Antonio TJ Harris is off

[wasps]

He's going to Jersey at the end of the season

Good luck TJ

[FrankWasp]

Will that be a transfer or loan?

[FrankWasp]

Have now seen the article that says his contract has not been renewed.

Best of fortune TJ.

[Heathen]

How many others are left wrt re-signing? Can't be many - Gaby?

Would expect the promotions to the senior squad to be announced next.

[wasps]

Will that be a transfer or loan?

Sounds like a permanent move to me





Wasps can confirm that Antonio ‘TJ’ Harris will be leaving the Club in the summer to join Championship side Jersey Reds.

The Coventry-born hooker joined Wasps in 2017 and has since gone on to make 14 first-team appearances.

Harris said: “I’ve really enjoyed my time at Wasps where I’ve made some great friends. I’d like to thank the Club for the opportunities I’ve had during my two seasons and I wish everyone associated with Wasps the best of luck in the future.”

Wasps Director of Rugby Dai Young said: “We’d like to thank TJ for his contributions to the Club and we wish him all the best in his next venture.”

[BG]

A shame for TJ (especially as he's a Cov lad) but with Taylor, Cruse and Johnson re-signing, and with 2 Eng U20's hookers in the academy his potential game time was possibly going to become less and less.

He's young enough to go to Jersey, develop and hopefully come back to the premiership at a later stage.

Slightly off topic but I wonder how much championship clubs, who aren't flush with money, manage with away games in Jersey. Presumably flights and overnight stays can't be cheap for a whole squad and coaching staff

[Rory87]

Shame to see him go as he seemed a nice lad whenever he was doing the 'Wasps Ambassador' role on match day, plus he looks decent on the pitch. But as BG has said, we are pretty well stocked in the Hooker department. I know the focus in on Barberry currently but I also read lots of good stuff on Oghre who should be getting promoted into the Snr squad next season. So sensible business decision from Dai to allow TJ to head off for more game time.

Who is left to confirm as re-signed or departing, just Gaby? Last season we announced them all in one go, but perhaps with the media hype on our departing players and the suggestion there's an exodus, maybe it makes better PR sense to drip feed that news.

[BG]

Shame to see him go as he seemed a nice lad whenever he was doing the 'Wasps Ambassador' role on match day, plus he looks decent on the pitch. But as BG has said, we are pretty well stocked in the Hooker department. I know the focus in on Barberry currently but I also read lots of good stuff on Oghre who should be getting promoted into the Snr squad next season. So sensible business decision from Dai to allow TJ to head off for more game time.

Who is left to confirm as re-signed or departing, just Gaby? Last season we announced them all in one go, but perhaps with the media hype on our departing players and the suggestion there's an exodus, maybe it makes better PR sense to drip feed that news.

I think Booby Bridge raised question marks relating to 5 players. I think news about 2 still haven't been announced (Gaby and Myall?.. Perhaps Garrat?) normally that means they haven't been offered a contract but haven't themselves signed elsewhere.

[JonnyD]

Shame to see him go as he seemed a nice lad whenever he was doing the 'Wasps Ambassador' role on match day, plus he looks decent on the pitch. But as BG has said, we are pretty well stocked in the Hooker department. I know the focus in on Barberry currently but I also read lots of good stuff on Oghre who should be getting promoted into the Snr squad next season. So sensible business decision from Dai to allow TJ to head off for more game time.

Who is left to confirm as re-signed or departing, just Gaby? Last season we announced them all in one go, but perhaps with the media hype on our departing players and the suggestion there's an exodus, maybe it makes better PR sense to drip feed that news.

I think Booby Bridge raised question marks relating to 5 players. I think news about 2 still haven't been announced (Gaby and Myall?.. Perhaps Garrat?) normally that means they haven't been offered a contract but haven't themselves signed elsewhere.

And possibly West on the assumption that he might have been on a one year deal if Stuart was.
Possibly the championship signings too as Atkinson is off and Morris re-signed so maybe Booj to re-sign although would have hoped searle and Neal as younger guys would have been on longer deals

[andermt]

Slightly off topic but I wonder how much championship clubs, who aren't flush with money, manage with away games in Jersey. Presumably flights and overnight stays can't be cheap for a whole squad and coaching staff

It's not just the championship.

One of my neighbours plays for Birmingham & Solihull Bees (Pertemp Bees as was) and they play Guernsey in National League 2 South. Some of those teams will have much less budget than even the poorest Championship teams. Plus Guernsey are very likely to get relegated so not sure what league they would drop into, and what that would mean for the teams in that League.

[Rory87]

Just gone back to Bobby's article and checked. The players he identifies...

Watson - Re-signed
Garratt - **UNKNOWN
Gaby - **UNKNOWN
Myall - **UNKNOWN
Miller - Re-signed
Reader - Re-signed (unless i've imagined that)
Hampson - **UNKNOWN
TJ - Departing
West - **UNKNOWN

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/rugby/wasps-rugby-news-contracts-rumours-16000654

So 5 still yet to be confirmed... Question is have we offered contracts or not? If so, perhaps it's coming down to whether the players have managed to find something better at another club yet and are holding off signing? The only 2 I'd be keen to retain at Myall and West.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

I do not think Rieder has signed a new contract. The last one was in 2017.

[welsh wasp]

Dai has been very complementary about Reider so I would have thought he wants to keep him.

[baldpaul101]

Slightly off topic but I wonder how much championship clubs, who aren't flush with money, manage with away games in Jersey. Presumably flights and overnight stays can't be cheap for a whole squad and coaching staff

I believe the RFU chip in with expenses. Certainly when my local clubs Ladies team were in the same league as Guernsey, their traveling expenses were paid, don't think it was 100%. Otherwise, no one would ever play there!
I'm also fairly certain that Channel Island teams expenses for their away trips are similarly subsidised.

[Rory87]

As blunt as this may sound... I can't see many clubs lining up to sign a player that's been out for 13 months.

Wasps will have all the knowledge from his rehab and will likely be in a strong position to retain his services due to loyalty (similar to Ashley's thoughts on a new contrct). So I fully expect us to announce Reider has re-signed... which I will be very, VERY happy with!