Transfers rumours

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

A lot of Prem teams are going to be after Cokanasiga.

Hopefully he'll come back to his family in Exeter

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Hopefully he'll come back to his family in Exeter

Exeter prob need the most out of the top 4/5/6 clubs IMO.

Short and Woodburn are alright but lack that potential to take it another level.

Not sure about the academy options so can't comment on them.

 

[stus768]

Exeter prob need the most out of the top 4/5/6 clubs IMO.

Short and Woodburn are alright but lack that potential to take it another level.

Not sure about the academy options so can't comment on them.

Yep. Exeter need another game breaker for when nowell is away.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Yep. Exeter need another game breaker for when nowell is away.

Even Nowell isn't a 'game breaker.' He's an excellent player, reliable in defence, reliable under the high ball, reliable kicking game, reliably makes metres whenever he gets the ball, but he'll never set a game alight. That goes for the whole of the Exeter back line. We desperately need some fire power.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Even Nowell isn't a 'game breaker.' He's an excellent player, reliable in defence, reliable under the high ball, reliable kicking game, reliably makes metres whenever he gets the ball, but he'll never set a game alight. That goes for the whole of the Exeter back line. We desperately need some fire power.

I think that's familiarity breeding contempt... he did just that for you guys in Europe last season.

Was making elite teams look silly.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Bristol
Robinson ----> Out
Meyer ----> In

 

[ratsapprentice]

Could see that.

 

[BPM]

Exeter prob need the most out of the top 4/5/6 clubs IMO.

Short and Woodburn are alright but lack that potential to take it another level.

Not sure about the academy options so can't comment on them.

I agree on Short and Woodburn. I wouldn't say Exeter need the most - they have plenty of numbers. Their issue IMO is that the majority of their players are very good club players, but not quite up to international standard. Some like Ewers and Armand are close and it's a blessing for them to have most of their first team squad during international windows, but at the same time, they do lack that final bit of class to really challenge consistently. With one or two more top class players, they would be a real force. If the rumours are true, Kvesic and Morgan would help, but they could do with a top winger or two.

Of the top 4 or 5 clubs, Bath clearly need the most. They're almost the opposite of Exeter. Several top quality players but very little strength in depth.

Northampton confuse me - on paper they have a big squad but they're pretty poor at bringing their acamdey talent through and while Picamoles has been an amazing acquisition, they don't seem to have strengthened in the areas where they are weak/lacking depth - hence Dickinson playing in the 2nd row etc.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Bath are fine for wingers aren't they currently.

Saints maybe to pair up with North.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Bath are fine for wingers aren't they currently.

Saints maybe to pair up with North.

I'd say Bath are the best off as far as wingers go. Watson, Roko and Banahan are all some of the best in the Prem, plus Brew and that New Zealander on his way.

Northampton's a good shout, but maybe Wasps? Seems odd with all their signings, but all they have is Wade, Halai and Bassett, and I really don't rate Bassett much.

With Tuilagi seemingly a lost cause, it also seems like Betham will remain at 13, leaving a bit of a void at Tigers too, bar Pietersen.

 

[RedruthRFC]

Bristol
Robinson ----> Out
Meyer ----> In

Robinson has been suspended pending a review. Martin Haag also linked to the top job.

 

[Groundhog]

Looks like Taute will be going home when his contract is up, but Erasmus may have alluded to trying to get him back after. He's already the preferred man to Saili, which I can understand for sure. With Farrell likely coming in, and the oending emergence of Arnold though we may be ok for centres before too long.

 

[Every Time Ref]

Saw a rumour of Bath approaching Gonzalo Quesada, I think Rugby World was cited as the source. Not sure in what capacity.

 

[SWAGGER]

Read our weekly dose of all the latest Aviva Premiership transfer news and rumours, plus a round-up of all the biggest rugby news stories from around the world with Rugby Digger...

With one big-name Gloucester star confirmed to be leaving at the end of the campaign and three more reportedly on their way out too, the Cherry and Whites squad could have a very different look next season.

Gloucester, despite investing heavily in the likes of Matt Scott, Motu Matu'u and Josh Hohneck, have made a poor start to the Premiership with David Humphreys's men notching up just one win from seven.

And this has led to reports in The Gloucester Citizen that some of the club's biggest names will be on the move next summer.

It has already been confirmed that Greig Laidlaw, the Cherry and Whites captain, will join Clermont Auvergne in the Top 14 next term on a lucrative three-year contract.

Matt Kvesic, Ben Morgan, James Hook, Richard Hibbard and Ross Moriarty could also be joining the Scotland international through the Kingsholm exit door.

Exeter Chiefs are reportedly favourites to sign openside flanker Kvesic, and the player himself is thought to favour a move to Sandy Park as he looks to catch the eye of England boss Eddie Jones.

