Transfers rumours

[Draggs]

Tom Biggs' move to Hull FC has fallen through and he's supposedly signed with Worcester.

Shame he won't stay at the Rec. I like Watson on the wing more than FB, but with Bendy on the way that seems unlikely. Woodburn or Lane will have to step up.

 

[canadafan]

Rumor that Tiedemann is heading to Plymouth for next season.

 

[racingmetro92]

Johan Goosen now follows the English Racing-Metro Twitter account and Ronan O'Gara like Juandre Kruger did it last year, so we can suppose that he will be a RM92 player next year

 

[Peat]

Considering Darwin has ruled out about half the list already I think we can its pretty bull****, we're at a point now where we're exporting a lot of players I cannot see the need to bring in sub par NZ players.

Peat if Ulster desperately need a scrum half surly they're looking at Hart, seems to be doing well in France.

Not a bad idea that one, shame he went and signed a 5 year contract or something.

That list might be bull but no doubt in my mind that Irish rugby as a whole and probably the IRFU specifically are targeting IQ players from abroad. Feel the recruitment record bears out that it's happening. Would be pretty weird if they were ignoring the biggest Rugby cradle in the world.

 

[Draggs]

Johan Goosen now follows the English Racing-Metro Twitter account and Ronan O'Gara like Juandre Kruger did it last year, so we can suppose that he will be a RM92 player next year

I am too.

Draggs, The Rugby Forum -> Racing Metro 92.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Andrew Fifita: RL --> RU

 

[Patchey]

I am too.

Draggs, The Rugby Forum -> Racing Metro 92.

I follow multiple rugby clubs, as a result there are wild rumours about my destination next year.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

I follow multiple rugby clubs, as a result there are wild rumours about my destination next year.

I thought my simultaneous performances for both Newcastle and Worcester on Sunday were pretty good, considering I was playing for the Dragons at the same time..

 

[AFalcon20]

Melbourne Rebels Hugh Pyle heading to Europe will be interesting to see who he signs for.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Schmidt -> Out

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Schmidt -> Out

There's only so much Axel can **** up though, he can't spread his services too thin!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Melbourne Rebels Hugh Pyle heading to Europe will be interesting to see who he signs for.

That'll be a blow for the Rebels.
I imagine he's come to the conclusion he's not breaking into the Wallabies anytime soon (unfairly, imo - he was on fine fine form last season) so is looking abroad for a few years before returning to target 2019.

Will be interesting to see where he ends up - not sure whether his name is famous enough for a lot of French clubs (though he's more than talented enough).
I think my money would be on Quins, or maybe even Irish (JOC connection).

 

[TheSaffycen]

I'm hoping that Sarries might look at him for a replacement for Borthwick. Itoje is a couple years away yet so Pyle here for a couple years before 2019 would be fantastic.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Would've thought you guys might be after Matt Symons.

 

[Darwin]

Would've thought you guys might be after Matt Symons.

Nah, Matt Symons is a kiwi now. We gave you Flutey, Vainikolo, Hape et al. so we are keeping Symons

 

[Patchey]

That'll be a blow for the Rebels.
I imagine he's come to the conclusion he's not breaking into the Wallabies anytime soon (unfairly, imo - he was on fine fine form last season) so is looking abroad for a few years before returning to target 2019.

Will be interesting to see where he ends up - not sure whether his name is famous enough for a lot of French clubs (though he's more than talented enough).
I think my money would be on Quins, or maybe even Irish (JOC connection).

Would certainly be nice if we did. Pyle looks class, don't quite understand why he hasn't broken into the Wallabies.


I was wondering about how Symons was missed in England. I think he player for Esher for a few seasons before moving to NZ? Saw a short piece on him for NZ TV that said he'd spent some time as a GB rower as well. Unless he only really blossomed as a player once he left England I'm miffed as to how he was missed. That being said, its not as if England need locks right now.

 

[Darwin]

Would certainly be nice if we did. Pyle looks class, don't quite understand why he hasn't broken into the Wallabies.


I was wondering about how Symons was missed in England. I think he player for Esher for a few seasons before moving to NZ? Saw a short piece on him for NZ TV that said he'd spent some time as a GB rower as well. Unless he only really blossomed as a player once he left England I'm miffed as to how he was missed. That being said, its not as if England need locks right now.

I obviously never saw him before he came to NZ, but it wouldn't surprise me if this was the case. The first year he was in NZ he could only make the Canterbury B squad, so was obviously not that highly rated (he was behind players like Luke Katene, who is average ITM Cup player at best). Last year he made much more of an impact, and certainly deserved his place in the Chiefs squad. Apparently he broke a number of Chiefs fitness test records (and it shows the way he plays) - he's obviously always been an incredible physical specimen, I wonder whether he's only recently developed his core rugby skills (as he took a few years off rugby for his rowing...).

It is disappointing for the Rebels that Pyle is leaving. Like others I think he has been unlucky not to have a few Wallabies caps by now.

 

[Patchey]

I obviously never saw him before he came to NZ, but it wouldn't surprise me if this was the case. The first year he was in NZ he could only make the Canterbury B squad, so was obviously not that highly rated (he was behind players like Luke Katene, who is average ITM Cup player at best). Last year he made much more of an impact, and certainly deserved his place in the Chiefs squad. Apparently he broke a number of Chiefs fitness test records (and it shows the way he plays) - he's obviously always been an incredible physical specimen, I wonder whether he's only recently developed his core rugby skills (as he took a few years off rugby for his rowing...).

It is disappointing for the Rebels that Pyle is leaving. Like others I think he has been unlucky not to have a few Wallabies caps by now.

Sounds like that exactly what happened then. Fair play to him, must have been a lot of hard work put in over the last few years.

It's interesting that a few other English guys, Tom Wood and Martin Johnson come to mind, spent some time in NZ and rapidly improved there before making the step up back home. Maybe we should send everyone over for a year?

 

[ratsapprentice]

That's because they get to go and actually play instead of being stuck in an academy, on loan to a championship side that is more than likely fighting relegation.
Which means they can actually practice their rugby skills, outside of the basic winter repertoire, at a high pace on relatively firm tracks.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Pyle has been a fantasy rugby staple of mine; busy for a lock. So that makes another one gone to join Taumololo, JO'C, Bekker, SBW and Thomson on my lost-for-fantasy-rugby list.