TRP

[Neils]

Stooke to sign this week confirming Will is Wales bound.
Big splash is Alfie out for 3 months but as we know that will not be known until tomorrow's operation so bit strange.
Also says Lee looking to strengthen the front row which seems strange unless some of our current lot are off.

[Neils]

Couple of other Wasps bits -
Bit on Alfie  and comparing him to youngsters who threatened a breakthrough.
Another on young Wasps tighthead Jordan Cordice. Not a name I have heard. Spent most of 2020 in NZ coached by Leon Holden winning a level grade championship. Now back and shooting for senior level.

[InBetweenWasp]

Think Stooke is just the sort of player that we need in the second row. 

[Steve from Cov]

Strengthen the front row.....

BB has hinted that Wasps have been looking to offload ZZ for some time (or let his contract run down). He has pretty much been frozen out for the last 12 months. But with Harris, West and try scoring Simon Mc. I doubt we are looking for another looshead.

Apparently ZZ came at a large price when we were struggling to find a first team loose head.

[Shugs]

Front row must mean props as were well stocked at hooker even if the TT rumour has anything in it. At LH I can conceivably see that SM is knocking on a bit with ZZ surely not being retained as we haven't seen him since lockdown. So maybe one needed there. TH will depend on the JTA situation. If he stays we're ok, if not we'll need one. Stooke will be a great signing.

[JonnyD]

Think Stooke is a great signing - a massive lump, available all year, good enough to challenge for a start and still has his best years ahead of him.

Talk of losing props worries me - whilst they’re all fit it’s very difficult to keep four props happy, especially at LH where they’re all good enough to start and especially in the absence of the A league and the Anglo welsh or whatever it is called now.
We know all to well that as soon as a few injuries occur in the front row we’re in trouble.

Hunt and Onyeama-Christie are the next oldest props we have and have played senior rugby for us but due to uni commitments may be a little off in their development for where we’d need them as 4th choice.
Nearchou (Barbeary’s year) might be next - has he been playing LH?
Then the year below comes Cordice at TH and Pleasants at LH who both looked very good at U18, Pleasants maybe more so but rumours he could get tempted away to Scotland to pursue international honours in the future like George Thornton did. Not sure if he’s been playing this year but Cordice to his credit went to NZ when he was straight out of school for some men’s rugby.
The production line continues but not sure they’d quite topple Zhvania as an option for a few years

[Steve from Cov]

Think Stooke is a great signing - a massive lump, available all year, good enough to challenge for a start and still has his best years ahead of him.

Talk of losing props worries me - whilst they’re all fit it’s very difficult to keep four props happy, especially at LH where they’re all good enough to start and especially in the absence of the A league and the Anglo welsh or whatever it is called now.
We know all to well that as soon as a few injuries occur in the front row we’re in trouble.

Hunt and Onyeama-Christie are the next oldest props we have and have played senior rugby for us but due to uni commitments may be a little off in their development for where we’d need them as 4th choice.
Nearchou (Barbeary’s year) might be next - has he been playing LH?
Then the year below comes Cordice at TH and Pleasants at LH who both looked very good at U18, Pleasants maybe more so but rumours he could get tempted away to Scotland to pursue international honours in the future like George Thornton did. Not sure if he’s been playing this year but Cordice to his credit went to NZ when he was straight out of school for some men’s rugby.
The production line continues but not sure they’d quite topple Zhvania as an option for a few years

Hi Jonny,
You seem to know a lot about the Academy? Inside track?
Who should we be looking out for?
Steve.

[Shugs]

Quite agree - they wouldn't topple Zhvania but they'd be substantially cheaper. At LH we lose nothing between SM, BH and TW. We just need extra depth and although ZZ provides that it isn't value for money.

[JonnyD]

Think Stooke is a great signing - a massive lump, available all year, good enough to challenge for a start and still has his best years ahead of him.

