RugbyRebels

Scrumhead wrote: ↑Thu Dec 11, 2025 5:30 pm There are plenty of elements of that I agree with. However, I don’t think it would take a lot to transform us into a good side.

Dun is a good signing and Furbank could be a great signing. Add in a season’s worth of settling-in for Petti, Delgado, Wenger and Treadwell and suddenly that looks like a pretty good squad. Yes, there’s still a significant amount of work to be done in getting them to perform to the summer of their parts, but I can see why someone like Furbank might buy into the potential that’s there.

A change in coaching setup and some luck with injuries would work more wonders than a squad transformation.

FKAS wrote: ↑Thu Dec 11, 2025 6:06 pm

Scrumhead wrote: ↑Thu Dec 11, 2025 5:30 pm There are plenty of elements of that I agree with. However, I don’t think it would take a lot to transform us into a good side.

Dun is a good signing and Furbank could be a great signing. Add in a season’s worth of settling-in for Petti, Delgado, Wenger and Treadwell and suddenly that looks like a pretty good squad. Yes, there’s still a significant amount of work to be done in getting them to perform to the summer of their parts, but I can see why someone like Furbank might buy into the potential that’s there.

A change in coaching setup and some luck with injuries would work more wonders than a squad transformation.

I think I have to agree. Furbank is a good player. I could see him playing “the Quins way” (sorry) but there seem like much more pressing issues.

Him leaving Northampton would feel very odd. I’d be very interested from an England perspective if Freeman would perhaps play fullback (ahead of Hendy or Ramm I guess) in that scenario.

FKAS wrote: ↑Thu Dec 11, 2025 6:06 pm

Scrumhead wrote: ↑Thu Dec 11, 2025 5:30 pm There are plenty of elements of that I agree with. However, I don’t think it would take a lot to transform us into a good side.

Dun is a good signing and Furbank could be a great signing. Add in a season’s worth of settling-in for Petti, Delgado, Wenger and Treadwell and suddenly that looks like a pretty good squad. Yes, there’s still a significant amount of work to be done in getting them to perform to the summer of their parts, but I can see why someone like Furbank might buy into the potential that’s there.

A change in coaching setup and some luck with injuries would work more wonders than a squad transformation.

I agree. Gilmore seems to be fairly well regarded but he isn’t a head coach. I think his promotion was always a stop gap solution - he’s often referred to as the ‘Senior Coach’ which I think is an indication that we’re still looking for an actual head coach. Get that right and I think we have (or are pretty close to having) a squad that could be very competitive.

Just my typo … ‘summer of their parts’

Maybe a Freudian slip as were only good in short bursts in warm months.

Scrumhead wrote: ↑Thu Dec 11, 2025 8:58 pm Just my typo … ‘summer of their parts’

Maybe a Freudian slip as were only good in short bursts in warm months.

Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious summer of our parts.

Don't know why Quins are signing a fullback when they've already got MSmith.

Puja

Puja wrote: ↑Thu Dec 11, 2025 9:57 pm

Scrumhead wrote: ↑Thu Dec 11, 2025 8:58 pm Just my typo … ‘summer of their parts’

Maybe a Freudian slip as were only good in short bursts in warm months.

Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious summer of our parts.

Don't know why Quins are signing a fullback when they've already got MSmith.

Puja

Ahhh. The Antony Watson conundrum.

Puja wrote: ↑Thu Dec 11, 2025 9:57 pm

Scrumhead wrote: ↑Thu Dec 11, 2025 8:58 pm Just my typo … ‘summer of their parts’

Maybe a Freudian slip as were only good in short bursts in warm months.

Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious summer of our parts.

Don't know why Quins are signing a fullback when they've already got MSmith.

Puja

A fullback, a fullback, my kingdom for a fullback...

Someone at Quins probably.

Everyone's still pissed that Martin's leaving Leicester I see

Nicky Smith leaving Tigers next summer as well. Rumours are Sale have dropped a hefty three year deal on him, he turns 32 at the start of next season so it's likely to be his last big contract.

Sale have a few announcements coming it seems. Head coach Bortolami the former Italian international is being binned off after about 7 months. Joe Ford joined as attack coach at the same time in the summer as part of the coaching refresh.

Cockerill has been sacked. Lake and Morgan join glos officially.

