[shimmieandshake]

Haha, not exactly glowing endorsements, but as you say, maybe he'll flourish in a new environment. Fingers crossed.

[Narbia]

I don't get the gist of this thread.

Is Nick Phipps quite injured?

Why on earth are we not bringing the likes of Brand forward?.

I have no knowledge of this ex Leinster scrummie, but why aren't we bringing on our own?

[Iron Lung]

I hope all these scrum halves have someone to pass to!

[M_W]

Jack Walsh (centre) added to the academy intake.

He definitely stood out on the academy highlights they put out the other day.

[Lazyboy346]

That suggests we are doing the same thing as last year, announcing a core group then adding a few more later on like Morgan and Rhodes. Would be good if we had another lock as that's the forward position we are lightest on in the academy.

Anyone able to shine a light on any players that they'd have expected us to pick up who might still be in the frame? Pawadyira was one of the names I'd have thought we'd have tried to retain amongst others.

[M_W]

Really hard to tell this year with so little coverage etc.

If you're looking at a lock it would be Harding who has been pretty ever present the last two seasons from memory. Gleeson is a massive Toner like beanpole. Think he's a year young though, so may be one to watch out for next year.

Someone like Freddie Fearnley may be in with a shout as late addition, but how many back row/hookers does an academy really need...

I think Pawadyira left school last year and missed out as I've not seen him feature this year from memory. Could be wrong though. He was a fixture of that St Paul's team, but in and out of the LI U18s.

[Lazyboy346]

Contract extension for Nott as well: https://www.london-irish.com/news/georg ... sh/bp3037/

[MattM]

Unsurprising, but still good to see. Nott has been a bit of a find I think, quietly goes about his business and rarely makes waves but is consistently good.

[SixNineOne]

I agree. Whilst he’s not the biggest, he’s very useful in the loose and is a good ball carrier, the sort that finds soft shoulders rather than merely bludgeoning through the defenders.

[MattM]

Rory Jennings comes in as our final signing (if my maths is correct).
Was solid at Bath and did well at Coventry. He's also primarily a fly-half so is the Theo replacement I guess.

[Iron Lung]

Ben Coles (Telegraph) reckons one more back three player and then we're done.

[Florida]

While I like Rory I'm a bit disappointed we've not gone for a scrum half, we seem a bit light there.

[MattM]

While I like Rory I'm a bit disappointed we've not gone for a scrum half, we seem a bit light there.

maybe he can learn the position?

[GHA]

While I like Rory I'm a bit disappointed we've not gone for a scrum half, we seem a bit light there.

maybe he can learn the position?

Do we have anyone he can learn from though..?

[MattM]

Do we have anyone he can learn from though..?

Oh yeah.... Blair

[Florida]

Do we have anyone he can learn from though..?

Oh yeah.... Blair

Blair's got a gorgeous pass from the base of the scrum!

[SixNineOne]

Rory Jennings looks like a very useful signing and seems to have a good range of skills to judge by his highlights reel.

I’m just a bit disappointed that we’ve replaced TBC with someone with a single barrelled surname - having just landed a couple of triple barrelled ones I had high hopes of a new trend…

[M_W]

Remember him playing U20s and knocking round in the Championship. Didn't work out for him at Bath, but he's done well since and should be a pretty steady backup in the short term.

Despite confusion over the count and plenty of versatile players in the squad, I'm still expecting a wing signing to provide some extra cover there. Just a hunch, so may be wrong.

[M_W]

Some footage of Jack Walsh. Love that first break.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ_TUKfJLIH/

[shimmieandshake]

Walsh definitely has excellent feet. And afterburners.

And intrigued to see how Jennings turns out.

Ultimately, assuming some back three cover comes in (I'm assuming this will be a James Stokes esque signing?), it currently feels like a mildly underwhelming window.

Then again, MVDM has the makings of a brilliant signing. If he finds form, he will be priceless. And of the others, here's hoping one or two turn out to be gems - it might be a window we look back on as shrewd...

...especially if we have a scrum-half crisis of rare potency sometime in October.

[Florida]

Ultimately, assuming some back three cover comes in (I'm assuming this will be a James Stokes esque signing?), it currently feels like a mildly underwhelming window.

I'm expecting the other way and for them to announce Kearney

[GHA]

Ultimately, assuming some back three cover comes in (I'm assuming this will be a James Stokes esque signing?), it currently feels like a mildly underwhelming window.

I'm expecting the other way and for them to announce Kearney

35-year-old Rob?

[Stevie J]

So here is an almost (but not quite) exhaustive list of ins and outs around the Premiership: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of ... _transfers

Interesting when someone says 'underwhelmed'. I'm not sure many teams here would feel much better necessarily except for Worcester (who couldn't have been much worse than this past season).

[MattM]

I think for me it's decent business but a bit underwhelming only because we're used to bringing in more recognisable names (whether they all reach the levels expected is another discussion entirely).

I think this shows that our first choice team is largely set but there is a lot of depth required and opportunities in a couple of spots to claim a starting spot.

[M_W]

I'm fine with the recruitment.

It all seems to tie together and make sense and I wasn't really expecting any huge signings of the sort we made a couple of years ago. I think we've got a competitive side that ran out of steam when our depth was challenged at the end of last season.

[GHA]

Adam Hastings and Huw Jones would've been good, although Hastings would've been a little unnecessary with Jackson doing well and we'd lose Jones for internationals but we shouldn't lose BJVR.

I'm a bit jealous of Saracens who will be adding Ben Earl, Max Malins, Nick Isiekwe, Nick Tompkins, Alex Goode and Alex Lozowski (maybe George Kruis too?) to their squad from the start of last season, alongside their existing internationals, World Cup winners, British & Irish Lions etc. Some of those might be TBC.

