Wasps sign Ali Crossdale

[hookender]

Seems to be good choice especially if he has been on blackett’s radar for some time.

See he has down a season down in NZ similar to Umaga.

[hookender]

Nice to see us continue our recruitment of young prospects from the Championship as well.

😀😀😀

[Chunky24]

Nice bit of business, imagine he will be keeping out of Brad Shields way in training after their last meeting (Feb 2020 5 metres from the try line).

[Steve from Cov]

Welcome Ali!

I’ve seen speculation that Calum Sirker might be released ...

I watched him play for the development team at Broadstreet v Leicester (and Gloucester??) last season - alongside the likes of Jacob, Tom Willis, Will Porter, Tim Cardall etc. - and thought he was excellent.

I think he scored 4 tries against a decent Leicester team and he was too quick for them.

Great prospect.

[Peej]

Would you rather keep a prospect over a proven Premiership player and one of our consistently top performers? That's the tough choice Lee has to make, probably.

Unless Josh has a better offer from elsewhere, at which point assume we'll be keeping Sirker too.

[HDAWG]

I think it's very unlikely Crossdale will be replacing Bassett. That's way too much a risk. We were linked with Cordero a while back, and while he's staying at Bordeaux, Cordero is the level of player I think would be suitable to sign if Bassett (and Lima) leaves. Crossdale is a 3rd/4th choice winger at Sarries. Kind of like how Owlett was never going to replace Cooper-Woolley, but Toomaga Allen was.

Crossdale for Sirker though, that's a like for like.

I'm not saying the guy won't get better, but right now he's not a replacement for Bassett.

[Heathen]

Very pleased with news. Another exciting young prospect who fits Lee Blackett's genre of rugby.

[Horusthewasp]

I think it's very unlikely Crossdale will be replacing Bassett.

Crossdale for Sirker though, that's a like for like.

I'm not saying the guy won't get better, but right now he's not a replacement for Bassett.

+1

A decent signing but it really depends at what cost if he’s a replacement.

The deafening silence over Bassett’s future is excruciating.

[WonkyWasp]

Please  -  not Josh.

[Montague Withnail]

Yes a pleasant surprise indeed, good young player with hopefully a very bright future in front of him.

Do we know if he's more comfortable as a winger or full back?

Personally I think full-back is where he really wants to be. He was fly-half at Sedburgh and later moved to full-back. I think he played a bit of full-back and a bit of wing for England U20s. Sarries seem to see him as a wing, but maybe that's because with Goode, Malins and Daly he can't get a sniff at 15.

Impossible to really know where Lee sees him fitting in for us. I think all our back 3 are contracted for next season except Josh and Callum Sirker - and then obviously Lima. I'm resigned to Lima leaving, and it would be a huge shame to see Callum Sirker go without ever really getting to see if he could deliver on his promise. But I'd be absolutely gutted, and really quite worried, to lose Josh.

So Crossdale could be a replacement for Lima (at full-back) as others have suggested, in which case great. Or I guess he could be a wing replacement for Paulo with Paulo moving over to replace Juan at centre. I'd be sad to lose Juan but also kind of resigned to it. I think that last one is unlikely though, as Paulo only started covering centre a few weeks ago as emergency cover, and Lee must have been talking to Crossdale for much longer than that.

[HDAWG]

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/rugby/ali-crossdale-wasps-rugby-saracens-19720523

Here BB states Bassett, Sirker, Sopoaga and Miller are all out of contract.

[Neils]

People are forgetting that Matteo signed an extended contract and when mentally squared away will likely be our full back - especially if/when Lima departs.

[Hymenoptera]

I thought Miller re-sgned.
Sop's going to France, or anywhere else, free's up enough for Crossdale, josh and prob Sirker.

[Neils]

I thought Miller re-sgned.
Sop's going to France, or anywhere else, free's up enough for Crossdale, josh and prob Sirker.

Thanks i thought he had too. Josh should be the No 1 target keeper.

[hookender]

I thought Miller re-sgned.
Sop's going to France, or anywhere else, free's up enough for Crossdale, josh and prob Sirker.

Miller signed extension last year ,but might just be to cover this present season.