Additions to Squad

[BG]

Having watched the highlights from the last A game, its noticeable how many times Booj was standing at 1st receiver, especially off lineouts, presumably having the option to truck it up himself to create a quick ruck or more often than not find the looping 9 or 10 arriving at his shoulder.

Its similar to how Glaws play 12Trees.

[westwaleswasp]

I am still a bit concerned. We have enjoyed selection consistency, but that means the same players who scrubbed out against Sale are those who beat Chiefs. What is to stop the latter morphing into the former?
We have worked hard for our tries, overall, and we don't have many backs who can really be tagged as elusive. In the past few games we have seen Watson turn from someone most wanted gone to someone most think is a real threat in a little space, showing how small margins can be. Do we have enough of that across the board at the back? Maybe, but it is hard to see - how will Fekitoa settle, will Robson, another who threatens if the gate is open just a couple of inches, actually return?

My issue is that I want to see Wasps be able to score from anywhere in the blink of an eye, our mobile back rows and ball handling front rows really would seem ideally placed to produce that wasps of old, but I am struggling to see it in the backs with so many question marks- will Watson regress at the next injury, for example.....

[Raggs]

I suspect we'll see a few championship signings (see which work out, which don't), and perhaps a few youngsters.

Not sure we'll be expecting any more bigger names.

[wasps]

If we assume our first choice back line is something like

Robson, Lima, Bassett, Fekitoa, JdJ, Watson, Italian guy

then where do we think we're likely to be strengthening the first choice options?

We won't be getting a first choice fly half in ahead of Lima.
Fekitoa is our new super signing
JdJ is one of our best and most different performers when wearing 13
Watson and Bassett could be improved upon, but they both have their merits
The Italian guy has presumably been signed to be first choice


So, assuming that Dan recovers, then I can only see us maybe getting a first choice winger in

[Raggs]

Has Lleyds been confirmed yet?

Sirker is doing very well in A-league, could easily see him being used next season. Rob Miller is still around too I believe, so I'd guess back 3 is fine.

Centres with Booj and Neal as backup, along with Gopps, are good.

Umaga at 10, along with Miller (both 10/15 options really).

Robson, Vellcott and Porter for SH, probably looking at getting another one, but not high level.

Backrow I think we're fine.

Locks fine.

Hookers with Oghre and Barbaery (presumably, hopefully) we're fine (Cruse, Taylor, Johnson too).

Loosehead, McIntyre, ZZ, Harris, West (hopefully).

Tighthead, Brookes, Toomaga Allen, Owlett, Langley. Potentially after another here? Depending on how they feel Langley is developing.

[Neils]

Leyds - no. Only appeared in SA media then Fissler.

[Jac A]

I think we are done with forwards. I think the only contracts that we aren't sure of there are Myall, Garratt and Rieder.

Thinking positively that Dan will be ok, I still think Will Homer may join, if Dan is away with England we'd only have two scrum-halves otherwise.

I think we're light at centre. Gopperth is going to be getting on and both Fekitoa and JdJ are better 13s than 12s in my opinion. Booj is ok but without a good academy 12 who could fill in if needed I'd like another here , IF Gaby is off that is. I think Dai mentioned a while ago when asked about signings that we were looking for another centre too so there may be something here.

I think we are very light in the back three next year - Bassett, Watson, Miller, Neal and Minozzi and Minozzi has hardly played all this season with injury and is likely to be away for the world cup and 6 nations. I know people will say Sirker can step up and I'm sure he can but he's still finding his feet in XV's. Any knocks or niggles could leave us scraping around.

I still think that Leyds will come to us and would be a great bit of business - available all year, covers the whole back 3 etc. We may not have heard anything for a while but there are other strong rumours from the same article that haven't happened yet (like Jacques Vermeulen to Chiefs or Viljoen to Tigers) that a lot of people do think will be happening, some have already happened like Lewies to Quins and Akker van der Merwe to Sale.

[Chunky24]

Tighthead, Brookes, Toomaga Allen, Owlett, Langley. Potentially after another here? Depending on how they feel Langley is developing.

Mike Daniels and Biyi Alo signed at TH also so probably no more there.

[JonnyD]

Tighthead, Brookes, Toomaga Allen, Owlett, Langley. Potentially after another here? Depending on how they feel Langley is developing.

Mike Daniels and Biyi Alo signed at TH also so probably no more there.

I think Langley will go. He has not been used much at all when fit, is now about 25 and has 5 more experienced THs ahead of him. Perhaps the championship beckons.

I hope we do sign Leyds, really intelligent player from the back and hopefully available more than WLR.
Essentially Fekitoa comes in for Daly, Minozzi replaces WLR and we still have Wade to be replaced by Leyds or Naholo.

[Raggs]

Forgot about Daniels and alo.

Neal can play 13.

[Rory87]

I can see us picking up a 'big name' player around the RWC (once international squads are confirmed). Naholo is apparently off to Irish and all the reports I've read on him seem to suggest he's completely lost his form, so would be a potential risk given the likely salary he'll command. So happy for Irish to take that gamble instead of us.

I think we'll get a crop of championship players in like last time.

Dai always talked about having 2 top quality players in each position, so I know our first choice backline has been listed above, but do we feel we have that... or do we think we'll sacrifice one of those spots to allow fast progression for the likes of Sirker and co?

[Neils]

Also there were pictures of Naholo in a knee brace three weeks ago

[Rossm]

Also there were pictures of Naholo in a knee brace three weeks ago

Is that the day after he signed for us?

[Neils]

Would be typical wouldn't it.

[andermt]

Umaga at 10, along with Miller (both 10/15 options really).

Not forgetting Billy Searle who will hopefully be back at some point next season.