George Ford signs for Bath?

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Read in the mail that George Ford has signed for bath for next season? This sounds like a done deal which would bring him to the club where his dad coaches. Not sure what to think about this one, bath already have an excellent young fly half in tom heathcote however Stephen Donald has been a waste of money and will need replacing. There's no doubt George has buckets of talent but also has a lot of developing to do and bath are notoriously poor at bringing players along. If it works out George will be starting a lot more games and bath will have a quality English flyhalf, if it doesn't bath will have a big dent in the salary cap on an overhyped, undersized young flyhalf.

Please not Myler. I'd rather we invested the spare cash into a classy 12 with enough experience to guide our attack in the big games. Rob Miller would be an ideal signing if that were possible.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Please not Myler. I'd rather we invested the spare cash into a classy 12 with enough experience to guide our attack in the big games. Rob Miller would be an ideal signing if that were possible.

Agree that a quality 12, like Mauger, would be great but impossible with the cap. Yes Tigers are losing some big names this summer but I think re-signing Mafi, Parling, Youngs etc. will have used all the cash!! I understand why you are anti- Myler but I think he could do a good job for Tigers and would be a perfect fit given the circumstances.

If Castro goes we will have a serious war chest. Remember Thorpe, Chuter, Murphy, Hamilton and Young are all going. We signed Chaves a young EQ lock and Mele a kicking French 9/10. We have retained both Youngs, Parling, Mafi etc but even if we gave all six (I can't remember how many we actually re-signed) first teamers 20k increases in wages that is 120k Murphy must be on more than that alone.

Can't help but think that Myler is way off the quality needed for your second choice fly half. If Tigers do ever want to have serious aspirations in Europe and at home then they need quality at key positions and as Flood breaks at least twice a season that means your cover at 10 needs to be very good.

Letting Castro go would help some what with the money, maybe you could take a little bit of focus off the pack and put some of that on the backs instead? There has to be a good quality SuperRugby 10/12 waiting to be picked up.

Castro, Murphy and Chuter between them must give you about £500k to play with surely.

yappysnap wrote:Castro, Murphy and Chuter between them must give you about £500k to play with surely.

Not convinced there would be that much left after players re-signing but I don't know any figures.

T.Youngs and Parling both signed their previous contracts before becoming internationals so they both will have had big increases. Mafi and Morris have improved a lot and attracted the interest of French/ Japanese clubs and Leinster respectively. Kitchener, Salvi and Ben Youngs will have received the normal salary increase. If Castro, Chuter and Brookes go a new solid TH and, possibly, a hooker will be needed, even though Balmain and Stevens are coming through. A back-up 7, ideally Kvesic but Poff and Gibson have been linked, is high up the priority list. So I don't think there would be too much left over!!


Bowden would probably become back-up 10 but Myler could do a job as Bowden is more attacking and having another, different, option would help.

Tom Youngs would have had a decent increase as will Parling but we have Thorpe, Joost and Noone to release if exyra funds are needed.

yappysnap wrote:Maybe he meant Miller at Sale? Or else Clegg is only at Leeds for this season (I think) or Andy Goode is in a rich vein of form...

Nope, I meant Myler, from Saints.

Pm76 wrote:

yappysnap wrote:Castro, Murphy and Chuter between them must give you about £500k to play with surely.

Not convinced there would be that much left after players re-signing but I don't know any figures.

T.Youngs and Parling both signed their previous contracts before becoming internationals so they both will have had big increases. Mafi and Morris have improved a lot and attracted the interest of French/ Japanese clubs and Leinster respectively. Kitchener, Salvi and Ben Youngs will have received the normal salary increase. If Castro, Chuter and Brookes go a new solid TH and, possibly, a hooker will be needed, even though Balmain and Stevens are coming through. A back-up 7, ideally Kvesic but Poff and Gibson have been linked, is high up the priority list. So I don't think there would be too much left over!!


Bowden would probably become back-up 10 but Myler could do a job as Bowden is more attacking and having another, different, option would help.

