Transfers for next season (including transfer rumours!)

thomond2006

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12561_6833878,00.html

I'll start off with Kahn Fotuali'i who has signed a two year deal with the Ospreys. He was one of the players of the autumn internationals with Samoa. It's a serious signing for the Welsh side and Fotuali'i will provide serious competition for Mike Phillip's jersey. The All Blacks were considering capping him before he decided to play with Samoa.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/my_club/ospreys/9434573.stm

Ospreys have also recruited George Stowers from London Irish, boosting their already plentiful riches in the backrow.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/12829737.stm

Looking at the Premiership, Sale Sharks are the side who are rebuilding. Mike Brewer was sacked as coach (apparently he was unpopular among the players) and new coach Steve Diamond wants to make a team based around strong forward play. They are losing Charlie Hodgson to Saracens, Eifion Lewis Roberts to Toulon and Chris Jones to Worcester. They have recruited the likes of Tony Buckley and Taeasa Laeva and another few forwards whose names aren't familar.

phog

thomond2006 wrote: »

Ospreys have also recruited George Stowers from the Ospreys, boosting their already plentiful riches in the backrow.

[

Why would they bother

thomond2006

phog wrote: »

Why would they bother

Oops.

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3824_6832825,00.html

Hurricanes scrum-half Tyson Keats is joining an unnamed Magners League club. What's he like as a player?

irishbucsfan

The Premiership just gets weaker and weaker.

its_phil

Heard for Connacht they are going for Benson Stanley,don't have a link just got it from a very reliable source in Connacht rugby.would be some signing

thomond2006

its_phil wrote: »

Heard for Connacht they are going for Benson Stanley,don't have a link just got it from a very reliable source in Connacht rugby.would be some signing

Wow that would be a big signing. There's a good chance Connacht will be playing HEC next season so that will help Connacht in their negotiations.

I assume Ta'auso is on his way out then? They'll hardly be allowed two NIQ centres.

sock puppet

irishbucsfan wrote: »

The Premiership just gets weaker and weaker.

Seems to be down to the salary cap. They just can't compete financially with the Top 14 or ML sides.

profitius

sock puppet wrote: »

Seems to be down to the salary cap. They just can't compete financially with the Top 14 or ML sides.

Who'd have thought that a few years back.

razorblunt

Chesney was supposed to be joining Sale after agreeing a deal with them but instead has decided to stay with Toulon.

sock puppet

profitius wrote: »

Who'd have thought that a few years back.

Well I'm pretty sure the likes of Leicester and Northampton could afford the marquee names if it was raised or removed. But it'd cripple the smaller clubs.

profitius

sock puppet wrote: »

Well I'm pretty sure the likes of Leicester and Northampton could afford the marquee names if it was raised or removed. But it'd cripple the smaller clubs.

Thats true. It goes to show how weak the league is at the moment in England. Leicester and Northampton are not allowed move forward.

I think they'd be better off raising the salary cap and allow Northampton, Saracens and Leicester put up a greater challenge for the HEC.

Its great for a league when one of their teams are champions of Europe. I had much higher opinion of premiership rugby a few years back when English teams were regularly winning the HEC but not anymore and I bet its the same with English fans.

porterbelly

Connacht rumours in : Benson Stanley (Auckland Blues)
Stewart Maguire (Leinster)
Fetu'u Vainikolo (Otago)

I'm led to believe that the Maguire deal is done, don't quote me on it though. The other 2 are just rumours, but it's nice to be linked to big names, particularly Stanley.

profitius

porterbelly wrote: »

Connacht rumours in : Benson Stanley (Auckland Blues)
Stewart Maguire (Leinster)
Fetu'u Vainikolo (Otago)

I'm led to believe that the Maguire deal is done, don't quote me on it though. The other 2 are just rumours, but it's nice to be linked to big names, particularly Stanley.

Are there many current Connacht players who've not yet signed for next season?

siltirocker

profitius wrote: »

Are there many current Connacht players who've not yet signed for next season?

