Transfers 2014/2015 Season

First topic message reminder :

Well silly season is almost upon us so thought I would keep tabs on the comings and goings.  Will put the confirmed transfers, unconfirmed transfers (rumours) and out of contract players into various columns.  Please post any news or rumours and I will keep the original post updated.

Confirmed
Jon Davies (Scarlets) to Clermont
Regan King (Clermont) to Scarlets
Ian Evans (Ospreys) to Toulon
John Afoa (Ulster) to Gloucester
Rory Kockott (Castres) to Toulon (reportedly trying to cancel deal to stay at Castres)
Richard Hibbard (Ospreys) to Gloucester
Mamuka Gorgodze (Montpellier) to Toulon
Sebastien Vahaamahina (Perpignan) to Clermont
Guilhem Guirado (Perpignan) to Toulon
Robin Copeland (Blues) to Munster
Armitev (Northampton) to Russia (unconfirmed club)
Qera (Gloucester) to Toulouse
Casey Laulala (Munster to France (Club unconfirmed but thought to be Racing Metro)
Tom Court (Ulster) to London Irish
Andre Pretorius (Blues) to Worcester
Zac Guildford (New Zealand) to Clermont
Sivivatu (Clermont) to Castres
Aled Brew (Biarritz) to Dragons
Lee Byrne (Clermont) to Dragons
Dwayne Peel (Sale) to Bristol
Thomas Waldrom (Leicester) to Exeter
Dan Evans (Dragons) to Ospreys
Ieuan Jones (Dragons) to Blues
Jean-Philippe Genevois (Biarritz) to Perpignan
Benoit Cabello (Clermont) to Perpignan
Sakiusa Matadigo (Racing) to Perpignan
Jonathan Wisniewski (Racing) to Grenoble
Leigh Halfpenny (Blues) to Toulon
Josh Turnbull (Scarlets) to Blues
Nick Abendanon (Bath) to Clermont
Anthony Perenise (Bath) to Bristol
Craig Mitchell (Exeter) to Blues
Hoani Tui (Exeter) to Lyon
Tavis Knoyle (Gloucester) to Blues
Marland Yarde (London Irish) to Harlequins
Neil Cochrane (Wasps) to Edinburgh
Henry Thomas (Sale) to Bath
Josh Matavesi (Worcester) to Ospreys
Nick Auterac (Saracens) to Bath
Boris Stankovich (Leicester) to Dragons
Bradley Davies (Blues) to London Wasps
Moray Low (Glasgow) to Exeter
Chris Cussiter (Glasgow) to Sale
Matt Stevens (Saracens) to Sharks
Sam Smith (Harlequins) to Worcester
James Gaskell (Sale) to Wasps


Unconfirmed
Martin Moore (Leinster) to France
Freddie Burns (Gloucester) to Leicester
Matthew Morgan (Ospreys) to Leicester/Northampton/Dragons
Toby Flood (Leicester) to Toulon/Toulouse
Niki Genova (Leicester) to Castres
Jim Hamilton (Montpellier) to Japan
Anthony Allen (Leicester) to Leinster
Lote Tuquiri (Leinster) to Connacht
Johnnie Beattie (Montpellier) to Castres
Brice Dulin (Castres) to Racing Metro
Antonie Claassen (Castres) to Racing Metro
Eion Griffin (Connacht) to London Irish
Gavin Henson (Bath) to Dragons



Out of Contract
Adam Jones (Ospreys)
Keith Earls (Munster)
Rob Hawkins (Leicester)
Louis Deacon (Leicester)
Daniel Bowden (Leicester)
Scott Hamilton (Leicester)



Retiring
Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster)
Andrew Sheridan (Toulon - unconfirmed)
Steve Borthwick (Saracens)
Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon) - might be playing on for another season.
Sebastien Bruno (Toulon)
George Chuter (Leicester) moving to Worcester coaching
Johann Muller (Ulster)
Mike Tindall (Gloucester - unconfirmed)
Ian Gough (London Irish - unconfirmed)
Will James (Gloucester)

I'm Scrumpy

You're a numpty because you know full well that we are spent up to the cap and that having a 'money bags' owner makes no difference, as we already have a marquee signing. 

Other than Louw, i'd love for you to mention a prem player with that much international and HC experience and capable of making a world XV as regularly as Parisse has in the last 5 years or so. No one else comes close.

I said our back row would be in the top 5 and you've agreed with me by saying Tigers Quins Sarries Saints are better. Thanks for that. I'd disagree that Tigers and Quins are that much better though, if at all. We've already beaten Quins at home and Tigers without Croft and with Crane/Waldrom really struggling aren't the unit they used to be. Sarries and Saints have exceptional units though, agreed.

