Transfer news, rumours, speculation, insinuations, and outright transfer slanders - Season 2025/26

[francoisfou]

Huw Jones is said to have signed a two-year contract with Toulon - so he'll be able to continue playing test match rugby for Scotland, while Jack Willis, Dave Ribbans, Kyle Sinckler & co continue to be excluded.

[Puja]

Huw Jones is said to have signed a two-year contract with Toulon - so he'll be able to continue playing test match rugby for Scotland, while Jack Willis, Dave Ribbans, Kyle Sinckler & co continue to be excluded.

[Taps the sign]http://www.rugbyrebels.co.uk/viewtopic. ... 07#p353307[/Taps the sign]

Mod

[FKAS]

Kleyn and Joyce does add a fair old bit of weight to the Glaws second row. Some real edge and experience being added to that pack for next season, they certainly need it.

[twitchy]

Nika Abuladze back to exe along with harry wilson (sarries second row) and will butt.

[Which Tyler]

back to exe ... will butt.

I'd be sad to see him go, but I appreciate the difficulty trying to get enough game time to 5 very good centres.
Given a straight choice, I'd keep Ojomoh, Lawrence, Butt & Hnnessey, and let Redpath go - not necessarily because Butt is better than Redpath, but because Cam and Mojo are so similar to each other, whilst those 4 all offer something different to each other (not to mention that Butt is an EQP academy graduate).

But these things are never a free choice; contracts come due when they come due; players will have different values to different clubs, and desires of their own.

If Butt goes to Ex, then, like Devoto and Woodbrun - I'll be sad to see him go, but understand, and wish him all the best in his future career.

[Cameo]

I think Scott Robertson may just have become favourite or the Newcastle job. Serious step down from ths All Blacks but might be the perfect rehabilition job.

[FKAS]

That would be a statement signing and a half by Newcastle wouldn't it. Part of me is interested in what he'd do with that Quins side though, Marcus Smith under Razor, hmm. He's probably already got a lucrative gig lined up on Japan until after the world cup when he'll take on a different international gig, maybe Scotland or Ireland.

[twitchy]

Telegraph reckon quins would be the more likely destination for him.

[Scrumhead]

Apparently, we’re also interested in Dave Rennie who I think I’d prefer.

[FKAS]

Elliott Stooke to join Tigers ahead of next season.

[Puja]

Elliott Stooke to join Tigers ahead of next season.

I'm torn on that one. He was a great Prem player, but he is now 32 (and the first thing you find when you google is the time he broke COVID restrictions, drunk-drove and crashed his car). Hopefully he's had a bit of a rest in Japan and will be a good acquisition for the next couple of years while we bring through some of our youngsters.

Puja

[FKAS]

Elliott Stooke to join Tigers ahead of next season.

I'm torn on that one. He was a great Prem player, but he is now 32 (and the first thing you find when you google is the time he broke COVID restrictions, drunk-drove and crashed his car). Hopefully he's had a bit of a rest in Japan and will be a good acquisition for the next couple of years while we bring through some of our youngsters.

Puja

One night of being a bell end apart. He's a solid professional, good set piece lock, decent work rate. Brings some weight and physicality as well as some experience we're a bit short of. We could have done with a ball carrier but that was probably a bit much to ask.

[Captainhaircut]

Pouri Rakete Stones signs for Newcastle.

Prop who plays both sides, English qualified. Few games for NZ A but not for the last few years so would qualify for England straight away if they were that way inclined. Probably well down the list but good for the depth charts

[FKAS]

Mark McCall to step down as DoR, he effectively swaps places with Brendan Venter who's been on the board and a technical advisor since he last held the role.

[Puja]

Pouri Rakete Stones signs for Newcastle.

Prop who plays both sides, English qualified. Few games for NZ A but not for the last few years so would qualify for England straight away if they were that way inclined. Probably well down the list but good for the depth charts

Wouldn't've been captured anyway - we had this discussion a while back and found out that NZ don't nominate any of their A teams as a capture team. Looks like a big old unit, but all.rugby says he benches for Hurricanes, so his qualification for England is probably more of the "will get Newcastle RFU EQP money" variety, rather than a "might actually trouble a selector".

Puja

[FKAS]

Pouri Rakete Stones signs for Newcastle.

Prop who plays both sides, English qualified. Few games for NZ A but not for the last few years so would qualify for England straight away if they were that way inclined. Probably well down the list but good for the depth charts

Wouldn't've been captured anyway - we had this discussion a while back and found out that NZ don't nominate any of their A teams as a capture team. Looks like a big old unit, but all.rugby says he benches for Hurricanes, so his qualification for England is probably more of the "will get Newcastle RFU EQP money" variety, rather than a "might actually trouble a selector".

Puja

Yeah the EQ bit is of only use to NRB. Prop in his prime years that's got 50+ caps in Super Rugby and can play both sides. Decent signing.

[Captainhaircut]

Mark McCall to step down as DoR, he effectively swaps places with Brendan Venter who's been on the board and a technical advisor since he last held the role.

Not much chat about this but not a massive surprise. Sarries have underperformed with their squad for a while now.

Venter a strange solution and his quotes are bizarre- effectively saying he doesn’t want to do it but he’s doing it as a favour to the club. Is it maybe just a two year thing and then some combo of Farrell, Goode and George run the club?

