Lima to Lyon?

[RBB]

https://www.hugerugby.news/rugby-transfer-rumours/sexton-linked-with-leinster-exit/

Ignore the URL but read to this part;

However, if Lyon miss out on Sexton the report states that they have Wasps’ Lima Sopoaga and Kubota Spears’ Bernard Foley in mind, although the latter has only just moved to Japan and may not want to move again so quickly.

There could be some truth here as he is coming to the end of his initial two years at the end of this season, and moving to France would be logical and lucrative, if true I wonder what Lyon have seen that makes them think he is worth a look. Goal kicking aside he has been committed, but sadly average for us. I will watch with interest as Lima does have a habit as we have seen, of reacting to rumours pretty quickly.

[HDAWG]

We haven't changed our game plan to accompany him/he doesn't play the way we want him to, perhaps Lyon would use his qualities better/he would play the way Lyon want him to. I think Umaga is a better fit for our game.

If he does leave that's a lot of money we can use elsewhere. Or it could just be contract negotiations.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

Whatever the reason, it's safe to say he hasn't come close to his potential with us and so moving on may well be the best thing for everyone.

[BG]

We can't be sure what his salary is but the rumour was that it was circa £600k (which would be outside of the cap).

If Wasps wanted him to stay and and vice versa then I think a £100k contract would be more in line, fulfilling a "squad" player role. His value would be determined by how much other clubs are willing to pay. I can't envisage seeing a queue of EPL DoR's lining up though. Maybe Lyon are doing what Wasps may have done.. watched a 5 mins highlights reel on Youtube.

He's had a season and a half to find his feet (be that rugby/location/social) and for whatever reason, he hasn't.

[JonnyD]

Hasn’t he already gone on record saying he’ll be around next season.

If there is the option however, and I would never wish him ill as he is clearly a talented player and a family man, but it would make business sense to offload him.
Invest the time in Umaga and bring in an older more experienced head, squad player option to support like a Jimmy from a few years ago.
All the money then back into coaching for me

[westwaleswasp]

I think reality has dawned. He is a nice chap by all accounts, people are still desperate for him to succeed, and whilst he wears b n g he deserves support.  However, for what seems like ages even relatively mild criticism or even faint praise in these and other places has been met with a chorus of opprobrium, downvotes and gnashing of teeth. The press comments about him being the worst signing were harsh, unnecessary and coneived without much thought, but they were not without an element of truth, no matter how many mitigating factors there were. There have been many reasons for Wasp's malaise- it is not his fault for sure, that would be too facile and empty an argument. Nonetheless he has never been what we needed or wanted, and it is not just Danny he pales in comparison to.
I imagine he will go on to great things as and when he leaves, but I cannot see him being successful for us

[Vespula Vulgaris]

The thing that worries me the most, is why a player, who before the birth of his daughter had taken the ABs 10 shirt from Beauden Barrett has been unable to show the form he is clearly capable of.

Maybe it's simply that his priorities in life have changed and he is no longer as driven as he was.  I've heard that he is so laid back he is horizontal.

Maybe his natural style of play fitted the Kiwi side perfectly yet clashes terribly with ours.

Maybe there is something outside of playing that is causing him to struggle, after all Mullan, Myall and several others have been brave enough to talk about this, and he has alluded to struggling from time to time.

Maybe there is something obout our coaching that is causing him to underperform.

I doubt we'll ever know, but whatever happens I personally wish him well, and am grateful he uprooted his life to come and play for us.  I'd rather he exploded into form and finished his time with us in a glory of try scoring leadership, but I'll settle for doing what he can to help Umaga step up.

[Raggs]

I didn't watch a massive amount of him, but a reasonable amount. He was never a Cips type player for me. More a sort of pivot, who could offer a running threat himself, with a solid kicking game. Like a improved Andy Goode I guess. I was expecting our attacking game to change because of it, but we still seem to be trying to play the same ambitious attacking game with him.

I don't think he's been as bad as some have said, but equally, I don't think he's ever been the player to set a backline on fire.

I'd still like to see him tried at 12 like Gopps.

[RBB]

Hasn’t he already gone on record saying he’ll be around next season.

If there is the option however, and I would never wish him ill as he is clearly a talented player and a family man, but it would make business sense to offload him.
Invest the time in Umaga and bring in an older more experienced head, squad player option to support like a Jimmy from a few years ago.
All the money then back into coaching for me

I think he said he would be seeing out his contract and not leaving now, there is an extension option at the end of this season. Personally I cannot see the club taking that up, he isn’t to blame for our decline but has underwhelmed, Umaga is the future. I would like to see Madigan as a target as he appears to be less favoured at Bristol these days.

[westwaleswasp]

I'd still like to see him tried at 12 like Gopps.

I called for that last year, and was in a minority of one....

[Vespula Vulgaris]

I'd still like to see him tried at 12 like Gopps.

I called for that last year, and was in a minority of one....

I think there's a fairly sizeable difference between Lima at 12 outside Jacob, and outside Billy.

[Hymenoptera]

Before too much is made of this, this story was out on Sunday in midi olympic and really was just a one liner in an article about Sexton.
I read nothing into this other than him making the headline as not signing on for next season, which he already disputed. It even went on to say that the current 10 to be replaced was of the age to retire, not that he was.
It read as a total non story, which is why I never threaded it.

[Brandnewtorugby]

I'd still like to see him tried at 12 like Gopps.

I called for that last year, and was in a minority of one....

That might be your perception, but definitely not the case. There are a few of us who have fancied that and mentioned it in posts. Personally it was a gut feel based on him playing fly half more like Jimmy, I don't pretend to understand the details and nuances of the positions (especially defence).

[HDAWG]

Since Dai has been experimenting, we may well see Sops at 12. I'd like to see it, but there's not been a hint of it yet.

[Hymenoptera]

What are we expecting to see from Sops at 12?
If i compare to Gops, Gops is a much better tackler, better reader of the game, more vocal organizer, has a better boot, better distributor. Sounds like a shoe horn to get Umaga on the field and value to the 500k he's being paid.