[HerefordShark]

Rumours of Ford to Clermont, despite the central contract

Don't think this would be the end of the world - give Rob the keys at 10, Curtis as back up. Then we've got a big chunk of change to reinforce elsewhere in the squad.

[RinTin]

That'd an old rumour isn't it? Think Fissler first reported that about a month ago.

[Olyy]

Yeah, think it's resurfaced because the French press are reporting it now, but they could just be regurgitating Fissler's piece tbf

[SSR]

Don't think this would be the end of the world - give Rob the keys at 10, Curtis as back up. Then we've got a big chunk of change to reinforce elsewhere in the squad.

I think it would be a shame if George Ford left unless he really wanted to.
He is still an England quality fly half and apparently a highly respected player by his peers.
He got us to two Premiership playoffs ( as much as any individual player does ).
He is looking like he might want to move into Coaching ( why not with us ? ).
RDP is a better centre than fly half, and if his brothers go, will he stay?
Curtis is starting to look like a decent replacement, but is he good enough to bet on that
he will get us to the top of the tree just yet?
If we got a windfall by selling GF, who would we buy to make our squad that much better?

[Olyy]

Maybe Waisea could put in a good word with Caleb Muntz

[SSR]

... and replace Warr with DuPont ?

[RinTin]

Jamie Shilcock for me.

[Olyy]

Dom Young, Sydney Roosters wing (ex Huddersfield Giants), is apparently eyeing up a code switch

Now there's someone we should be tapping up - 6ft7 almost 17st and scores tries for fun

Would imagine someone like Bristol or Quins would probably be more enticing to a League player though, much more ball in hand excitement

[SSR]

Denny Solomona, Chris Ashton and Billy Whizz running off Waisa would have been a sight to see. If wishes were horses ...

[ledzepsfr]

Andy Goode urges Borthwick to stop selecting Ford.

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/im-sorry ... dium=email

[dinogyro]

Goode: "I’m not saying he should be sacked or anything like that, but if we lose to South Africa by a decent score and then we lose to Japan and Eddie Jones, then you have got to sack Steve."

[RinTin]

Lose all your games as coach, get sacked.... Yup, makes sense.

George Ford - I am inclined to agree. He is there to do a job which is to be the difference in the last 20 minutes (or so it seems). He isn't making the difference in a positive way.

Very good player, but agree Finn Smith should be given a chance.

[Olyy]

Ford should start or not be involved in the 23, imo

[Bucks1861]

Just a wee question. Shouldn’t these posts be in the AI threat, not transfer rumours?

[Yareet]

There was talk of Spencer leaving Bath, Porter joining Bath and then Raffi joining Quins

Wonder if negotiations have stalled while they wait to see if the first stage of the merry go round happens - if Spencer was thinking about going to France for a payday he might be rethinking now that he's getting starts for England - though care likely retiring there's still room at Quins for Raffi tbf

Porter's re-signed for Quins.

I can't see either him or Raffi wanting to be #2. I also can't see Warr wanting to be but the threat of a Scottish team coming from Gus means we really need to hold on to Raffi, IMO.

[Bucks1861]

Fissler reports


“ Scotland winger Arron Reed, whose contract runs out at the end of the season, has given Premiership outfit Sale Sharks a massive boost by pledging his future to the club after penning a new three-year deal.

Chester-born Reed, 25, a product of Kirkham Grammar School, has scored 33 tries in 121 appearances, including a brace in the Premiership win against Newcastle Falcons earlier this season.

England under-18 and under-20 international Reed, who has an Edinburgh-born father and a grandmother from the Borders, is due to win his third Scotland cap against Portugal this afternoon after his debut in Canada in the summer.”


Pleased by that.

[Olyy]

Very happy with that

[ledzepsfr]

Fissler reports


“ Scotland winger Arron Reed, whose contract runs out at the end of the season, has given Premiership outfit Sale Sharks a massive boost by pledging his future to the club after penning a new three-year deal.

Chester-born Reed, 25, a product of Kirkham Grammar School, has scored 33 tries in 121 appearances, including a brace in the Premiership win against Newcastle Falcons earlier this season.

England under-18 and under-20 international Reed, who has an Edinburgh-born father and a grandmother from the Borders, is due to win his third Scotland cap against Portugal this afternoon after his debut in Canada in the summer.”


Pleased by that.

Nothing on the offy

[Clutch]

How can you think RDP is a better centre than 10. He was player of the season mainly at 10 when we made the final. He’s a pretty average centre.