Regardless, hopefully it leads to a shift towards backing the young talent they have. Currently it’s a place young players go to have their careers curtailed (Brantingham, Hartley, Johnson) and wouldn’t want that happening to Sodeke, Hall, Bracken etc.

[FKAS]

Mark McCall to step down as DoR, he effectively swaps places with Brendan Venter who's been on the board and a technical advisor since he last held the role.

Not much chat about this but not a massive surprise. Sarries have underperformed with their squad for a while now.

Venter a strange solution and his quotes are bizarre- effectively saying he doesn’t want to do it but he’s doing it as a favour to the club. Is it maybe just a two year thing and then some combo of Farrell, Goode and George run the club?

Regardless, hopefully it leads to a shift towards backing the young talent they have. Currently it’s a place young players go to have their careers curtailed (Brantingham, Hartley, Johnson) and wouldn’t want that happening to Sodeke, Hall, Bracken etc.

I think Venter is there to oversee the rebuild. He did it before, he's not as close to things as McCall has been so it's easier for him to be objective. I'm expecting a fairly brutal transition over the next year before the new DoR arrives at the end of next season. Could be some coaching changes with some of those experienced guys you mention taking assistant roles.

Head coach - Joe Shaw
Forwards Coach - Ian Peel
Attack Coach - Dai Flanagan
Defence Coach - Adam Powell
Kicking Coach / Physio - Dan Vickers
Assistant Forwards Coach - Rob Webber
Assistant Backs Coach - James Tirrell

Owen Farrell as defence coach and Alex Goode as assistant backs coach would not be surprising straight off the bat.

Some rumours Faz Snr is feeling the pressure and won't renew his contract and oversee the Ireland rebuild post world cup. A return to Sarries in the top job after Venter has overseen the clearout might suit him.

[FKAS]

Alfie Barbeary apparently has offers from Bath, Sale and unnamed French clubs.

Vern Cotter is interested in the Quins job, Quins also want to speak to Robertson and Rennie.

[Captainhaircut]

Will Rigg to Newcastle who have also signed a Fijian winger Joji Nasova.

Putting together an interesting squad, need a few more and certainly need a 10.

Could be a really interesting season if they are competitive as surely Quins have to get better under new leadership and Gloucester have recruited well so far.

[Puja]

Alfie Barbeary apparently has offers from Bath, Sale and unnamed French clubs.

Vern Cotter is interested in the Quins job, Quins also want to speak to Robertson and Rennie.

Cotter has now signed for Queensland Reds to replace Les Kiss, so nothing for Quins as of yet...

ETA. Although have just found this news about Sir Wayne Smith leaving NZ Rugby "to head overseas this year, to a senior coaching leadership role at a professional club. The move is still cloaked in confidentiality, with various parties unable to comment." https://archive.ph/EPIZF#selection-4083.0-4083.225

You'd've thought Glaws and Quins would both be interested - Glaws especially so, given their determination to sink resources into upskilling Skivington instead of chucking everything out and restarting. Newcastle could be as well, although I suspect they're probably more looking at acquiring a single finished article of a head coach, rather than get someone in who needs a mentor.

Puja

[jimKRFC]

Somerset live are reporting that TdG has signed for Exeter.
Happy with that as it might mean Heward is staying at Bristol (I remain optimistic he can go unijured for more than a month).

[Which Tyler]

Happy with that

I'm not

Lose both DeGlanvile and Butt to Exeter is going to hurt - probably more so than losing Devoto and Woodburn did (TdG has the name, and is currently winning his battle for the shirt; and neither are suffering due to the coach's ego). TBH, I'd rather lose Redpath than Butt - but whose contract is up and who's interesting to other clubs is out of our hands.
I always expected this summer to be the time the squad gets dismantled - too many big players out of contract, and basically everyone deserving a pay-rise.
Which doesn't mean that I have to be happy about it, even if I understand.


FTR: I expect to lose:
DuToit (confirmed), who doesn't need replacing
FvW (confirmed), who will need replacing
Roux, who will need replacing
Coetzee, who won't need replacing
CHarris, obviously, who won't need replacing
Butt, who won't need replacing
DeGlanville, who won't need need replacing

May also lose Barbeary, who will need replacing IF we do lose Coetzee as well
May lose Underhill, who won't need replacing (bizarre though that is to type)
And some of a few lesser lights - Spandler, Verden, Summerfield, Cowan, Le Roux, SHarris... - only the last there would be a loss, but injury has absolutely blighted his career to date. The rest have academy kids ready to take their place in the PRC.

Shopping to include a starting-quality LH prop and TH lock.
Maybe lower choice props on each side, and another lock to allow Richards to play BSF

[twitchy]

I'm very happy with de glanville if true.

In other news Taunton rugby club have had a rough time.

https://www.tauntonrfc.co.uk/news/help- ... g-flooding

[Captainhaircut]

TDG looks a great signing for Exeter. Balances really nicely with PBB and IFW.

Bath an interesting one. With Winters coming through, Donoghue hopefully back fit and maybe even Harris coming back from his injury nightmare, they are well stacked there.

I know assumption is that Dan Du Preez would replace Coetzee and/or Barbeary but will he not replace Roux in the second row? Green/Reid playing 8, Pepper/Underhill/Bayliss/Staddon/Hill with Timmons and Treacey coming through.

Blimey there are a ridiculous squad that they can lose TDG, Butt and possibly Roux, Barbeary and Coetzee and not replace them.