There is a few actually. A little bird told me that O'Halloran might be on his way south.

profitius

siltirocker wrote: »

There is a few actually. A little bird told me that O'Halloran might be on his way south.

He's potentially a very good player but injury prone. It wouldn't surprise me to see him play international rugby in a few years.

kevin99

porterbelly wrote: »

Connacht rumours in : Benson Stanley (Auckland Blues)
Stewart Maguire (Leinster)
Fetu'u Vainikolo (Otago)

I'm led to believe that the Maguire deal is done, don't quote me on it though. The other 2 are just rumours, but it's nice to be linked to big names, particularly Stanley.

And why would any one here quote you on anything? You are not an official representative from any rugby club. You're contributions here are merely speculative.
Don't worry. I won't be quoting some anonymous contributor to anybody.
I mean who knows you?
In the bar later, I say hey guys. Huddle round me. Got some latest transfer news on the rugger front. Very reliable source too. Porterbelly says x,y and z.
Wow. Well if he has said it, it must be true. Sure he is a mine of information.
Pssst. don't quote me on it. Cos Porterbelly in his contribution to the rugby section of Boards.ie asked us all not to quote him.
Really, yea really. God that guy has his finger on the pulse. Or is it a woman?
Don't know. Just has great sources. But don't quote me on that.

porterbelly

profitius wrote: »

Are there many current Connacht players who've not yet signed for next season?

The confirmed list of players for next season are :

Gavin Duffy
John Muldoon
Johnny O'Connor
Rodney Ah You
Adrian Flavin
Brett Wilkinson
Ronan Loughney
Michael Swift
Mike McCarthy
George Naoupu*
Andrew Browne
Ray Ofisa
Eoghan Grace*
TJ Anderson*
Frank Murphy
Niall O'Connor*
Miah Nikora
Matthew Jarvis*
Keith Matthews
Eoin Griffin
James Loxton*
Mark McCrea*

*New signings

kevin99

porterbelly wrote: »

Connacht rumours in : Benson Stanley (Auckland Blues)
Stewart Maguire (Leinster)
Fetu'u Vainikolo (Otago)

I'm led to believe that the Maguire deal is done, don't quote me on it though. The other 2 are just rumours, but it's nice to be linked to big names, particularly Stanley.

I'm led to believe that tomorrow is Saturday, deffo is. Don't quote me on it though.

bamboozle

porterbelly wrote: »

Connacht rumours in : Benson Stanley (Auckland Blues)
Stewart Maguire (Leinster)
Fetu'u Vainikolo (Otago)

I'm led to believe that the Maguire deal is done, don't quote me on it though. The other 2 are just rumours, but it's nice to be linked to big names, particularly Stanley.

have the 2 young welsh players been confirmed? wasnt there an issue regarding their eligability for Ireland.

porterbelly

kevin99 wrote: »

And why would any one here quote you on anything? You are not an official representative from any rugby club. You're contributions here are merely speculative.
Don't worry. I won't be quoting some anonymous contributor to anybody.
I mean who knows you?
In the bar later, I say hey guys. Huddle round me. Got some latest transfer news on the rugger front. Very reliable source too. Porterbelly says x,y and z.
Wow. Well if he has said it, it must be true. Sure he is a mine of information.
Pssst. don't quote me on it. Cos Porterbelly in his contribution to the rugby section of Boards.ie asked us all not to quote him.
Really, yea really. God that guy has his finger on the pulse. Or is it a woman?
Don't know. Just has great sources. But don't quote me on that.

Christ we're only speculating on what we hear. I don't claim to be any official at Connacht rugby. It's transfer rumour time.

