Wasps trio off to france

dave13

Flutey, Haskell and Palmer are all off to france next season
http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2009/0217/haskellj.html

If there's many more off it could seriously impact the premiership and the national team.

Ceartgoleor

Yeah, not that surprised to hear Flutey and Palmer were going, seeing as neither are from the club, and both are coming to the end of the careers, but was shocked to hear wasps didn't do more to hang onto Haskell. Going to Stade Francais to compete for places in a back row that already has Parisse, Bergamasco, Simon Taylor, Leguizamon and Pierre Rabadan amongst others competing for places. Seems stupid.

[Jackass]

Wasps are a team in serious decline. If they don't turn their season around they can be sure to lose more players looking to win trophies. They may even miss out on HEC qualification (possibly, but I wouldn't bet on it). That could well be a first serious nail in the coffin. Reddan may reconsider his options at Leinster and I'm sure lots of other players have been eyed up by teams.

Could be a transition phase, and in terms of European rugby they are a great side and a team I like and would like to see in the latter stages of the HEC often, but at the moment they are in free fall it seems.

Trojan

From http://www.sportinglife.com/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rugby/09/02/17/RUGBYU_Wasps.html

Wasps executive chairman Mark Rigby wrote:

"There is a wider concern that the development of English rugby players will only be hampered as they move away from the Guinness Premiership, which stands as the best domestic league in the northern hemisphere, and regular head to head competition."

I LOL'd.

Diabhal Beag

Money,Money,Money

It will be interesting to see who else follows them to France

Stev_o

Tbh id only really call Flutey a massive loss and he's doing it for the money to join Engerland B.........sorry Brive. Haskell is over-rated and beyond arrogant. Palmer is a useless journey man. It might do Wasps good in the long run of finding a replacement but chances are they will be joint favorites for regulation next year with Leeds .

Again its probably a bigger worry for France as the TOP14 begins to resemble more and more like the Football Premiership and they will suffer big time for it mark my words! Teams like RC Metro and Toulon think they can buy teams and they will be proven wrong (in Toulon's case they were oh so very wrong).

Chucky the tree

Trojan wrote: »

From http://www.sportinglife.com/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rugby/09/02/17/RUGBYU_Wasps.html



I LOL'd.

Because he's right? It's either the Top 14 or GP, I havent seen enough of the top 14 to decide but if you go by HEC then GP is the best. The sooner france implements salary cap the better it will be for the future of their internation team. Obv the longer they dont the better for the Irish.

Gijoe

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Because he's right? It's either the Top 14 or GP, I havent seen enough of the top 14 to decide but if you go by HEC then GP is the best.

Firstly - the whole GP, T14, ML - which is best debate is pointless but if you are using the HEC as the baromtere then the ML is the best with 4 teams out of 8. Anyway, its pointless.

Never mind the English national team suffering if this is a sign of things to come. Where are all the up and coming French players going to get a game if foreign players take up places at the clubs. I think French clubs might have to start adapting a foreign player quota or introduce salary caps as you suggested.

Stev_o

Gijoe wrote: »

Firstly - the whole GP, T14, ML - which is best debate is pointless but if you are using the HEC as the baromtere then the ML is the best with 4 teams out of 8. Anyway, its pointless.

Never mind the English national team suffering if this is a sign of things to come. Where are all the up and coming French players going to get a game if foreign players take up places at the clubs. I think French clubs might have to start adapting a foreign player quota or introduce salary caps as you suggested.

English teams that have won the EC=6
French=4
Irish=3

There's always two sides to a story you know.

Chucky the tree

Gijoe wrote: »

Firstly - the whole GP, T14, ML - which is best debate is pointless but if you are using the HEC as the baromtere then the ML is the best with 4 teams out of 8. Anyway, its pointless.

Never mind the English national team suffering if this is a sign of things to come. Where are all the up and coming French players going to get a game if foreign players take up places at the clubs. I think French clubs might have to start adapting a foreign player quota or introduce salary caps as you suggested.

ML is clearly the worst. The majority of teams who do well in the HEC dont care about the ML and happily scarifice it in faovur on the HEC. The fact that the only ML to win it is Munster and Ulster* says it all. ML might do well in making it out of the group but they rarely make it to the semi's or finals at the same rate the GP and top 14 teams do.

