TRP

[NellyWellyWaspy]

Moving around the field in support 5 times faster than Brookes.

[westwaleswasp]

I don't know much about the fella, but I can ask about at work Wed. We have a reasonable connection to the Scarlets, though not what it was - 10 years ago you could not walk into our office without a random Scarlets player popping in for some reason or other. There are some connections still, we sometimes provide players for LLanelli schoolboys, and still get free tickets and have used the barn at Parc Y Scarlets a lot, and  all help maintain a link.

[MarleyWasp]

https://www.dai-sport.com/scarlets-prop-pieter-scholtz-lines-up-wasps-move/

By the sounds of it we've beaten off a number of other clubs for his signature.

[Steve from Cov]

https://www.dai-sport.com/scarlets-prop-pieter-scholtz-lines-up-wasps-move/

By the sounds of it we've beaten off a number of other clubs for his signature.

Excellent - a tight head prop that can shore up the scrum must be top of our wish list.

[DGP Wasp]

He's a big lad!! Gourav's gonna need a bigger saucepan!

[will311293]

So realistically we have Loosehead, tighthead, second row and hooker signed with 2x second row to come (one front line/one squad) and a 6/8.

That's a good amount of players to come in! I assume that means we will see Simonds/Spink play more next season too with Sops leaving.

[JonnyD]

So realistically we have Loosehead, tighthead, second row and hooker signed with 2x second row to come (one front line/one squad) and a 6/8.

That's a good amount of players to come in! I assume that means we will see Simonds/Spink play more next season too with Sops leaving.

Think that’s how I’m reading it regarding the signings.

[will311293]

So realistically we have Loosehead, tighthead, second row and hooker signed with 2x second row to come (one front line/one squad) and a 6/8.

That's a good amount of players to come in! I assume that means we will see Simonds/Spink play more next season too with Sops leaving.

Think that’s how I’m reading it regarding the signings.

I'd be happy with that. Strategically smart signings, you would suspect we would start announcing soonish as usually at close out of season clubs generally announce.

[westwaleswasp]

It feels to me as if our scrum has had issues all year when Kieran has not been about. Granted we have not always had a full roster behind him to choose from, but losing our best scrummager to be replaced by another is not going to give us an 80 minute scrum, unless he can reguarly last 80. I don't have the stats breakdown, so I could be wildly wide of the mark, it is just first up memory of this year, where our scrum seems to be more of liability. I would like to have two strong scrummaging THs plus JTA to choose from, for those matches where the opposition have a strong scrum all game. When oppositions are weaker in the scrum then bringing on JTA is ideal for what he offers round the park.  Maybe Alo is the second strong scrummager, we have not seen much of him, but losing  Kieran is unlikely to lead to an upgrade in the scrum, surely?  I know people here point to Kieran around the pitch, but if you conceed just 2 penalties on your own feed in your half that is six points gone. If you add on one on their 5m line there goes the opportunity for 5 or 7.  No amount of work around the pitch is ever going to make up for a creaking scrum, as England have found at times with Mako at LH.

[Shugs]

Agree about the scrum. Millar-Mills is also in that TH mix and probably some academy movement. But I agree numbers alone won't solve it. Scholtz' asset seems to be his scrum and Alo has always done well there but IF Brookes goes that is a big gap to fill.

[Chunky24]

As well as players there is now a full time scrum coach signed don't forget which you would hope makes a difference.

[westwaleswasp]

Good points.
I did ask around today- apparently Scarlets are well stocked on the youngster front (a bit like us @2), and the original signing was going to be short term due to injury issues. Seems to be rated as decent anyway.

[Beasties]

Tthe Brookes situation worries me a lot. He's not that great around the park but he is a quality scrummager. I've no idea how good the Saffer that we've been linked with is so am extremely nervous if he's the replacement for Brookes. Unknown quantity vs known quality. I was hugely underwhelmed when we signed Alo as his technique was poor before he landed and he was regularly getting handed his arse at Worcs. but I've been pleasantly surprised at his progress since. Obv he's not played for a while and we've had to rely on JTA when we could have dearly done with the Alo option. Obv Alo is a proper unit but I can't see him becoming top quality so we do need a first choice quality scrummager. Too many games have hinged on JTA's scrummaging ability for my liking, as good around the park as he is. It sounds like Nearchou is highly rated but it's far too early yet for him. Schonert would've been ideal but he's already moving.