Take a look at the title of the thread 'Transfer Rumours'.

profitius

porterbelly wrote: »

The confirmed list of players for next season are :

Gavin Duffy
John Muldoon
Johnny O'Connor
Rodney Ah You
Adrian Flavin
Brett Wilkinson
Ronan Loughney
Michael Swift
Mike McCarthy
George Naoupu*
Andrew Browne
Ray Ofisa
Eoghan Grace*
TJ Anderson*
Frank Murphy
Niall O'Connor*
Miah Nikora
Matthew Jarvis*
Keith Matthews
Eoin Griffin
James Loxton*
Mark McCrea*

*New signings

Thats 22 there so there should be plenty more signings to come especially from Munster and Leinster.

Hyperbullet

Is Keatley definitely on his way to Munster? So far we've signed Botha from Ulster which is a great signing.

jolley123

James Hook to Perpignan
David Skrela to Clermont
Sean Cronin to Leinster
Lee Byrne to Clermony
Regan King to Clermony
Byron Kelleher to Bayonne
Lionel Beauxis to Toulouse
BJ Botha to Munster
John Afoa to Ulster
Niall O'Conner to Connacht
Ian Keatley to Munster
Dan Hipkiss to Bath
Mathe tait to Leicester
Shontayne Hape to London Irish
Ryan Caldwell to Bath
George Stowers to Ospreys
Joe Ansbro to London Irish
Ryan Lamb to Saints
Vasili Artemiev to Saints
Tom May to Saints
Nathan Hines to Clermont
Bakkies Botha to Toulon
Max Evans to Castres
Matt Giteau to Toulon
Alexis Pailisson to Toulon
Paul Warwick to Stade Francais


...That's all I can think of right now.

As far as rumors, Wyn Jones has been linked with Clermont,Thorn to a french club, Cory Jane to Ulster is one that was floating about a while ago.

Toulon are taking it too far IMO, they can't even use all these players in a HC game can they?

That's Contepomi/Wilkinson/Giteau/Sackey/Botha/Heymans/Van Nierkerk/Smith/Lobbe...and more.

In terms of Conacht rumours that I've heard about,
Maguire,Dave McSharry and now Benson Stanley:eek:

I wouldn't think they could lure a player of his calibre. Brilliant signing if it's true.

porterbelly

Hyperbullet wrote: »

Is Keatley definitely on his way to Munster? So far we've signed Botha from Ulster which is a great signing.

The Keatley deal is done, he'll be a Munster player next year. Great signing for Munster, serious potential.

bamboozle

kevin99 wrote: »

And why would any one here quote you on anything? You are not an official representative from any rugby club. You're contributions here are merely speculative.
Don't worry. I won't be quoting some anonymous contributor to anybody.
I mean who knows you?
In the bar later, I say hey guys. Huddle round me. Got some latest transfer news on the rugger front. Very reliable source too. Porterbelly says x,y and z.
Wow. Well if he has said it, it must be true. Sure he is a mine of information.
Pssst. don't quote me on it. Cos Porterbelly in his contribution to the rugby section of Boards.ie asked us all not to quote him.
Really, yea really. God that guy has his finger on the pulse. Or is it a woman?
Don't know. Just has great sources. But don't quote me on that.

OTT response there, you do realise this is a thread on rumours??

porterbelly

profitius wrote: »

Thats 22 there so there should be plenty more signings to come especially from Munster and Leinster.

Could see a few more current players being retained as well. The likes of Shane Monahan, Troy Nathan and Cillian Willis should get another year.

Then the likes of Eoin McKeown, Tiernan O'Halloran, Dave Heffernan and Aaron Conneely may get development or full contracts next year.

I'd say if we're getting anyone from Munster/Leinster we won't hear about it til the end of the season. They'll want to see how they're fixed during the world cup and make sure they're well covered.

profitius

porterbelly wrote: »

Could see a few more current players being retained as well. The likes of Shane Monahan, Troy Nathan and Cillian Willis should get another year.

Then the likes of Eoin McKeown, Tiernan O'Halloran, Dave Heffernan and Aaron Conneely may get development or full contracts next year.