Its all talk on paper, but the fact is that our back row has been brilliant, as has our pack in general and most would agree with that. We've only come up short a few times, at Sarries away where we played a second team at Sale early in the season and at Saints. I agree Sarries and Saints are much much better sides, but we've competed and won against all the other back rows you've mentioned. We can agree to disagree though.

9 has to be the focus. Getting Parisse is a lovely idea in the world of fantasy rugby that you live in, but wouldn't get the most out of the team. That money would be better spent at 9

Haven't seen this posted already, apologies if it has, but ESPN reporting that they expect Heaslip to reject a move to Toulon and extend his contract in Ireland

http://www.espn.co.uk/rabodirect-pro12-2013-14/rugby/story/211577.html

Bathite just because you disagree with me does not make me a numpty.

I would say there's plenty of backrowers who don't get the hype that Parisse does but are comparable e.g. Robshaw,Brown,Wood,Salvi,Burger.

It's hardly fantasy rugby. It could happen. Bath have the disposal income to bring in someone like him.

Salary cap is being increased to 5m with so much being allowed outside it for academy players and a marquee signing.

maybe it's being increased to get more teams actually within it?  sorry I couldn't resist it

Seems a strange time to do it with the furore over the HEC/Europes future. Surely this move opens the door for a handful of the top English clubs to compete against the french/irish teams whilst drifting further ahead of the rest of the AP....

Heaf wrote:maybe it's being increased to get more teams actually within it?  sorry I couldn't resist it

Probably, Heaf, altho Sarries and Bath would probably still need to trim budgets to get back underneath it!

Is the salary cap increase really good news for English rugby ? Wont add any depth to your Test team and as Racing Metro have proved, you can't buy a succesful team

Think it's a nee jerk reaction to the Canal deal in France.

About half the clubs have wanted a rise in the cap for some time. The BT deal has secured the additional funding to push the policy through the opposition from the other members of the PRL.

Anyone know what the Irish salary cap is?

It is 4 or 6 million?

I don't think there is an Irish salary cap. There's just a finite amount of money to share out to all levels of the game. I heard a good few years ago that the Leinster budget was comparable to the top English teams.

It would seem to me that the big three in Ireland have stronger squads than the top English sides though. But them again they have large catchment area's and produce a lot of home grown players that have incentives to stay other than wages.

4.5m is the figure often bandied around with regard to the provinces.  How much substance there is behind it I don't know.

Feckless Rogue wrote:I don't think there is an Irish salary cap. There's just a finite amount of money to share out to all levels of the game. I heard a good few years ago that the Leinster budget was comparable to the top English teams.

It would seem to me that the big three in Ireland have stronger squads than the top English sides though. But them again they have large catchment area's and produce a lot of home grown players that have incentives to stay other than wages.

h right, i thought i hear they had a salary cap. Similar to what Dodger said

Well they must be getting a bit if they are chasing of the likes of Toulon and Tolouse for Sean O'Brien and Heaslip. Either way good on them

Artful_Dodger wrote:4.5m is the figure often bandied around with regard to the provinces.  How much substance there is behind it I don't know.

Connact(Forgive my spelling) must be well short of that then?

Driver wrote:

Artful_Dodger wrote:4.5m is the figure often bandied around with regard to the provinces.  How much substance there is behind it I don't know.

Connact(Forgive my spelling) must be well short of that then?

Yes thats was the only thing confusing me but if there is no salary cap then.........

They are in a massive debt at the moment as well aren't they

I can't imagine them having a fair share though when they're best players are constantly moving on. 

I can only think of Clarke , Parks and McSharry who'll be on a fair wedge. Won't the IRFU fund there internationals wages or at least subsidise them?

munkian wrote:Is the salary cap increase really good news for English rugby ? Wont add any depth to your  Test team and as Racing Metro have proved, you can't buy a succesful team

Is this a wum or just the angle of attack that all celts come in at now?

Depth to the test team? This is for the clubs, the National team isnt the be all end all. You may not be able to buy a successful team, but at least you can actually afford to keep your players.

The RFU fund 'x' amount of a EPS wage so in theory the clubs could double they're England players wage with the RFU paying a extra 20% on top so they'd get a 70% wage hike.

Given that top player wages are inflating at over 5% a year a bi-annual increase of 10% on the salary cap is hardly earth shattering news. Arguably its a real terms decrease for the top Jeff clubs.
There is additional cash coming in from new TV deals to cover the extra spend, or at least keep loses on roughly the same level they are now.

Feckless Rogue wrote:I don't think there is an Irish salary cap. There's just a finite amount of money to share out to all levels of the game. I heard a good few years ago that the Leinster budget was comparable to the top English teams.