Morgan, meanwhile, is wanted by Leicester Tigers, who have missed the presence of a bulldozing No 8 since Thomas Waldrom left for Exeter.

There is also uncertainty surrounding the futures of Welsh trio Hook, Hibbard and Moriarty. Wales Online has suggested Bath and Ospreys and interested in Hook, who can play at fly-half, full-back and in the centres, while the Ospreys are also sounding out the possible return of hooker Hibbard, who left for Kingsholm in 2014.

"The nature of professional rugby is that rugby players do move," Humphreys told The Citizen. "A few years ago, they didn't move so much which is why there wasn't so much speculation."

Moriarty has been one of Gloucester's most consistent players and, in a thus far disappointing campaign, has put in a number of stand-out performances. With Wales boss Warren Gatland constantly beating the drum for Welsh internationals to be playing their rugby in Wales, the Scarlets have emerged as a possible destination for the 22-year-old back-row forward.

The Welsh region's head coach, Wayne Pivac, told BBC Wales: "He is a very fine young player. If he wanted to come to the Scarlets, I would be very keen to investigate that further."

All this potential upheaval means Gloucester will need to start scouting for replacements. Wasps scrum-half Joe Simpson has been touted as Laidlaw's successor for the No 9 shirt. Simpson has England ambitions but has dropped behind Dan Robson in the Wasps pecking order and needs to be playing first-team rugby from the start on a consistent basis if he is to challenge Ben Youngs, Danny Care and Robson for an England jersey.

Ospreys openside Sam Underhill, who England have earmarked as a player of great interest, is seen as a like-for-like replacement for Kvesic, while in the back line free-scoring Castleford Tigers winger Denny Solomona could make the hop from league to union and slot in at centre or full-back. Solomona has been compared to Australia convert Israel Folau.

While the ins and outs at Gloucester will wait until the summer, over at Bristol the revolving door has already started swinging. Director of rugby Andy Robinson has been suspended following a dreadful start to the season - nine successive defeats - and Heyneke Meyer has emerged as the leading candidate to replace him.

Meyer, the former South Africa head coach, who has experience of coaching in the Premiership with Leicester, heads a shortlist that also includes former Bath director of rugby Gary Gold.

Should Meyer be brought in, he could bring Eben Etzebeth with him on a short-term deal. The towering South Africa lock had been linked with a similar move to Saracens, but that fell through. Now Pundit Arena claims Bristol have been in contact with several leading international players over the last few weeks, including Springbok Etzebeth, who is currently in the UK for South Africa's northern hemisphere tour and will start on the bench for the Boks against the Barbarians at Wembley on Saturday.

It has been suggested the 25 year-old would earn £40,000 per game during a short-term stay lasting just six matches. It sounds crazy, but Bristol are in need of a quick, quality fix.

The Bristol Post confirms that the club are looking to bolster their playing ranks before the Aviva Premiership clash with Bath later this month.

New Zealander Jason Woodward, a recent Super Rugby recruit, will be in place before the Premiership trip to The Rec on November 18, and others 'could arrive shortly'.

Saracens remain on the look-out for a new lock recruit following injuries to George Kruis and Maro Itoje and Waratahs and Wallabies star Will Skelton is the front
"Skelton is one of the players we are looking at," said Saracens' director of rugby, Mark McCall. "We are not looking for someone who is ordinary."

Sarries have also been linked with a move for former Bath flanker Carl Fearns, who is currently plying his trade with Lyon in France.

Elsewhere, Argentina back-rower Pablo Matera is supposedly being head hunted by his former club Leicester. Currently signed to Super Rugby outfit the Jaguares, he spent a couple of years at the Tigers earlier in his career.

Northampton could be looking for a new No 10 for next season after reports JJ Hanrahan is returning to Munster and after London Irish's relegation last season, World-Cup winning New Zealand tighthead Ben Franks is being tipped to join Bath.

And finally, new Toulon boss Mike Ford has insisted the Top 14 big-spenders will not try to sign England fly-half George Ford - a move which would make him ineligible for England.

Ford snr told The Mirror: "George will never, ever, give up playing for England. It is his desire to play for his country for many years to come."

Telegraph

 

[welshglory]

Cheers.

Saves me using up one of my 10 free articles lol

 

[ratsapprentice]

Solomona to Sale seems to a be a done deal.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

As does Fearns to Glous, a shame as Tigers and Sarries would of been better for him IMO.

 

[will311293]

If Irish don't want him id happily take Cokanasiga at Wasps haha

 

[ratsapprentice]

Apparently that was taken outside Solomona's house :lol:

 

[TRF_Olyy]

He's posted a snapchat of him at Carrington today as well, so seems it's done