I'd say if we're getting anyone from Munster/Leinster we won't hear about it til the end of the season. They'll want to see how they're fixed during the world cup and make sure they're well covered.

Qualter too. Qualter is over 18st according to his profile so hes big enough to play for Connacht. McKeon and Conneely will need to bulk up a bit.

kevin99

porterbelly wrote: »

Christ we're only speculating on what we hear. I don't claim to be any official at Connacht rugby. It's transfer rumour time.

Take a look at the title of the thread 'Transfer Rumours'.

Well why are you asking us not to quote you then?

Amazotheamazing

While it'll be great for us (Munster) if we do sign O'Halloran, it's a massive kick in the teeth to Connacht, whatever about signing guys like Keatley or Cronin, if the big provinces actively poach Connacht's homegrown players then they'll never compete. As long as Munster can bring circa 20,000 more punters to a home game we'll always be able to outbid Connacht, but should be allowed to?

RuggieBear

kevin99 wrote: »

Well why are you asking us not to quote you then?

kevin99, Do not post again on this thread.
Everyone else, back on topic

porterbelly

profitius wrote: »

Qualter too. Qualter is over 18st according to his profile so hes big enough to play for Connacht. McKeon and Conneely will need to bulk up a bit.

Ya forgot about Qualter, he'll get a few games next year. Big lad alright, and Swifty will be 34 next year so he's not going to play every game. The most durable man ever to play rugby is Swifty but at some stage the games have to catch up on him. Could see us in the market for a 2nd row as well though as I'd say Bernie Upton will be on his way out.

tolosenc

A big name NIQ lock for Leinster wouldn't be a surprise.

Pete_Cavan

jolley123 wrote: »

Brad Thorn to Toulon
Bakkies Botha to Toulon

Are these confirmed or just rumours? If they are rumours Leinster need to throw their hat into the ring for them.

jolley123

Pete_Cavan wrote: »

Are these confirmed or just rumours? If they are rumours Leinster need to throw their hat into the ring for them.

Bakkies Botha is a confirmed three year deal.

Thorn is not confirmed, Ill edit that.

Pete_Cavan

jolley123 wrote: »

Bakkies Botha is a confirmed three year deal.

Botha is not confirmed, Ill edit that.

You can edit this one while our at it.

I'll take it Thorn is not confirmed, he would be a excellent signing for Leinster - exactly what they need.

GerM

Pete_Cavan wrote: »

You can edit this one while our at it.

I'll take it Thorn is not confirmed, he would be a excellent signing for Leinster - exactly what they need.

It's a broad policy not to offer a NIQ player that is getting on in playing terms more than a 1 year contract. Thorn is more than getting on so no chance of Leinster making an offer longer than 1 year which would rule them out in comparison to the French teams that have no issue with signing someone for 2 or 3 years despite their age.

I would think Leinster are going to look at the Aussie locks or one of the NZ fringe players who is doing well in the S15. I'd rule out South African locks as there will be huge competition to replace Matfield and Botha in the national team after the WC. None of them will want to leave. Someone like Isaac Ross would be perfect although I doubt he would be available due to only signing for the Chiefs this season.

thomond2006

jolley123 wrote: »

James Hook to Perpignan
David Skrela to Clermont
Sean Cronin to Leinster
Lee Byrne to Clermony
Regan King to Clermony
Byron Kelleher to Bayonne
Lionel Beauxis to Toulouse
BJ Botha to Munster
John Afoa to Ulster
Niall O'Conner to Connacht
Ian Keatley to Munster
Dan Hipkiss to Bath
Mathe tait to Leicester
Shontayne Hape to London Irish
Ryan Caldwell to Bath
George Stowers to Ospreys
Joe Ansbro to London Irish
Ryan Lamb to Saints
Vasili Artemiev to Saints
Tom May to Saints
Nathan Hines to Clermont
Bakkies Botha to Toulon
Max Evans to Castres
Matt Giteau to Toulon
Alexis Pailisson to Toulon
Paul Warwick to Stade Francais


...That's all I can think of right now.