Don't think this would be the end of the world - give Rob the keys at 10, Curtis as back up. Then we've got a big chunk of change to reinforce elsewhere in the squad.

I think it would be a shame if George Ford left unless he really wanted to.
He is still an England quality fly half and apparently a highly respected player by his peers.
He got us to two Premiership playoffs ( as much as any individual player does ).
He is looking like he might want to move into Coaching ( why not with us ? ).
RDP is a better centre than fly half, and if his brothers go, will he stay?
Curtis is starting to look like a decent replacement, but is he good enough to bet on that
he will get us to the top of the tree just yet?
If we got a windfall by selling GF, who would we buy to make our squad that much better?

[SSR]

How can you think RDP is a better centre than 10.

IMHO. He is big, fast and can tackle. He is not perfect, but since he has played for us, his
performances at fly half have been decent at best, but is prone to dodgy long passes.
His kicking lately has been good , but it has not always been so. He is useful as a backup 10,
but we recruited a 10 to be first choice.

[Clutch]

Agree he’s prone to erratic passes but he was player of the season as a 10. Everyone has been scratching their head since he’s been moved to centre, impacting on continuity and keeping more effective players out of the team. Shoehorning RDP to centre has been one of main reasons why our attack has struggled. Don’t get me wrong he’s perfectly decent and considering he’s never been a centre he does a solid job. He’s not fast though. Reasonably quick off the mark but average paced at best when in full stride.

[RinTin]

Agree he’s prone to erratic passes but he was player of the season as a 10. Everyone has been scratching their head since he’s been moved to centre, impacting on continuity and keeping more effective players out of the team. Shoehorning RDP to centre has been one of main reasons why our attack has struggled. Don’t get me wrong he’s perfectly decent and considering he’s never been a centre he does a solid job. He’s not fast though. Reasonably quick off the mark but average paced at best when in full stride.

Not everyone's been scratching their heads at all - I personally think he is a good option at 13 provided you have the right man at 12.

To suggest he is one of the main reasons our attack has faltered is also highly debatable looking at some of the big results we have had with him there in the past.

Last season for example he started at 13 in the prem 11 times, we won 9 games and secured try bonus points on 6 of those occasions. Considering we only got 8 bonus points total for the season that is not bad at all. In fact, I believe all of our try bonus points came when he played at 13. The remaining 2 were losing bonus points.

Not all of this was purely him, but it certainly goes someway to countering the opinion that our attack is blunt with him at 13, and that his best position is 10. No BP's last year with him at 10.

[SSR]

Thanks for doing the analysis RinTin. It sort of confirmed my gut feeling. I am sure that the
results are due to a number of factors and I am not saying that RDP is a bad player at 10.
He is a valuable senior member of the squad plugging holes where needed, but his time here
is limited I feel and we desperately need to get a fully functioning back line.

[HerefordShark]

Clermont have signed Harry Plummer from NZ so looks like Ford isn't going there

[DoctorSharky]

French media (L’Equipe) say Jean Luc Du Preez is a done deal to Union Bordeaux Bègles. Can’t blame him given UBB’s upwards trajectory and star power.

Might well see Dan Du Preez leave too.

[RinTin]

Well UBB are losing Samu and Tatafu from their back row so they could move for both I'd imagine.

Hopefully we get a nice settlement out of it to lure in an English back rower - Sam Simmonds could have been an option had Lyon not already picked him up for next year.

Hoskins Sotutu maybe?? England option and has been linked to the premiership for a while - English mother.

[DavenportSharky]

https://www.lequipe.fr/Rugby/Actualites ... bb/1521686

[SSR]

Can't see the article ( even if I could read it with my grade 4 French O level.
Can anyone summarise anything concrete in it please ?
If it is true and DDP likely to follow, I would have thought we might have had a dabble at the young Argentinian just picked up by Glos from Budgies.
We will definately need a big barn storming 8 from somewhere.

[Yareet]

Can't see the article ( even if I could read it with my grade 4 French O level.
Can anyone summarise anything concrete in it please ?
If it is true and DDP likely to follow, I would have thought we might have had a dabble at the young Argentinian just picked up by Glos from Budgies.
We will definately need a big barn storming 8 from somewhere.

Le troisième-ligne international sud-africain de Sale Jean-Luc du Preez a donné son accord à l'Union Bordeaux-Bègles.

The South African-capped back row from Sale JLdP has given his agreement to Bordeaux

[RinTin]

https://www.francebleu.fr/sports/rugby/ ... ne-7119010

https://dicodusport.fr/blog/transferts- ... en-top-14/

Supposedly 3 year deal.