It would seem to me that the big three in Ireland have stronger squads than the top English sides though. But them again they have large catchment area's and produce a lot of home grown players that have incentives to stay other than wages.

i have heard similarly that leinsters budget was comparable with top AP sides. but that's a huge advantage, when your dometic league (rabo) is optional, and qualification to the HC is automatic. because english sides have to compete very hard when the AIs and 6Ns are on. so if they have intl players, they also need to pay for quality non-intl or ex-intl players to be competitive in the AP.

nathan wrote:

munkian wrote:Is the salary cap increase really good news for English rugby ? Wont add any depth to your  Test team and as Racing Metro have proved, you can't buy a succesful team

Is this a wum or just the angle of attack that all celts come in at now?

Depth to the test team? This is for the clubs, the National team isnt the be all end all. You may not be able to buy a successful team, but at least you can actually afford to keep your players.

Yes, I asked a question about English rugby so therefore I'm automatically dismissed as a WUM   Seriously, whats is the point of this board anymore ?

Look, the salary cap officially 'goes up', more star players are tempted over to the Aviva playing in key positions that young up and coming English players could be in - come test time, lose a few of your shoe in players - who replaces them ? I was chatting to an English mate the other day and he said the reason that England hadn't shone much in the six nations between 2004 and 2009 is that there was a distinct lack of depth at test level due to so many overpaid journeymen in the Aviva (Guinness)

You're not exactly blessed with experienced fly halves at the moment and there is talk of converting Marler to tighhead (or vice versa) - would this problem become more pronounced if more foreign stars where brought in ?

Not sure if it has been mentioned on here yet, but there's a very strong rumour that Abendanon is going to Clermont at the end of the season, even though he is under contract

Nathan Hines to Sale needs updating in the confirmed section as well

Is a 37 year old really a 'coup' ? Heard the Abendanon thing myself, too

 Dave Ewers signs on for another two years at Exe

So that just leaves:

Out of Contract in summer 2014:

Tom Cowan-Dickie, 1yr
Romana Graham, 1yr
Kai Horstmann, 1yr
James Phillips, 1yr
Jason Shoemark, 1yr
Ceri Sweeney, 1yr
Haydn Thomas, 1yr

I would imagine that one of Kai H or James Phillips will move on. Haydn is getting on a bit, but would be great back-up and still has plenty to offer while Stu Townsend continues his development. Has Romana Graham done enough to cement the 5th lock spot (Mumm-Welch-Hanks-Carrick-Smith)? A couple more LV= run-outs should tell. I would imagine that Ceri Sweeney will be on his way as Henry has developed perhaps more quickly than expected, but we'll need another 10 to replace him and compete with Steeno and Henry. I'd love to see Shoey get another year even if he isn't getting any younger, as I feel he's still got a contribution to make, particularly in bringing on Sam Hill. Not sure about Tom Cowan-Dickie - the older of the C-D lads has been playing at loosehead for Albion, but we're reasonably well covered in that position with Mooner, Carl Rimmer and Sturge. I guess if Brett struggles to recover from his recent nasty injury, TC-D may get the nod

Now confirmed that Henry Thomas is going to Bath. Also Auterac the young LH joining from Sarries.

http://www.bathrugby.com/news/team-news/bath-rugby-bolster-front-row-with-two-young-guns

Anyone know anything about Auterac? Can't say I do! Beschocked?

Bathite. Well to be fair your own Bath webpage does a pretty good job.

I wish him all the best. He's not had too many opportunities at Saracens to push for 1st team duties - he's been behind Mako,Gill and now Barrington.

From his perspective and an England perspective - moving to Bath could be a smart move.

See if he can get opportunities at Bath.

I would say that getting Henry Thomas is the far bigger coup though.


Bath's recruit has become far more canny than when you were signing Tiger's rejects.

Got to say - fair play.  

Yeah I can read the article mate, just thought you might have some insight other than the usual pitter patter as you're such a big Sarries fan. Is he a good scrummager? Is he a strong carrier? What is his scrummaging technique? Has he adapted to new laws or does he rely on size?

Those days are long gone, with the dinosaur that is Geech. Previous to that we recruited well as well, it was his era that was a short blip

He'll be third choice for us, behind James and Catt. He'll replace Charlie Beech (another Geech signing - actually his son in law!) to become 3rd choice. Just nice to have young English signings again, following a summer recruitment of the same policy

munkian wrote:Is a 37 year old really a 'coup' ? Heard the Abendanon  thing myself, too

Hines is still actually pretty good though!

Bathite wrote:Yeah I can read the article mate, just thought you might have some insight other than the usual pitter patter as you're such a big Sarries fan. Is he a good scrummager? Is he a strong carrier? What is his scrummaging technique? Has he adapted to new laws or does he rely on size?

Those days are long gone, with the dinosaur that is Geech. Previous to that we recruited well as well, it was his era that was a short blip

Sorry Bathite but to be honest I am not sure. He's not played much for us this season but he's never really stood out in my opinion when I have seen him.