As far as rumors, Wyn Jones has been linked with Clermont,Thorn to a french club, Cory Jane to Ulster is one that was floating about a while ago.

Toulon are taking it too far IMO, they can't even use all these players in a HC game can they?

That's Contepomi/Wilkinson/Giteau/Sackey/Botha/Heymans/Van Nierkerk/Smith/Lobbe...and more.

In terms of Conacht rumours that I've heard about,
Maguire,Dave McSharry and now Benson Stanley:eek:

I wouldn't think they could lure a player of his calibre. Brilliant signing if it's true.

Cheers for that list!

On Toulon, only non EU/SA/Pacific Island passport holders are restricted. So the only players in that list that are restricted are Giteau, Contepomi, Hayman and Lobbe. George Smith is leaving anyway and he has a Tongan passport.

Edit: I think I read somewhere that Giteau has grandparents from either the UK or Italy I think, so maybe he'll try and sort an EU passport? I really don't know the rules for getting passports though tbh.

jolley123

jolley123 wrote: »

Bakkies Botha is a confirmed three year deal.

of which he'll spend >20% of that time suspended.
:pac:

bamboozle

Deleted User wrote: »

of which he'll spend >20% of that time suspended.
:pac:

but he's a 'christian' now so he's cleared his act up....he'll spend no more than 17.5% suspended!

GiftofGab

Stringer is going to gloucester

CouchSmart

GiftofGab wrote: »

Stringer is going to gloucester

Really? Munster definitely have the talent to let him go but can't imagine Gloucester being too interested if I was totally honest.

Risteard

GiftofGab wrote: »

Stringer is going to gloucester

I thought he signed a 2 year contract last year?

GerM

Risteard wrote: »

I thought he signed a 2 year contract last year?

He did. Shenanigans, I call!

jacothelad

Callum Black...loose head prop signed for Ulster.
I hope this guy isn't another in a long line of no hoper props that have littered the Irish scene for quite a few years.

7th March.

"Ulster Rugby today confirmed that Callum Black and Michael McComish will join the squad in the summer, ahead of the start of the 2011-12 season...
Callum Black (25) is an Irish-qualified prop who is currently contracted with Championship side Worcester Warriors. Born in the USA and raised in England where he attended Hartpury College, Black is Irish-qualified through his paternal grandfather who was originally from Belfast and has represented Ireland at U18, U19 and U21 levels. He joined the Worcester Academy straight from College and burst onto the senior scene towards the end of the 2008-09 season.
In all he has made 50 appearances in the front row for the club and has had loan spells at both Otley and Plymouth.
“This is a new and exciting challenge for me”commented Black.
“I’m at the stage in my career where I’m looking to really push on and I’m really looking forward to playing in the Magners League and Heineken Cup”
“I've watched Ulster this season and been very impressed with how the team is developing and I’m looking forward to being part of that.”
“My goal is to establish myself in the Ulster team and then try to force my way into the Ireland set up.”

jolley123

GiftofGab wrote: »

Stringer is going to gloucester

haha

Cian Healy is going to Biarritz

tolosenc

We should get a bunch of Twitter accounts and start vomiting out some bull**** stories and see what sticks.

O'Gara in multimillion euro move to Bucaresti Oaks.

I'm being lined up for a move to Toulon.

B0X

tolosenc wrote: »

We should get a bunch of Twitter accounts and start vomiting out some bull**** stories and see what sticks.

O'Gara in multimillion euro move to Bucaresti Oaks.

Ronan the Romanian, I can see that working on so many levels.

GerM

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm being lined up for a move to Toulon.

Mercenary.

kevin99

RuggieBear wrote: »

kevin99, Do not post again on this thread.
Everyone else, back on topic

Who are you to tell me not to post again on this thread?

RuggieBear

kevin99 wrote: »

Who are you to tell me not to post again on this thread?

I'm the Moderator for this forum. Banned.