Transfers rumours

[ratsapprentice]

Exactly^

Houston is great, Burgess is almost certainly going to be an 8.
At 6 we have Fearns, Fa'osiliva, Sisi and Garvey.
At 7 we have Flouw - who is better than Steffon IMO.

 

[Peat]

Armitage would be hugely beneficial for Quins. They play 2 7s already and would benefit enormously from his carrying.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

tha is if Burgess will play 8 if he is in the back row.

TBH you cannot compare Houston with Reed.

Anyway where is Bath main weak link? either they should go for another Prop maybe one who won' be in the 6N's, Hooker mayber but Webber is on form.

Lock's maybe (Retallick or Etzebeth).

15 maybe but they have Watson, Henson and Arscott

 

[TheSaffycen]

I'm not comparing Houston to Read it's just that they don't need an 8. Attwood needs another lock to play alongside, though Garvey isn't bad, so maybe Etzebeth or Du Toit. Bismark would be good or maybe Owen Franks ?

 

[Peat]

Let's be honest, they mightn't need another 8, but if you could sign Kieran Read, you probably would.

 

[ratsapprentice]

9 is the area that is screaming out for a top level upgrade.

Our forwards are pretty good, thanks.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Err... scratching my head at this one TBH

Supposedly imminent - as in, he'll be arriving in the next few days.

Not sure how we'd fit him under the cap?
Just hope that it's a bit more creative than letting people go.

 

[Draggs]

Marquee player? Good player no doubt, but with Louw around it would be a tough fit.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

2nd marquee player ruling doesn't come in until next season - I imagine Bath already have one (Burgess?).
Does raise the salary cap question....and where he'll fit into the side.
Is Flouw back in the country yet? Could Bath have released him to a South African side in the run up to the RWC?

Do Bath have any long long term injuries that will make the player salary cap exempt?

 

[ratsapprentice]

Don't know.

Thinking about it - it's probably best to just wait until we know more.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

What is the ruling on loaned players?

Also I wonder if it does happen if Toulon have put a clause in stating he can't play in the CC?

All if and buts, but who knows what is going on.

Will be really disappointed if the RFU has bent over backwards for him.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Will be really disappointed if the RFU has bent over backwards for him.

As will I.

Lots of potential variables in this - too many to speculate about.

It could potentially be injury cover - that's if Fearns or Garvery's injuries are season ending...

EDIT: Telegraph article saying it could be decided as early as tommorow - and he could arrive before the Glasgow game.

He would be coming in as injury cover for Flouw. (in which case it would open up a huge chunk of the cap for us to pay Steffon)

Sounds permanent - rather than a loan.

Supposedly Boudjellal has handed Laporte the reins to make the decision - and it's thought that rests on whether or not Gorgodze is fit to play for Toulon.

RFU not involved.

*all according to the Tele' article*

 

[TRF_Olyy]

There's a fair few Not Nots knocking about at Bath, so that could be a draw for Steffon - though apparently him and Booth are not the bestest of friends.

Personnel wise I'd say Quins would make the most sense - Wallace isn't playing particularly well, and if Quins want to keep an openside at 6 then Armitage would be a great addition, especially after a stuttering start to the season (though I think tight 5 is their main issue, rather than backrow).
Burger can't play much at Saracens (haven't Drs said he can only play every other week?) and Fraser is pretty injury prone too, so bringing in Steffon could work well there, too.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Didn't Armitage just sign a contract so wouldn't Bath have to pay a transfer fee (can't see Toulon letting him go early) and that transfer would have to be taken out of the cap, starts to get the question of.

Injury fee only covers 1 season so the deal can't be longer when it's signed and he can't therefore be classed as a marquee player because he would be in the AP.

1) Does injury cap cover transfer fee.
2) How much salary cap does Bath have.
3) Are the RFU hands really clean in this?

Honestly imo I can see the RFU hand being very involved in this.

Mind you a fully fit pack of

James
Webber
Wilson
Garvey
Attwood
Armitage
Louw
Burgess/Houston

certainly has some physicality in it.

 

[ratsapprentice]

I believe that the injury cover situation is as follows (could be wrong):

- The player must be injured "long term" (don't know specifically how long)
- His replacement must be in the same position
- The amount of space in the cap freed is the amount the injured player would have taken up

Telegraph article only mentioned the RFU to state that they are not involved.

 

[j'nuh]

Assuming Bath are up to the salary cap (fair assumption I think), I'd guess that the only players on high enough salaries that leaving Bath would give enough room for Armitage, would be Flouw and Burgess? We know Burgess isn't leaving. Is it possible to bring in one player to replace/cover for two?

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

According to the rules the injury cap is a separate 400K not the amount the injured player takes up. so basically if a marquee player gets injured you can't spend that wage if it is over 400K on someone else.

***Injury Replacements: Where a player is injured for 12 weeks or more the Club may apply to the Salary Cap Manager to recruit a replacement player. The replacement player will then be permitted to remain with the Club for the rest of the season. The replacement player's salary for the duration of the dispensation shall sit in a separate £400,000 cap containing the Club's other injury replacements. The Club may not exceed the £400,000 during the salary cap year. In the event that a player is injured and that injury crosses over two Salary Cap years the injured player must be injured for at least the first eight weeks at the start of the year, counted from 1 August.

The application must be made while the player is still injured and the replacement player must be:
•The same position as the injured player; not be deemed to be more experienced than the injured player (i.e. same or less);
•Given a salary which is either comparable or lower than the injured player.

When determining these factors the Salary Cap Manager shall consider the general state of the market for availability of players in that position, the timing of when the cover is required, and any other relevant factors.

So assuming Bath isn't going to spend anymore on injury cover, it means that 400,000K has got to cover the transfer fee (potentially) and the wage.

 

[Tony Manx]

Josh Ovens leaving Bath for Bristol....leaving room for Armitage!!!

Cannot see the need for any transfer fee being payable as the likely scenario here is for Armitage to be loaned to Bath (?) on basis they take over his salary cost so that he can return to Toulon when the RWC is over!!

Good for Toulon as they reduce costs and keep player happy as obviously holds a strong ambition to play for England plus, from what I have seen of him, he has not been as hot this season as was the season before last especially - so is he a great loss at the moment? Mind you, having seen them play at the weekend, the back row that is left at Toulon is not that great filled as it is with geriatrics!!!

 

[TheSaffycen]

I agree with the idea that Louw will be moving back to SA. I must be honest I dont know if I like this, I bet he comes over just to play in the RWC then ****s off again.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Would laugh if he did come across and Lancs didn't pick him.
"I thought you said you were French now?".