Strangely enough he's one of the players I can't really give a description of.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/10591534/Leigh-Halfpenny-signs-for-Toulon-from-Cardiff-Blues.html

Halfpenny gone?

Henry Thomas is an excellent signing for Bath - no idea why he'd want to play second fiddle to Davie Wilson when he could have been starting for Exe tho!

He's got plenty of work to do on his scrummaging, but I think we've got the perfect coaching set up to improve him. If you look at how much Perenise has come on this year, he's incredibly solid now and was terrible 12 months ago

He grew up in Bath and supported them at school etc, so that may have had something to do with it...

Reuters are reporting that Halfpenny has signed for Toulon!

Wales coach Warren Gatland has expressed his concern with the growing number of British-based players who are flocking to France, but admits the lure of financial reward is simply too tempting to refuse.

Several of Wales coach Gatland's squad - players like Jamie Roberts, Mike Phillips, Dan Lydiate, Luke Charteris and James Hook - currently ply their trade in France, while centre Jonathan Davies will join Clermont Auvergne next season and full-back Leigh Halfpenny looks poised for Toulon.

A lucrative new television deal, meanwhile, recently signed between France's Ligue Nationale de Rugby and Canal+, looks set to considerably enhance French clubs' spending power.

"Ideally, we would like players playing in Wales, but I am under no illusions, given the success of the Wales team and some players with the Lions. We've got a group of world-class players," Gatland said.

"I had a conversation with a player this week. He has been made a really attractive offer that is comparable to any offer an English side would make him, but when he is being offered double the money to go to France, it is hard for a player to turn away from those sort of opportunities, given his limited time in the game.

I thought Gatland was encouraging them to go?

http://www.espn.co.uk/wales/rugby/story/211903.html

1/2P on £395k per annum allegedly.

ChequeredJersey wrote:

munkian wrote:Is a 37 year old really a 'coup' ? Heard the Abendanon  thing myself, too

Hines is still actually pretty good though!

Absolutely. We'd take him in a flash and I'm pretty sure Quins would gladly welcome him. In fact I'd say all teams bar Tigers and Bath, who have a plethora of locks, would consider him a coup.

If Wilko extends for another year, it looks like he will want to keep kicking duties. If I was a Welsh supporter, I'd want Halfpenny taking goal kicks for his club to maintain his rhythm. Actually, given his record, if I was a Toulon supporter, I'd probably want him to do so too. He has a longer range than Wilkinson.

HongKongCherry wrote:

ChequeredJersey wrote:

munkian wrote:Is a 37 year old really a 'coup' ? Heard the Abendanon  thing myself, too

Hines is still actually pretty good though!

Absolutely. We'd take him in a flash and I'm pretty sure Quins would gladly welcome him.  In fact I'd say all teams bar Tigers and Bath, who have a plethora of locks, would consider him a coup.

We'd still have him definetaly! Not sure we've got a plethora. Attwood is boss, Hooper is club captain, but has his weaknesses, Caldwell out of contract and Day solid option.

quinsforever wrote:http://www.espn.co.uk/wales/rugby/story/211903.html

1/2P on £395k per annum allegedly.

Roger Lewis is on £350,000
Gatland is on circa £370,000

Puts things in to perspective.

Bathite wrote:

HongKongCherry wrote:

ChequeredJersey wrote:

munkian wrote:Is a 37 year old really a 'coup' ? Heard the Abendanon  thing myself, too

Hines is still actually pretty good though!

Absolutely. We'd take him in a flash and I'm pretty sure Quins would gladly welcome him.  In fact I'd say all teams bar Tigers and Bath, who have a plethora of locks, would consider him a coup.

We'd still have him definetaly! Not sure we've got a plethora. Attwood is boss, Hooper is club captain, but has his weaknesses, Caldwell out of contract and Day solid option.

That's 4 better locks than most teams have, but in fairness I was including Garvey in that list; I know he's having a great run of things at 6 for you, but I'd love to see him go to lock permanently. From an England perspective when we have excellent backrow lineout operators in the likes of Wood and croft, we can afford to have 2 bigger locks. I'd love to see Attwood and Garvey at lock together and Attwood has improved his lineout skills enormously, so I feel would be even less of an issue having them both there.

I'd prefer o to see Kitchener and Launchbury in the second row with Garvey at 6 and Slater on the bench. Big and dynamic.

Chunky Norwich wrote:

quinsforever wrote:http://www.espn.co.uk/wales/rugby/story/211903.html

1/2P on £395k per annum allegedly.

Roger Lewis is on £350,000
Gatland is on circa £370,000

Puts things in to perspective.

Rob Andrew only gets £280,000!

At some point I would like Toby Faletau to join his two cousins....