Aidric

Flutey impresses every time I see him, a hell of an acquisition for Brive.

Stev_o

Aidric wrote: »

Flutey impresses every time I see him, a hell of an acquisition for Brive.

It's not Brive it's English Foreign Legion, i remember watching the Challenge Cup match of them against Newcastle away and i sware to god there was only 2 French players on the pitch the rest being English expats.

razorblunt

I'd imagine Stade Francai will lose some of their current backrow, possibly Taylor and Bergamasco.

Palmer is no loss at all, Haskell might be but has a huge arrogance problem, move to France might sort him out.

Stupido

cheerio cheerio cheerio........:D:D:D

anonymous_joe

Before everyone starts ragging on the English players and loyalty, lots of rugby players do go abroad to experience a new culture. Magnus Lund mar shampla.

With Haskell it's simple, someone offered him more money for the same job. I'd have done the same as him, so would anyone else.

Teg Veece

Gah, have ye seen this?

http://www.jameshaskell.com/

For some real cringe-worthy, Zoolander-esque pics , check out the gallery...

skregs

Guinness Prem is muck in fairness. Serious decline in quality over the last few years with the England national team fighting for control over players against the clubs. England doesn't have a big enough audience at club level to compete in the modern professional age, they'll start leaching players to foreign clubs and the GP will fall apart.
They probably won't even bother to try fixing it because they still think its 2003 and that English clubs can still win the HC

Chucky the tree

thomond2006 wrote: »

I 1000% agree.

I saw Haskell on SSN talking about wanting a "new challenge". Total and utter BS.

Unlike Irish players, English players have NO sense of loyalty to their club. Haskell thinks he is "the one", you can tell that by his tone of voice. If there is any justice, his betrayed coach McGeechan should tell him to go f**k himself for a Lions spot. Rugby has no place for traitors. He only left for France because of the money.

For us Irish fans, we should appreciate that world class players like ROG, David Wallace or BOD would not think twice about moving abroad for selfish reasons.

Look at Doug Howlett, he is being paid 850,000 euro for 2 and a half years, but he gives 110% every week and would die for the red jersey. He is not coming over for a pay cheque. He wants to play top level rugby and further his career, not swan about in Paris like dumbass Haskell.

With Haskell's posh accent, he should play cricket instead, a real nancy boys' game.:D:D

Jesus, What a load of ****ing bull****. Are you best mates with Haskell or did you just ring him up randomly and ask him if he's just going for the money? I suppose during this conversation he told he was going to swan about France and not bother putting any effort in yea?:rolleyes:


and then once you got off the phone to haskell you rang BOD, ROG and Wallace up aswell to ask them why they wouldnt ever leave Ireland? :pac: I think you'll find that if the IRFU introduced a salary cap that players like BOD, ROG etc would have a long hard think about staying. Infact BOD already has thought about moving to france. lol, of course Howlett didnt come over for the pay cheque, it was the great weather wasnt it? I find it comical how a player whos on 400k a year is considered a legend in your eyes for giving it a 110% every week. Plenty of Munster/Leinster/Rugby players do that on far less money. What reaons do you think Howlett left New Zeland? Because he's had a life long dream to player with Munster? Gimme a break. He's no more a traitor then Haskell if we're to use your logic.

Noopti

thomond2006 wrote: »

I 1000% agree.

I saw Haskell on SSN talking about wanting a "new challenge". Total and utter BS.

Unlike Irish players, English players have NO sense of loyalty to their club. Haskell thinks he is "the one", you can tell that by his tone of voice. If there is any justice, his betrayed coach McGeechan should tell him to go f**k himself for a Lions spot. Rugby has no place for traitors. He only left for France because of the money.

For us Irish fans, we should appreciate that world class players like ROG, David Wallace or BOD would not think twice about moving abroad for selfish reasons.

Look at Doug Howlett, he is being paid 850,000 euro for 2 and a half years, but he gives 110% every week and would die for the red jersey. He is not coming over for a pay cheque. He wants to play top level rugby and further his career, not swan about in Paris like dumbass Haskell.

