

 

[Draggs]

I was under the impression OConnor was returning to Aus to be eligible for 2015.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

So I get Halfpenny leaving and everything, don't blame him at all with the mess that is Welsh club rugby at the moment, but why Toulon? They already have a class goal kicker in Wilkinson, though from what I hear he's only staying another year. Add onto that another world class young back 3 player with class goal kicking in James O'Connor, just seems like an odd move. Probably will make Toulon more open to letting Halfpenny go off to whatever Wales camp he wants to with O'Connor ready and able to shift to 15 or wherever. Just seems like there's almost too many players to cram into the starting XV! Could end up being a bit wasteful with the possibility of one or the other getting left out with Armitage, Mitchell and Wulf already there...

Completely agree with this and then some. It seems a dangerous move for a guy seemingly at the top of his game to move to a club where nobody is guaranteed gametime, simply because of the numbers of proven internationals.

 

[Patchey]

Too many fullbacks at Toulon and too many kickers. I suspect someone lower down the pecking order will leave. Has Delon Armitage resigned yet?

 

[TRF_Cymro]

The money is 'low' because he will be released when Wales need him. Hence the offer is apparently at a reduced rate.

 

[Rich Taff]

Completely agree with this and then some. It seems a dangerous move for a guy seemingly at the top of his game to move to a club where nobody is guaranteed gametime, simply because of the numbers of proven internationals.

Think it just comes down to £s and the ability to challenge for HC (or whatever is in place next season).
He's still young, but I've lost count of the number of times he's been concussed. Time is short at the top in rugby, so as much as I'd like to see all the top players remaining in Wales, I also can't fault them for grabbing some cash before their career ends.

 

[munstermuffin]

Just on point where I said money was low was because I though the money in France for "superstars" was between â'¬500k and â'¬750k. Am I way off?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah, believe the highest paid (either Sexton or Habana) is around 500-550k - so hes "only" 20-70k short.
I imagine that's pocket change when youre taking home tens of thousands a month.