Charlie Clare, Gab Hamer-Webb and Olly Cracknell sign extensions with Tigers.

Bortolami confirmed out by Sale.

Hodge rumoured to be returning to newcastle.

twitchy wrote: ↑Mon Dec 22, 2025 4:06 pm Hodge rumoured to be returning to newcastle.

Davison also. Doesn't surprise me that they are targeting some of the local lot that have previously moved away to come home. Slightly worrying as a Tigers fan, hope we've got Radwan down on a three year deal, Blamire too. Chris Harris, Robbie Smith and Haydon-Wood all available this summer as well I think.

Sotutu confirmed by Newcastle. Looks like Simply Bosh will have a big 8 to replace the one he's losing to France. Shame Sotutu is more Dombrandt than Willis but hopefully he has a better work rate (at international level).

I assume everyone thinks the idea of Sotutu turning out in an England shirt seems really weird?

I wouldn't approve. I've said this before about Van Rensburg, but if he's not good enough for the ABs why should we want him?

Fortunately we're not exactly thin on No 8s.

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Wed Dec 24, 2025 12:10 pm I assume everyone thinks the idea of Sotutu turning out in an England shirt seems really weird?

Not particularly, it's just international rugby. Are you in a constant existential crisis before every scotland game?

twitchy wrote: ↑Wed Dec 24, 2025 1:50 pm

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Wed Dec 24, 2025 12:10 pm I assume everyone thinks the idea of Sotutu turning out in an England shirt seems really weird?

Not particularly, it's just international rugby. Are you in a constant existential crisis before every scotland game?

No, I was more referencing the endless pant-wetting in regards to the Scotland team eligibility, whether or not threads have anything to do with it.

It does feel very strange when players like Dempsey go from one ‘top’ team to another though.

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Wed Dec 24, 2025 5:42 pm

twitchy wrote: ↑Wed Dec 24, 2025 1:50 pm

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Wed Dec 24, 2025 12:10 pm I assume everyone thinks the idea of Sotutu turning out in an England shirt seems really weird?

Not particularly, it's just international rugby. Are you in a constant existential crisis before every scotland game?

No, I was more referencing the endless pant-wetting in regards to the Scotland team eligibility, whether or not threads have anything to do with it.

It does feel very strange when players like Dempsey go from one ‘top’ team to another though.

Sotutu I don't have a huge issue with, given that his mum is English. It could be argued that he's actually more English than Kiwi, given his dad's Fijian so he's not actually got Kiwi heritage. I don't expect that he'll be good enough that we'll actually cap him - there were reasons why NZ weren't especially interested and I don't see him having the overall top-level quality to displace our cavalcade of international back row. He'll be a great Prem player, probably be in a couple of training squads, then get left out after Staunch Backrowman decides he's not got what it takes, and we'll have to listen to Austin Healey wanking off about how it's impossiblr that he's being ignored, every time he scores a good Prem try.

BJVR is uncomfortable for me, mostly because of how early we've pursued him. I've got no issue with residency, I've got no problems with the idea that living somewhere for a decent time would make you call it home, but it feels like he's been asked about his England ambitions for the last two years. Hopefully SAtkinson, Dingwall, and Ojomoh will make it so we don't even need to look at him.

Puja

Robertson doesn't appear to have any interest in Sotutu. Before that he seemed on the cusp of the squad regular with 14 caps at 24/25.

Otherwise bang on Puja.

“It could be argued that he's actually more English than Kiwi” is some statement given he was actually born in New Zealand…

I’ll always say that heritage is absolute bullshit in this argument. International sport should always be a reflection of how much a country commits to the sport- through player development, club systems etc. if a player comes through that system, I’m happy enough for them to play for that country regardless of where they were born or their parents/grandparents were. It shouldn’t be about how good an “exile” system you run…

Sotutu isn’t English, hasn’t been developed in the system and therefore shouldn’t be picked. BJVR the same.

I think to Puja’s point, we’ll find that Sotutu’s efforts in defence aren’t good enough for international level.

Junior Kpoku to sale.

https://www.rugbyrama.fr/2025/12/26/tra ... 131681.php

Be good to get him back in the Prem and available for England. I'd prefer him to head to the Midlands as opposed to Sale mind.

Great addition for Sale if true. Him and Bamber will be fearsome