That remains to be seen. Since his appearance, he's done the square route of naff all as far as i'm concerned.

What about Cornwell? I believe he captained the LV team from fly half earlier in the season.
has he played at all in the proper first team?

Nope Cornwall is there in case of an injury crisis or double call up.

Agree Bowden is yet to show much form but at 10 he may fit into the Tigers system better as It's the defensive aspects expected of a Tigers 12 he struggles with.

Bowden hasn't shown much form yet but he's hardly played. He did fairly well vs. Exeter but then got injured, he did pretty well vs. Treviso but it has become clear he cannot fulfill the same role as AA in the centre but Bowden can offer different attributes. He was poor vs. Wasps and Worcester but I don't think he has been given enough consecutive games/ opportunities to establish himself yet.

Based on his LI form he can be a very good 10 for Tigers, hopefully he will take his opportunity over the next 2 weeks.

Bath still deny move for Ford but Cockerill is told by Ford that it's Bath.

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/George-Ford-leave-Leicester-Tigers-Bath-Cockers/story-17939580-detail/story.html

The Mail broke this story on Jan 7th, very naughty of Bath who's denials of any approach seem laughable now.

To be honest it has been suggested ever since his dad joined Bath.


Rob Miller would be a very signing for someone if Sale went down, as would Seymour I think.

Pm76 wrote:Bowden hasn't shown much form yet but he's hardly played. He did fairly well vs. Exeter but then got injured, he did pretty well vs. Treviso but it has become clear he cannot fulfill the same role as AA in the centre but Bowden can offer different attributes. He was poor vs. Wasps and Worcester but I don't think he has been given enough consecutive games/ opportunities to establish himself yet.

Based on his LI form he can be a very good 10 for Tigers, hopefully he will take his opportunity over the next 2 weeks.

Do you think the issue may be that you want all the replacement 12's to just slot in and play like Allan rather then play to their own style? Perhaps that's why its abut of a struggle.

Like wise Skivington at lock having to try to be a new Deacon rather then play to his own strengths.

On the Beeb, Cockerill hints at familial shenanigans, but appears to be prepared to shrug his shoulders and carry on despite Ford being 'unapproachable' 'til March. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/21171006

Seems that Bath have officially admitted the signing.

yappysnap wrote:

Pm76 wrote:Bowden hasn't shown much form yet but he's hardly played. He did fairly well vs. Exeter but then got injured, he did pretty well vs. Treviso but it has become clear he cannot fulfill the same role as AA in the centre but Bowden can offer different attributes. He was poor vs. Wasps and Worcester but I don't think he has been given enough consecutive games/ opportunities to establish himself yet.

Based on his LI form he can be a very good 10 for Tigers, hopefully he will take his opportunity over the next 2 weeks.

Do you think the issue may be that you want all the replacement 12's to just slot in and play like Allan rather then play to their own style? Perhaps that's why its abut of a struggle.

Like wise Skivington at lock having to try to be a new Deacon rather then play to his own strengths.

I agree completely. But that is how the coaches try to play!! Bowden has been expected to tackle, organise the defence and carry hard which aren't his strengths, the 12 role at Tigers is perfect for Allen and the Deacon comparison is valid. Both are vital cogs in the side however and Tigers are reliant on them, the Wuss game was a classic example of Bowden trying to be Allen but failing, I would rather Bowden could be himself but it is unlikely. The same problem exists at 9 too, fortunately Slater is developing well and is very similar to Deacon and combinations like Kitchener/ Parling, Mafi/ Croft, Waldrom/ Crane, Tuilagi/ Smith and Morris/ Hamilton are relatively interchangeable despite all the players bringing something slightly different.

I would rather see flexibility from the coaches but Tigers only have one attacking and defensive pattern which is probably our biggest weakness. O'Connor is the achilles heel at the minute but unfortunately he looks set to agree a new contract, I was hoping for Gibson to come in as Backs Coach.