With Haskell's posh accent, he should play cricket instead, a real nancy boys' game.:D:D

Oh please! lol


Although I do think Haskell is up his own arse, will you quit the "traitor", "loyalty" nonsense. He is a young player being offered an opportunity with a massive French side, and the experience should really stand to him. And yes, he will be paid well.

So what. How does it affect you anyway?

The bigger problem here is how many more foreign players will be brought into French clubs and how that in turn will affect their national team in the future.

Stev_o

skregs wrote: »

Guinness Prem is muck in fairness. Serious decline in quality over the last few years with the England national team fighting for control over players against the clubs. England doesn't have a big enough audience at club level to compete in the modern professional age, they'll start leaching players to foreign clubs and the GP will fall apart.
They probably won't even bother to try fixing it because they still think its 2003 and that English clubs can still win the HC

Say what??????? I can only think of two clubs that struggle to put bums on seats and thats London Irish and Scarries. You do realise that they did fill the lower stage of Twickenham during Christmas for Quins vs Leicester and are looking to be able to use the full stadium next year. You do realise places such as the Rec,Welford Road, Franklins Cards and the Shed are constantly filled each week??? Lastly you do realise that England clubs have won more then EC then any other of the nations and Wasps did win it 2 years ago??

Seriously i know this forum gets alot of new users over the 6N period but come on people if your going to post "facts" don't start making them up!

anonymous_joe

Stev_o wrote: »

Say what??????? I can only think of two clubs that struggle to put bums on seats and thats London Irish and Scarries. You do realise that they did fill the lower stage of Twickenham during Christmas for Quins vs Leicester and are looking to be able to use the full stadium next year. You do realise places such as the Rec,Welford Road, Franklins Cards and the Shed are constantly filled each week??? Lastly you do realise that England clubs have won more then EC then any other of the nations and Wasps did win it 2 years ago??

Seriously i know this forum gets alot of new users over the 6N period but come on people if your going to post "facts" don't start making them up!

It's the salary cap that's killing them.

But if they get rid of it, they're scared certain clubs will become too dominant.

Stev_o

anonymous_joe wrote: »

It's the salary cap that's killing them.

But if they get rid of it, they're scared certain clubs will become too dominant.

Think they are more scarred the likes of Bristol and Newcastle will plunge into debt and far beyond (Bristol fans actually had to buy a player for them and sh1te one aswell you'd think they'd know a decent player when they are paying for him ).

anonymous_joe

Stev_o wrote: »

Think they are more scarred the likes of Bristol and Newcastle will plunge into debt and far beyond (Bristol fans actually had to buy a player for them and sh1te one aswell you'd think they'd know a decent player when they are paying for him ).

Yeah, true that.

Well ya see without caps, etc, you'd have Leicester, Quins, etc as unbelievable sides, and then the small ones would be completley wiped out. (Competitively)

Stev_o

anonymous_joe wrote: »

Yeah, true that.

Well ya see without caps, etc, you'd have Leicester, Quins, etc as unbelievable sides, and then the small ones would be completley wiped out. (Competitively)

Yes but i think then the real essence of those clubs will be lost amongst a cloud of foreign players which the likes of Stade are experiencing at the moment. In the long run it'll benefit the English and punish the French.

Chucky the tree

The salary cap is much better for the English national team in the long run. And I'm glad Edwards and gech see it that way aswell, despite them losing 3 good players they still flet the cap is the way to go. The french are the ones who will lose out.

Stev_o

Chucky the tree wrote: »

The salary cap is much better for the English national team in the long run. And I'm glad Edwards and gech see it that way aswell, despite them losing 3 good players they still flet the cap is the way to go. The french are the ones who will lose out.

Jinx

anonymous_joe

Stev_o wrote: »

Yes but i think then the real essence of those clubs will be lost amongst a cloud of foreign players which the likes of Stade are experiencing at the moment. In the long run it'll benefit the English and punish the French.

Ah yeah I know.

Better for us too. A dominant English team could throw money at our best players.

razorblunt

I think this salary cap will help English clubs in the long run as well, it will definitley help bring through young fellas, I mean there really is no need for Betsen or guys like Leo at Wasps.

Can't blame Haskell for leaving really, playing for Stade Francais is a big challenge, far better and tougher league to test himself. It's the Flutey to Brive that is the guy chasing the money.