Talk of losing props worries me - whilst they’re all fit it’s very difficult to keep four props happy, especially at LH where they’re all good enough to start and especially in the absence of the A league and the Anglo welsh or whatever it is called now.
We know all to well that as soon as a few injuries occur in the front row we’re in trouble.

Hunt and Onyeama-Christie are the next oldest props we have and have played senior rugby for us but due to uni commitments may be a little off in their development for where we’d need them as 4th choice.
Nearchou (Barbeary’s year) might be next - has he been playing LH?
Then the year below comes Cordice at TH and Pleasants at LH who both looked very good at U18, Pleasants maybe more so but rumours he could get tempted away to Scotland to pursue international honours in the future like George Thornton did. Not sure if he’s been playing this year but Cordice to his credit went to NZ when he was straight out of school for some men’s rugby.
The production line continues but not sure they’d quite topple Zhvania as an option for a few years

Hi Jonny,
You seem to know a lot about the Academy? Inside track?
Who should we be looking out for?
Steve.

No inside track, I’ve moved abroad now but used to be in amongst the school/club circuit in the SE, now just really enjoy the increased online opportunities to see these guys come through and see that talent progress in the first team.

A bet for the future will absolutely be Rekeiti Ma'asi-White. School rugby is all out of the window this year but was absolutely amazed that he still had another year in school. Tuilagi with hands. Hopefully we get him signed up next year. Lots of u18 highlights on YouTube where you’ll see his impact outside Charlie Atkinson.

[MarleyWasp]

Think Stooke is a great signing - a massive lump, available all year, good enough to challenge for a start and still has his best years ahead of him.

Talk of losing props worries me - whilst they’re all fit it’s very difficult to keep four props happy, especially at LH where they’re all good enough to start and especially in the absence of the A league and the Anglo welsh or whatever it is called now.
We know all to well that as soon as a few injuries occur in the front row we’re in trouble.

Hunt and Onyeama-Christie are the next oldest props we have and have played senior rugby for us but due to uni commitments may be a little off in their development for where we’d need them as 4th choice.
Nearchou (Barbeary’s year) might be next - has he been playing LH?
Then the year below comes Cordice at TH and Pleasants at LH who both looked very good at U18, Pleasants maybe more so but rumours he could get tempted away to Scotland to pursue international honours in the future like George Thornton did. Not sure if he’s been playing this year but Cordice to his credit went to NZ when he was straight out of school for some men’s rugby.
The production line continues but not sure they’d quite topple Zhvania as an option for a few years

The academy squad on the website is a season out of date. Our current academy squad is:

Anjo Ademuwagun (Back row)
Charlie Atkinson (Fly Half)
Cameron Anderson (Centre)
Tom Bacon (Full back)
Toby Baldwin (Wing)
Jordan Cordice (Prop)
Kieran Curran (Back row)
Dan Eckersley (Hooker)
Rob Hardwick (Prop)
Olly Hartley (Centre)
Nic Jakobsen (Back row)
Ollie Monye (Scrum half)
Zac Nearchou (Prop)
Mario Picharde (Back row)
Alex Plesants (Prop)
James Tunney (Back row)
Jude Williams (Wing)

[JonnyD]

Have the likes of Hunt, Onyeama-Christie, Fenner, vickers definitely been released or still on extended academy uni contracts?

Eckersley could give us some real headaches at hooker in a few years I believe

[MarleyWasp]

They aren't listed in the academy or senior squads so I presume they have left.

[petros]

Commentary yesterday said Will was off to Wales at the end of the season

[coddy]

Commentary yesterday said Will was off to Wales at the end of the season

Hence the strong rumour of Stooke replacing him.

[hookender]

Slightly O/T but a lesson not to believe all you read and I’m not the only one to get things wrong.

Nice article in TRP from Brendon Gallagher re a picture of Russell & Hogg sharing a couple of tins of beer after the European cup final on October 17th . Goes on about empty stadia,players motivation in COVID times etc.

Just let’s himself down by saying , twice, in the article that game took place at Sandy Park , despite the picture showing the players sitting on the red seats at Ashton Gate .