Transfers rumours

[Leonormous Boozer]

Harsh criticism of Gopperth here I think, he started the season very well and was one of our better players up until the Castres game. Since then the level of play has dropped overall and he's been very bad in his own right. I'm disappointed overall due to his recent form but his 2013 form was good in my opinion. Obviously he wasn't going to be as important as he was in Newcastle.


And yes, we have a lot of players surplus to demand.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

James O'Connor to the Reds is doing the rounds.
9/10/12 of Genia/Cooper/JOC would be top notch.


Will be interesting to see where he focuses on playing, position wise. At London Irish he wanted to play 15 as he wanted to settle there, and then filled in at 10/12 when needed. No idea what he'll do at Toulon as they're not exactly short on players in any position - probably see most time at 12, with Giteau moving to 10 full time.
Dunno where would be best for him from a Wallabies perspective - with Toomua, Lealiifano, Beale, Folau etc. they're well stocked at 12 and 15.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

James O'Connor to the Reds is doing the rounds.
9/10/12 of Genia/Cooper/JOC would be top notch.


Will be interesting to see where he focuses on playing, position wise. At London Irish he wanted to play 15 as he wanted to settle there, and then filled in at 10/12 when needed. No idea what he'll do at Toulon as they're not exactly short on players in any position - probably see most time at 12, with Giteau moving to 10 full time.
Dunno where would be best for him from a Wallabies perspective - with Toomua, Lealiifano, Beale, Folau etc. they're well stocked at 12 and 15.

Personally I think his best position is as a playmaking wing, that's where he's had most success for the Wallabies in the past. He's not really bulky enough to play in the midfield, in my opinion, and I don't think he's quite good enough to run a backline permanently.

A backline of Genia, Coooper, O'Connor, McCabe, Ashley-Cooper, Speight, Folau with White, Beale and Tomane on the bench would be the safest bet, I think.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Yeah the Wallabies don't have a shortage of players that can fit in and move about anywhere from 10 to 15 between them do they..

He'll be a big to the Reds though if he does go there. Past Genia/Cooper the cupboard is thin IMO; the players from 11 to 15 fare well enough but more due to the width the Reds play width and the resulting space on top of the incredible play-making work of Genia and Cooper rather than those players themselves IMO. A playmaker at 15 or on one wing might be just what they need to get back on top. I don't think they need a great player at 12 though. They need someone who'll be a rock on defense but able to play the ball 'tight' to take pressure off Cooper and otherwise just let it pass through wide because the Reds have to play wide otherwise their mobile but light pack tend to get found out as they play away from their strengths.

 

[Bull]

Johan Goosen rumours surfacing again
http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Super15/Goosen-close-to-French-move-20140513

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Johan Goosen rumours surfacing again
http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Super15/Goosen-close-to-French-move-20140513

Racing Metro nogal..

Would that mean they are letting Johnny Sexton go or just want to hoard talent at 10. The irritating thing for me is Goosen hasn't proven his Bok credentials yet having been injured on a more or less permanent basis so he is probably not likely to be a Bok further than the few caps he has under his name.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Luke Arscott has been released by Exeter.
He will probably end up with either Bristol or Bath.

At a ST holder's meeting with the coaches last night it was confirmed that Bath have one more signing to announce and that it's an "English attack minded player".
If it's not Arscott then it's rumored (very speculatively) to be Pennell.

 

[TheSaffycen]

Pennell would be a great player for Bath, but I think he signed a contract to 2017 ?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Pennell must be sick to the back teeth of these rumours.
He's said as recently as this week he's staying at Worcester.


Arscott to Bath would be a good signing.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Hence "very speculatively" - we need a FB and if Pennell was to go on loan somewhere it could be us.
I doubt he's going on loan though.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Why would he? He signed his new contract when it was all but confirmed Worcester were dropping, so he knew he'd be in the championship, and it's not like he's struggling for game time.


With Arscott leaving chiefs, I wonder if they'll start playing Nowell there.

 

[ratsapprentice]

As I say... it's all speculation - this is the rumours thread.

I'm sure that's why he's left - Baxter's said pretty explicitly that the reason Nowell is playing on the wing is because he's better there than Arscott.
He's not really supposed to be a FB/winger (like Watson) that's just how how the circumstances have played out.

 

[SelimNiai]

As I say... it's all speculation - this is the rumours thread.

I'm sure that's why he's left - Baxter's said pretty explicitly that the reason Nowell is playing on the wing is because he's better there than Arscott.
He's not really supposed to be a FB/winger (like Watson) that's just how how the circumstances have played out.

Arscott, in fact both of them, are fullbacks through and through

 

[munstermuffin]

Racing Metro nogal..

Would that mean they are letting Johnny Sexton go or just want to hoard talent at 10. The irritating thing for me is Goosen hasn't proven his Bok credentials yet having been injured on a more or less permanent basis so he is probably not likely to be a Bok further than the few caps he has under his name.

Was more due to fact they're loosing 2 reserve 10s. Sexton will be only real 10 there so more as a back up 10

 

[Tony Manx]

Was more due to fact they're loosing 2 reserve 10s. Sexton will be only real 10 there so more as a back up 10

And do not forget that Sexton is missing for some 11/12 weeks during the season for INternational duty so they need at least two back ups!

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

And do not forget that Sexton is missing for some 11/12 weeks during the season for INternational duty so they need at least two back ups!

Goosen might be a bad buy then as I think he will be very much in contention for being called up for international duty as well. Thanks for the clarification though, Tony and Munstermuffin.

 

[AFalcon20]

Tommaso Allan to Newcastle Falcons heard it on the Newcastle Falcons forum considering we have Joshua Furno now i would not right it of.

 

[Craftycarperh]

I'm not sure on Hook if we're signing a back we need them to play 13 and Hook hasn't played there for a long time. Definitely worth a look if we can get him on the cheep though unlikely.

I have heard from a reliable source that Hook has signed for Northampton Saints and Luke Chatteris is going to Bath and will be revealed week after next as Perpignon still have a game to play

 

[munstermuffin]

I have heard from a reliable source that Hook has signed for Northampton Saints and Luke Chatteris is going to Bath and will be revealed week after next as Perpignon still have a game to play

2 very interesting moves. Especially Hook. I think Mallinder and Co might be a good formula for him

 

[Craftycarperh]

2 very interesting moves. Especially Hook. I think Mallinder and Co might be a good formula for him

yes very interesting as he can play in a number of positions. And is a long range penalty kicker unlike Myler. He would be a very good addition we dont need many more adding to the squad which will help with the settling in period.