Every article I've read suggests, or flat out states, that his Sale deal comes to an end his year which we all know is incorrect.

[Flumpty]

French media (L’Equipe) say Jean Luc Du Preez is a done deal to Union Bordeaux Bègles. Can’t blame him given UBB’s upwards trajectory and star power.

Might well see Dan Du Preez leave too.

If true, that's a bummer.

[DavenportSharky]

Mais Non
Sacre Bleu!
Zut Alors!
Putain!
Merde!

[Bucks1861]

Dan Kelly of Tigers linked to us

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/dan-kell ... urs-again/

[RinTin]

Dan Kelly of Tigers linked to us

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/dan-kell ... urs-again/

This quote from the article stood out to me:

RugbyPass understand that Sharks boss Alex Sanderson is also looking at the tried and trusted South African market to see who is available immediately and in the summer.

Why immediately??

[Olyy]

Dan Kelly of Tigers linked to us

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/dan-kell ... urs-again/

Would love that, his career has been a bit up and down recently with injuries and flitting between 12 and 13 but he's shown enough to show that he's a real top operator when fit and on form
Family link as well with his brother in the academy here

I'd presumed he'd be eyeing a move to Ireland as he played u20s for them and will be eligible for a nation switch soon (or already is? Can't remember when he played for England)

[Olyy]

Dan Kelly of Tigers linked to us

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/dan-kell ... urs-again/

This quote from the article stood out to me:

RugbyPass understand that Sharks boss Alex Sanderson is also looking at the tried and trusted South African market to see who is available immediately and in the summer.

Why immediately??

Yeah that is weird - even if RMW were out for the season (either on loan or injured) or Waisea left (no hint of this, just thinking of worst case scenarios) we've still got:
12. Bedlow, Bedlow, Curtis
13. RdP, Addison, L. James

Which is more than enough

[SSR]

...and Doherty out on loan ?

[Olyy]

...and Doherty out on loan ?

Knew I was forgetting someone!

[Bucks1861]

Are we sure the SA search relates to centres ONLY, or indeed at all?

[Bucks1861]

Fissler report

“ Sale are poised to reveal that Ben Curry is staying at the club after agreeing on a new deal with his current contract set to run out at the end of the season.

The 26-year-old flanker has been capped six times by England, the last coming against the All Blacks earlier this month. He made his club debut for the Sharks against Wasps in 2016 and has made 175 appearances.

The Sharks also hope to agree on terms with his identical twin Tom, who was one of 17 England players to be offered a £150,000 RFU hybrid contract to keep him at the club.

[Lord Elpus]

Slightly o/t but Andi Kyriacou Munster forwards coach ootp has left for domestic reasons - he wants to return to the UK.

[RinTin]

Are we sure the SA search relates to centres ONLY, or indeed at all?

I didn't think it did at all, the article had gone past the Dan Kelly comments by that point. Sounds as though Axe wants reinforcements this season in other positions which I can't understand.

[SSR]

Juarno Augustus rumoured to be going to Munster. Shame, would have fit the bill if we are losing one or two of the DPs.

[RinTin]

He's already signed for Ulster

https://ulster.rugby/content/juarno-aug ... -year-deal

[SSR]

Doh!

[DavenportSharky]

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/free-aga ... after-ban/

Hill and LukeC-D

[Bucks1861]

Fissler latest today.

“ Sale Sharks have agreed on a deal that will see Lions franchise captain Marius Louw move to Manchester when his deal with the Johannesburg outfit runs out at the end of the season.

Inside centre Louw, 29, has spent the last three seasons with the Lions, making 48 appearances and scoring 14 tries, starting his career with the University of KwaZulu-Natal before a six with the Sharks.

He has made six appearances this season but has only started two games and ends a search by the Sale boss Alex Sanderson, who spoke to several players before settling on a move for Louw.”

[Olyy]

Seems odd to me that we're looking for a centre, even if Waisea isn't staying beyond the 1 season

Bedlow Sr leaving? RMW and/or Bedlow Jr deemed not good enough?

[RinTin]

6 foot and 15 stone, so not exactly a crash ball type player either.

Odd I agree. Wonder who else was spoken to? RJVR may have been on the list, or maybe Jean Luc Du Plessis (imo one of the most under rated centres around).

Would have loved to have got Anwanyu.

[Clutch]

Bedlow Jnr deffo not good enough but he’s pretty far down the pecking order to be relevant to recruitment decisions. Question would be around long term future of Addison, and how we rate the likes of Doherty I guess.