Rumours thread (not necessarily Wasps specific).

[Rossm]

Any relative of former Cardiff captain and ex-England prop Barry Nelmes?

[Raggs]

So...

World class fly half to Wasps, or Leicester, or Wuss, or Irish, or Falcons (but probably wasps).
Cippers off.
Mullan? off to Falcons (based on  ludicrously vague twitter emoji sequence).
Haskell yet to re-sign...
Launch says no to Sale, but hasn't yet said yes to us.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

Any relative of former Cardiff captain and ex-England prop Barry Nelmes?

Yes, cousin of some sorts. My grandad played for one of the (Welsh) valleys teams as well.

My brother played in the Leamington junior team that is in the Guinness Book of Records for the longest run of consecutive wins (over many years). I think that BT Rugby Tonight are trying to get that team back together to appear on one of the upcoming shows.

[Dgwasp]

So...

World class fly half to Wasps, or Leicester, or Wuss, or Irish, or Falcons (but probably wasps).
Cippers off.
Mullan? off to Falcons (based on  ludicrously vague twitter emoji sequence).
Haskell yet to re-sign...
Launch says no to Sale, but hasn't yet said yes to us.

I'm thinking that with Launch being with England, any signing and release will more likely happen when he gets back. What a way to lift spirits ahead of the tigers game!

Sent from my E6653 using Tapatalk

[NellyWellyWaspy]

Any relative of former Cardiff captain and ex-England prop Barry Nelmes?

Yes, cousin of some sorts. My grandad played for one of the (Welsh) valleys teams as well.

My brother played in the Leamington junior team that is in the Guinness Book of Records for the longest run of consecutive wins (over many years). I think that BT Rugby Tonight are trying to get that team back together to appear on one of the upcoming shows.

Oh, and another cousin played the round ball game for some team called Arsenal (and other teams, like West Ham and Wimbledon, and England), he was Nigel Winterburn. He was the reason I took up Rugby. He was so good I realised I needed to find a new sport. He almost joined the Navy instead of playing football because the Sky Blues turned him down (from what I remember)!

[Raggs]

Reider is a nice one to secure.  I do wonder what it means for Hask though...

[matelot22]

Reider is a nice one to secure.  I do wonder what it means for Hask though...

With Willis continuing to impress at each outing, I'd imagine a significant pay drop at least...

[Raggs]

Agreed.  However with Guy Thompson likely needing a new contract too, there's still some news to come.  Hughes last extended in 2016, so we've probably got another season before we have to start worrying about him.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

What's the deal with Mullan?

[wasps]

so our back row options are:

Hughes
Young
Haskell
Thompson
Rieder
Jones
Willis (the older)

Others: Ash if not playing hooker, Willis (the younger) and possibly Carr if he stays... and then some 2nd rows.

Have i missed anyone?
We don't know how well Jones will return from his injury. It's likely to take quite a lot of time to get back up to speed, and to regain some kind of form, while also adapting his game to new laws which didn't exist when he last played. I don't see him being first choice again this season.

Thompson is 30, Haskell is 32, and Nate is often away with England.
I still don't feel as though we're hugely well stacked for depth in the back row.

[Raggs]

Here's one I just read on a championship forum.

Lee Blackett for the head coach/DOR position now available at Saints.  We know they tried getting him the year before we went in, as their attack coach, so he's obviously known by them.  He's also got past experience as top dog, and plays an exciting game.  I have to be honest, if there genuinely is an offer for him to become head coach/dor there, I can't see him turning it down (assuming no one else is preferred and accepts).  That would be a big shame for us I feel, and would leave Dai potentially scrambling to find a new attack/backs coach replacement. 

I can't imagine that we've signed Costello to replace Blackett, since the Mallinder firing would have happened too recently, but it may be that Costello picks up a rapid promotion?

[Vespula Vulgaris]

That's worrying. I'd be really sad to see him leave.

Makes a lot of sense though.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

Stormers site states that Carr has committed his immediate future to them.

What this actually means we have no idea.  A contract extension?  An optimistic description of the fact he hasn't asked to be released early?

http://thestormers.com/dhl-stormers-working-hard-in-pre-season/

[NellyWellyWaspy]

As a PR piece it is artistry. See how it says who has contract extensions, and who is signed to the end of 2019? But the forwards who are committed are mentioned in neither group. Meaning for them 2018 is it. That is all you can take from that well crafted news report. I suspect Dai and Carr are leaving it till Haskell and Thompson's future are officially decided. Which will be January.

Nizaam came for the short term, but with an open mind and free to sign if he wanted. He liked Wasps, he likes the fans and the locals. He has found a very nice and supportive Muslim community, and he was sold. But, he is a man very much in love with his wife. She has now come over and loves it here. Job done. Yes, it is colder, but then you get to build a snowman. How cool is that? I would be very surprised if he didn't sign with Wasps, and I would be very surprised if he isn't already house hunting.

[Raggs]

As a PR piece it is artistry. See how it says who has contract extensions, and who is signed to the end of 2019? But the forwards who are committed are mentioned in neither group. Meaning for them 2018 is it. That is all you can take from that well crafted news report. I suspect Dai and Carr are leaving it till Haskell and Thompson's future are officially decided. Which will be January.

Nizaam came for the short term, but with an open mind and free to sign if he wanted. He liked Wasps, he likes the fans and the locals. He has found a very nice and supportive Muslim community, and he was sold. But, he is a man very much in love with his wife. She has now come over and loves it here. Job done. Yes, it is colder, but then you get to build a snowman. How cool is that? I would be very surprised if he didn't sign with Wasps, and I would be very surprised if he isn't already house hunting.

In a cynical business frame of mind (maybe not that bad a thing), tapping into the muslim community (cov = 23k+, birmingham = 234k+) may help boost our attendance too.  He may not be a superstar in the rugby world, but he could very easily become a very good ambassador for Wasps.