Then again, my conscience is clear.

[Iron Lung]

So here is an almost (but not quite) exhaustive list of ins and outs around the Premiership: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of ... _transfers

Interesting when someone says 'underwhelmed'. I'm not sure many teams here would feel much better necessarily except for Worcester (who couldn't have been much worse than this past season).

Nice link, thanks Steve. Interestingly I see Josh Basham has joined the full Falcons squad; another one that got away.

[GHA]

New deal for Donnell

https://www.london-irish.com/news/donne ... al/bp3040/

[shimmieandshake]

Often forget Donnell's only 20. Look forward to his continued progress next year.

[MattM]

I thought Ben really started to hit his stride in the last part of the season. He seems to be more comfortable at 7 than 6 so fingers crossed he gets a continued run there alternating with Blair (and I suppose SOB though I'd probably stick him on the blindside).

[Lazyboy346]

Good news. Donnell feels like he could be Blair's homegrown successor so definitely one we should hang onto.

[M_W]

Remember him playing U20s and knocking round in the Championship. Didn't work out for him at Bath, but he's done well since and should be a pretty steady backup in the short term.

Despite confusion over the count and plenty of versatile players in the squad, I'm still expecting a wing signing to provide some extra cover there. Just a hunch, so may be wrong.

Not wrong for a change

https://www.london-irish.com/news/irish ... we/bp3043/

[Florida]

I however was way off

[M_W]

Highlights from a few years ago

Looks a nippy budget option, ex sevens. Got decent enough reviews based on his one Edinburgh game. Looks worth a look and hopefully has better luck than Kerr. Born in Ascot, so EQP. Pretty sure Scotland U20 weren't a capture team when he was playing for them.

[Lazyboy346]

Think he'd be captured on the basis of international sevens though. Squad depth option, hopefully will prove capable of challenging for first team bit otherwise rotation for cups

[Stevie J]

I think regulation 8 covers the top two 15 a side teams (as defined by each nation, so it could be an A team or U20s) plus the national sevens team. So he's Scottish I believe under that.

I make the squad done and depending on renewals and no additional departures from those announced as:

59 players
40 senior players*
19 Academy*

The exact breakdown won't be confirmed until the club formally announce the Academy / Senior squad designations and who signed a senior deal.

[M_W]

Fair point. Forgot about the 7s angle.

[M_W]

Slightly off topic, but I see Mahu has been picked up by Perpignan, so has a Top 14 gig for next season.

Seemed a nice guy, so happy he's landed on his feet.

[SixNineOne]

I’m sorry we weren’t able to keep Mahu. He improved steadily in his short time with us and just before he got injured he was looking like a very useful player. Glad to see he’s got a decent berth, though.

[Stevie J]

https://londonscottish.com/an-open-let ... -williams/

We have an incredible combination of exciting new Championship talent, the best National One players in part-time rugby, Dual Registration players from London Irish and Harlequins all with Premiership experience, and a sprinkling of key old heads, some with international stardust.

Some of our boys would seem to be heading to Scottish this season.

[M_W]

I think we missed the partnership with LS and local ND1/ND2 clubs badly last season, so hopefully everything is running normally from September.

[Narbia]

Some of our boys would seem to be heading to Scottish this season.

Certainly some of the academy/XV squad really need game time. Not least the surfeit of #9s.
Scottish still seem to be at the RAG for this season, so maybe I'll get to see them (Irish) in action.

[SixNineOne]

Some of our boys would seem to be heading to Scottish this season.

Certainly some of the academy/XV squad really need game time. Not least the surfeit of #9s.
Scottish still seem to be at the RAG for this season, so maybe I'll get to see them (Irish) in action.

If Irish aren’t playing I really enjoy a trip to the Athletic Ground to see Richmond or Scottish. A good old fashioned stand with free seating and a great atmosphere and I seem to recall some excellent pasties too…

[Florida]

Meehan and Elrington both sign for Glaws

[M_W]

Thought Elrington may be heading that way, as he's been hanging about in Cheltenham. Glad he picked up a contract.

Meehan's more of a surprise, given he headed back to Oz earlier in the year, but he'll be a solid signing for them.

[Lazyboy346]

Moore-Aiono on the club's first day back video. Glad to see he's been retained as his fleeting appearances have been impressive. Reckon a pairing of him and Donnell on the flanks (with Albert or Mafi at 8 for size) could be quite good for a fast paced game to set our backs up nicely.

[GC89]

I like Moore-Aiono too - thought he looked very decent against Sale in what were difficult circumstances and would currently have him over someone like Isaac in the pecking order.

I am sure it is just ridiculous paranoia on my part, but I was slightly concerned by the absence of van der Merwe in the name check that the social media team did of the new guys turning up today.

The big plus from the images and clips was seeing Mafi training.

[MattM]

I've no information about van der Merwe, but as a guess I would assume he is still on a break as the Top 14 final was only 4 weeks ago and his team was involved...

[GC89]

That's a good point Matt - panic over...

Have to say that seeing some of the guys in training is making me quite excited. I think there are a fair few players that we are yet to see the best of because of injuries (e.g. Dell, Coleman, even Williams in the backs) and I've got a good feeling that things may click a bit more for us next season.

[MattM]

That's a good point Matt - panic over...

Have to say that seeing some of the guys in training is making me quite excited. I think there are a fair few players that we are yet to see the best of because of injuries (e.g. Dell, Coleman, even Williams in the backs) and I've got a good feeling that things may click a bit more for us next season.

Hope... I remember that feeling!

I agree, I'm feeling quite optimistic at the moment.