Transfer news, rumours, suggestions, frenzied speculation, and outright lies - Season 2023-24

[FKAS]

List of 23/24 Ealing Trailfinders Leavers:

Rhys Anstey
Jordan Burns
James Cordy-Redden
Luke Daniels
Andrew Davidson
Harry Dugmore
Tom Georgiou
James Gibbons
Josh Gillespie
Will Goodrick-Clarke
Richard Hardwick
Tom Hitchcock
Dan Hiscocks
Jonah Holmes
Pat Howard
Ross Kane
Cian Kelleher
Dan Lancaster
Simon Linsell
Kevin O'Byrne
David O'Connor
Jimmy Roots
Steven Shingler

[Puja]

Son of Burt leaving - wonder if he's got another gig or if he's another player caught in the market contraction.

The Rugby Paper reckons that May to Saracens is being talked through currently. Would make sense for Sarries as he's still a very handy player, although I was expecting May to go get a pension top-up in Japan or ProD2.

Puja

[Captainhaircut]

It would be an absolutely dreadful signing for Sarries.

This season should have taught them that in the modern game, you can’t have wingers who offer zero X factor or point of difference. You’d have think they learned from rocking up at Bordeaux twice with a Goode, Maitland, Daly back 3.

May is well past his best and dropping very fast. He did well to make his game more than about raw pace but in reality he only got the jogger facets of his game up to a solid level. Now his pace his gone, he’s just average across the board.

[FKAS]

The May to Sarries rumour has been doing the rounds for a while. It would be very Sarries to sign him on a cheaper contract and then squeeze out a few final decent performances. Having said that on recent form he's probably signing for Tigers...

Sarries back three resources will need restocking. Goode isn't getting any younger, Lewington and Maitland are retiring and Ben Harris is off to Ealing. Leaves them with Segun, Daly, Parton and 36 year old Goode. Cinti could slide over to the wing I suppose. Dom Morris off and replaced by Sam Spink so centre should have numbers. Toby Elliott getting a go from the development squad?

Given all Vunipolae and Farrell head up 24 leavers for Sarries you'd have thought they'd be more than the 5 incoming even with squad trimming and development squad clearouts.

[Puja]

https://www.bathrugby.com/content/jonke ... leave-bath

Jonker, Schoeman, Verden and Wright to leave Bath.
Surely that's not all?

Cloete and GJVV announced as retiring at the end of the season.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

Yup, and I'd forgotten already that McNally had a solo announcement.
Expect another solo announcement for Stooke (though as a short-term cover, he may not get any announcement at all).

Otherwise, the player's we've not heard anything about are (if I've got this right):
Obano, Cordwell
Dunn, Faiva
Du Toit
Richards, Roux
Hill, Barbeary
Spencer, Carr-Smith
Russell
Lawrence, Butt

Of those, Cordwell, Roux, Carr-Smith and Butt might have been expected to have something said about them, but all may well have another year.

[FKAS]

https://x.com/RugbyOnlooker/status/1793 ... InUyA&s=19

Dunno how reliable this one is but Watson has had talks with Saints and a London club (presumably Sarries).

[Adam_P]

Can't see why Saints would need him, and he doesn't really fit the usual blueprint of most of our signings of 'young with potential'

[Puja]

https://x.com/RugbyOnlooker/status/1793 ... InUyA&s=19

Dunno how reliable this one is but Watson has had talks with Saints and a London club (presumably Sarries).

Unsure how I feel about it. We're hardly flush with wingers and it'd be galling for him to piss off just as he comes back to fitness but, on the other hand, it's been so long since he's been fit that it's almost like he went ages ago.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

It’s hard to think why anybody would look at him as being good value for money, unless the central contract thing takes care of that?

I’d be torn seeing him come back to his prime, but doing it for fucking Sarries.

[FKAS]

England covered his salary during the world cup period. After that Tigers picked up the tab. He's supposed to be under contract for another season so if he's talking to other clubs I presume Tigers have said he can go if he wants. It would free up a chunk of cash from next year's budget and we could probably bring in two solid wingers for what he's on. As Puja says we are short on options.

Saints doesn't make much sense but Sarries very much does as Watson has said he'd prefer to be closer to home and Sarries are losing three wingers this off season.

[Puja]

Mercer backtracking and explaining on comment that he was "done with England for now": https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union ... land-tour/

Bit of a puff piece, but good that Mercer is looking to downplay his comments.

Puja

[FKAS]

Looks like Mercer's agent set it up but he does come across well in it. Good to hear Borthwick has dumped him out of the squad entirely. Competition at 8 is brutal at the minute.

[Mikey Brown]

Good to hear Borthwick has dumped him out of the squad entirely.

In what sense? Because of how he is playing or because of the comments?

It seemed like a dumb thing to say purely because it's so open to (mis)interpretation. I don't know if there's video of it, or any way of being clearer whether it was a "f**k you Borthwick" or "onbiously I'm not in his plans, I'm trying not to think about it" statement.

[FKAS]

Good to hear Borthwick has dumped him out of the squad entirely.

In what sense? Because of how he is playing or because of the comments?

It seemed like a dumb thing to say purely because it's so open to (mis)interpretation. I don't know if there's video of it, or any way of being clearer whether it was a "f**k you Borthwick" or "onbiously I'm not in his plans, I'm trying not to think about it" statement.

I meant hasn't. Typo.

Potentially an exciting player for England if he can show the all action displays in defence as well as attack.

[FKAS]

Will Addison rejoins Sale, presumably as the Sam James replacement in the utility back role.

[Banquo]

Will Addison rejoins Sale, presumably as the Sam James replacement in the utility back role.

odd really, as he is older than James and has been injured for 2 years.

[Mikey Brown]

Will Addison rejoins Sale, presumably as the Sam James replacement in the utility back role.

odd really, as he is older than James and has been injured for 2 years.

I can’t believe he isn’t older to be honest. I assumed he had retired. Googled him and found some potato footage of a try he scored against Quins in 2012.

[FKAS]

I imagine he's cost effective and has regained his EQ status by now so counts towards the quota. He's only 31 so could in theory have a couple of years left if not completely broken.

[FKAS]

Aaron Hinckley will be playing for Coventry in the Championship next season.

[Which Tyler]

Semesa Rokoduguni has signed for Doncaster

[FKAS]

Semesa Rokoduguni has signed for Doncaster

36 now but I bet he's still got enough in the tank to terrify some Championship defences.

[Banquo]

Aaron Hinckley will be playing for Coventry in the Championship next season.

bloody hell. him and kvesic and nayolo pretty formidable back row

[FKAS]

Aaron Hinckley will be playing for Coventry in the Championship next season.

bloody hell. him and kvesic and nayolo pretty formidable back row

Last year's player of the season Tom Ball as well as Daniel Okeke coming over from Munster's training squad as well.

[Banquo]

Aaron Hinckley will be playing for Coventry in the Championship next season.

bloody hell. him and kvesic and nayolo pretty formidable back row

Last year's player of the season Tom Ball as well as Daniel Okeke coming over from Munster's training squad as well.

Sharp digging deep.