Transfers rumours

[Which Tyler]

TBH i can't think of a top top DoR out there currently whose free.

They can have Stuart Hooper...

 

[will311293]

They can have Stuart Hooper...

I'm not sure Bath Academy (The School) U14's would take him, let alone Saints.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Dom Barrow having a trial at Sale, cover for long-term-injured Philips and Beaumont

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Dom Barrow having a trial at Sale, cover for long-term-injured Philips and Beaumont

And you thought Jasper Wiese is a thug

 

[TRF_Olyy]

And you thought Jasper Wiese is a thug

 

[Mr Burns]

Interesting signing considering he retired a few years ago, feel like he had loads of potential but the Leicester move never really panned out and then it went downhill.

At 6'7 and 120kg plus he's a unit, not many EQP guys with those type of attributes at the mo.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Daily mail talk
Danny Care, Luke Northmore, Alex Dombrandt all signed new contracts with quins
Tigers are in talks with Levani Botia and he wants it's his preferred option
Chris Boyd off end of season
Max Clark to Dragons
Rhys Patchell is being chased by Bath
Also Tigers looking at Gopperth and Steff Hughes

Botia staying at La Rochelle
Dommers new deal
Boyd is gone.

2/3 so far

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Interesting signing considering he retired a few years ago, feel like he had loads of potential but the Leicester move never really panned out and then it went downhill.

At 6'7 and 120kg plus he's a unit, not many EQP guys with those type of attributes at the mo.

Yeah, I imagine it's a bit of a panic signing as Beaumont has had a setback from his injury (infection from surgery, I think?) and Philips is still out after breaking his jaw in pre-season (could be lingering concussion symptoms? took a kick full force to the jaw, cracked it in two)

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Seems an odd appointment, especially when even though everyone thought it would be an internal appointment, thought it would be Vesty.

Saints seem to strike me as a team with some cracking players (Biggar, Hutchingson, Ludlham, Francis, Ribbans etc.) and some hugely talented youngsters (Sleightholme, Grayson, Mitchell, Dingwall etc) but are screaming for a top quality DoR to grab it by the scrum of the neck and give it a way of playing and a unity. Maybe Dowson will do that as former captain but time will tell....

TBH i can't think of a top top DoR out there currently whose free.

We have loads of great talented small players. You look out our backs or forwards compared to other clubs and we are just producing smaller players. We really need our players to get on the South African programme in the off season to bulk up a bit and not get smashed all over the park.

 

[BPM]

I don't think the issue is the size of Saints' players. Most are average and some are well above the average like Painter or Moon.

One of the issues is that Boyd had never really understood the importance of the scrum in the NH. If you added two top quality props, I wouldn't be surprised see you winning more games.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I don't think the issue is the size of Saints' players. Most are average and some are well above the average like Painter or Moon.

One of the issues is that Boyd had never really understood the importance of the scrum in the NH. If you added two top quality props, I wouldn't be surprised see you winning more games.

You look at our normal centre pairing, they are tiny, small arms etc, then we've had T at 8 who is tiny for an 8, usually on top of that we have Wood at 6 who is slim to the max and has been playing Lawes at 5 until more recently.

While painter is big he isn't a regular abs doesn't play 'big'. I'm talking more about the general young players we produce (and rely on), Dingwall, Hutchinson, Collins, Furbank, all look small physically (like arm, chest, leg size etc) compared to other teams.

 

[will311293]

You look at our normal centre pairing, they are tiny, small arms etc, then we've had T at 8 who is tiny for an 8, usually on top of that we have Wood at 6 who is slim to the max and has been playing Lawes at 5 until more recently.

While painter is big he isn't a regular abs doesn't play 'big'. I'm talking more about the general young players we produce (and rely on), Dingwall, Hutchinson, Collins, Furbank, all look small physically (like arm, chest, leg size etc) compared to other teams.

It depends how you deploy them and how you delegate them to play. For example at Wasps, we know we will never out muscule Sarries/Sale/Leicester/Exeter etc so we play around them. Saints always look best when they are playing running rugby and using their smaller mobile players around the pitch.

We know that Barbeary, Shields, J Willis, Young for example aren't huge but they carry like bulldozers and will beat most back rows to the breakdown or in open play.

I think when Saints put out a backrow of Ludlham, Harrison, Augustus for example, that is a seriously good back row. I just think to @BPM point, Saints haven't looked as potent since Reinach left. Mitchell is quality but need to play into his strengths.

 

[BPM]

I'm not really sure where you're going with this? Dingwall punches well above his weight and Furbank and Collins' playing style doesn't lend itself to bulking-up. Other players like Sleightholme and Freeman are fairly big.

If I look at your academy products next to our comparable players at Quins, I would have Sleightholme and Freeman are probably bigger than Murley and Lynagh for example.

Would you rather your academy promoted less skilful players just because they're big?

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I don't think the issue is the size of Saints' players. Most are average and some are well above the average like Painter or Moon.

One of the issues is that Boyd had never really understood the importance of the scrum in the NH. If you added two top quality props, I wouldn't be surprised see you winning more games.

Think there's a good deal of truth in that. The Saints front row / front 5 doesn't intimidate.

Saints fans of a certain vintage must pine for the likes of Pearce, Pagel and more recently Hartley.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I mean Saints had at one time
1. Soane
2. Hartley
3. Mujati
4. Lawes
5. Day

Then they went too
1. Corbs
2. Haywood
3. Ma'afu
4. Manoa
5. Lawes

Crazy how different Saints changed their squad

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Phil Dowson as saints head coach

…….

I thought this was another **** post but just seen it's actually true

 

[duncanb]

I thought this was another **** post but just seen it's actually true

Dawson is DOR Vesty is head coach.
A promotion from within ,time will tell , Boyd to stay in consulting role whatever that maybe.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I'm not really sure where you're going with this? Dingwall punches well above his weight and Furbank and Collins' playing style doesn't lend itself to bulking-up. Other players like Sleightholme and Freeman are fairly big.

If I look at your academy products next to our comparable players at Quins, I would have Sleightholme and Freeman are probably bigger than Murley and Lynagh for example.

Would you rather your academy promoted less skilful players just because they're big?

Where are going with is, a back line without any power doesn't work. We quite often put out Biggar, Francis, Dingwall as a 10,12, 13. Although I massively rate Dingwall and he does pinch above his weight, his weight is still not enough to smash through teams when needed in the British winter.

The posts above about our pack is telling, we used to have one of the best packs in the premiership and now we have
1 Waller - who shouldn't be first choice and isn't that bulky/ strong or super mobile ether
2 Matavasi who's a great young player but he took over first choice from Haywood who again is a small player for a hooker.
3 Hill - not exactly big or strong. Holds his own these days but has been pushed around the park a lot in the last couple of years
4 Ribbons - great player and the correct size
5 - Lawes was just not cutting it and now has been moved to 6 mainly to be fair but now was see Api/ Cole's or Moon (I'm not sure who is second choice and who is playing because of injuries this year). Api and Moon are normal size, Coles is young and has some bulking to do.

I'm probably gone off on a tangent but I'm not saying we need all massive players but we need a balance and at the moment we just don't have that.

 

[Becca]

I thought this was another **** post but just seen it's actually true

Sadly, so did I !

 

[Reiser99]

Dawson is DOR Vesty is head coach.
A promotion from within ,time will tell , Boyd to stay in consulting role whatever that maybe.

Why does this feel again similar to Hooper at Bath. I personally have no idea what Dowson is like, but at 40 having barely retired, it does feel too soon for someone who's not really proven themselves in any meaningful way as far as I know.