Where do we stand with our Centre options for next season?

[NellyWellyWaspy]

It depends though. He has hardly played, but was / is a class 12.  It would be reasonable to delay any decision on contracts until he has had a chance to have a run of games to see a, if he still has it, and b, if he can avoid more injuries.  I could see him getting a new contract if he strings some good games together by the end of the year, especially as he fits the bill of what we are looking for at 12.

Nice though that is as a sentiment, Wasps is a business. They need a quality 12 in place, and it looks like that will not be Jimmy. Mills could be that, if fit. But, if you don't secure a 12 you KNOW will be fit, with Jimmy gone, that will be your season gone as well. A whole season with Booj as the only option is not viable (much as he is a great #2 or #3 choice). The risk is too great. At some point, you have to make a decision and sign someone else. I suspect we have or will be shortly. The Fazlet replacement debate shows just how poor England is at producing good 12s. Hence, I think a SH player will be signed.

[Rifleman Harris]

It depends though. He has hardly played, but was / is a class 12.  It would be reasonable to delay any decision on contracts until he has had a chance to have a run of games to see a, if he still has it, and b, if he can avoid more injuries.  I could see him getting a new contract if he strings some good games together by the end of the year, especially as he fits the bill of what we are looking for at 12.

Nice though that is as a sentiment, Wasps is a business. They need a quality 12 in place, and it looks like that will not be Jimmy. Mills could be that, if fit. But, if you don't secure a 12 you KNOW will be fit, with Jimmy gone, that will be your season gone as well. A whole season with Booj as the only option is not viable (much as he is a great #2 or #3 choice). The risk is too great. At some point, you have to make a decision and sign someone else. I suspect we have or will be shortly. The Fazlet replacement debate shows just how poor England is at producing good 12s. Hence, I think a SH player will be signed.

Given his injury history (and our general injury history), I doubt even with a good run of games, Wasps will put all their eggs in one basket.  I would imagine it would be Mills plus someone who could also be a number 1 (2 quality players for the 12 shirt), with Booj as #3 rather than Mills + Booj alone. That would probably be a quite low risk approach, as I doubt Mills would command a high fee at the moment. I have no idea, just another thought as to how it could play out.
 

[mike909]

Unless Mills is not here next year.

Well - I felt I had to make some assumptions! If he's not then I think we're probably in need

I think it is quite an assumption. He signed a 2 year contract, which expires this season. Re-signings and extensions were announced months ago by Wasps, there would be no reason to delay his for so long after the others. The same applies to others whose contract expires. If Wasps wanted a player to stay, an offer will have been made at the start of the season (ish). Those who were not wanted past this season were not offered a contract at that time. Those who were offered a contract (I suspect Jimmy as an example here), but did not want to accept it (maybe too little money, or too short), will have been looking around. As soon as Wasps had replacements lined up, their offers would have been withdrawn. That's pretty much how it works. There are a few who we can guess pretty accurately have expiring contracts who have not been announced as re-signing.

Wasps are unlikely to say anything to give those leaving the greatest chance to get signed elsewhere, but by now other clubs know the reality of that silence, so offers will be sparse and with little money, such as happened with Haskell.

Hence why I said above "So if Paulo is fit and Spink provides cover we're probably in need of a distributor 12, Mills if fit and perhaps someone like Pier O' Connor who does both the distribution and some muscle too."

[Westy68]

I agree with you about two quality 12’s as recent history doesn’t suggest Mills can get a prolonged period of game time. I really would like to see mills as he does have the potential to be very good.

As regards to 3rd choice I’m sorry but I’d rather concentrate on a young academy player who has good prospects, which we already have in Ollie (can’t remember surname) we have got to be careful that we don’t push academy players and lose them

[Peej]

It's not like Mills has had lots of injuries a la Fekitoa, he's just had one really bad one that has kept him out, a complete freak event really - even by our team's standards!

I really think a 12 is a priority for us. That's why it's definitely worth keeping Mills on, if nothing more than the fact that quality 12s are currently thin on the ground. It seems quality backs are harder to find in the Championship than forwards (exceptions aside), so we are either looking for an established Prem player or someone from overseas. Domestically, Ojomoh probably won't leave Bath given the new coach/promise of better times ahead etc coming up, although if he is going to sit behind Redpath he might be interested. O'Conor would be interesting as he isn't playing anywhere near as regularly for Bris as he was last year and is versatile - Premiership quality at 12 and 13 is pretty rare.  Hartley isn't going to be ready for a while yet, no matter how impressive he looked in the Prem Cup.

[Hymenoptera]

It's not like Mills has had lots of injuries a la Fekitoa, he's just had one really bad one that has kept him out, a complete freak event really - even by our team's standards!

I think you'll find his entire career has been mostly injury, hence his lack of England caps.

[DGP Wasp]

But, if you don't secure a 12 you KNOW will be fit...

If there are players out there in any position that are entirely immune to injury then we should sign them all!

[welsh wasp]

Hymenoptera: Not sure how you justify Mills having a whole series of injuries. Evidence? He came from Worcester with a good record and we, including us on this site, were glad to have him.

[HDAWG]

Hymenoptera: Not sure how you justify Mills having a whole series of injuries. Evidence? He came from Worcester with a good record and we, including us on this site, were glad to have him.

Tbf Worcester fans warned us about his injury record.

[Matt2087]

Thinking of options, others have mentioned Sale and the James brothers. What about Sam Hill? Seems to have disappeared off completely and may want a new lease of life. Offers a physical edge, and was once on the England radar. Out of contract this season too

[Hymenoptera]

Hymenoptera: Not sure how you justify Mills having a whole series of injuries. Evidence? He came from Worcester with a good record and we, including us on this site, were glad to have him.

Its not a case of being 'glad' or not. A not injured Ryan Mills in his prime was one of the best 12's in England...but so what.
I'm not here to plug your knowledge gap, go do your own homework.

[Steve from Cov]

Thinking of options, others have mentioned Sale and the James brothers. What about Sam Hill? Seems to have disappeared off completely and may want a new lease of life. Offers a physical edge, and was once on the England radar. Out of contract this season too

Sam Hill? Good shout.

[Shugs]

I like the James brothers. Also De Allende is heavily rumoured to be off to Bath. Wonder if we could tempt Redpath. I also quite like Steff Hughes who was rumoured to be available. As a left field option and possibly a bit early if there are no 12’s how about recruiting a 10 and looking at Atkinson at 12.

[Hymenoptera]

Sam Hill is a no from me but agree with either James bros. Oli Morris at Worc too.
Anyone from the Pacific Isles.

[Beasties]

Interesting that we were after Esterhuizen. Having a player like him would massively improve our squad balance. We’ve missed Siale Piutau since he left, and so have Bristol. It’s all very well having creative 10/12s and beating the lesser teams with champagne rugby, but sometimes you need a tractor at 12 to get the game turned round when the going gets tough. Spink has shown a bit of go forward lately but I’ve not seen much of him yet.