Francois Hougaard

[Neils]

According to Fissler he is near re-signing for another season after circulating his CV around the URC.

I suppose he was on a one year deal.

[MarleyWasp]

I did wonder as when the players were at their team bonding session the other day, he was at a dentist in the East end of London.

[Shugs]

If we have that cash would you re-sign him? Don’t think I would. Nothing against him but I’d rather we invested in a 13.

[Neils]

Maybe nobody else wants to come!

[Steve from Cov]

I thought Will Porter came of age last season so surprised we prioritised Hougaard’s contract extension over the signing of a full-back (or Wadey).

[WonkyWasp]

SfromC ......  Nope.  I had sponsored (this is NOT boasting)  Tom Willis when he was  19  but couldn't afford him  the following season when  he was  20/21 but sent a 21st card in January.  I was then sponsoring Will Porter who had his 21 (plus card) 5 weeks before Tom.  Then the dreaded Covid hit us.     

[Steve from Cov]

SfromC ......  Nope.  I had sponsored (this is NOT boasting)  Tom Willis when he was  19  but couldn't afford him  the following season when  he was  20/21 but sent a 21st card in January.  I was then sponsoring Will Porter who had his 21 (plus card) 5 weeks before Tom.  Then the dreaded Covid hit us.   

Hi WW. Apologies - I didn’t explain myself properly…..

I meant that Will Porter has developed his game last season and established himself as a strong option at 9. With Wusty too, I’m not sure we needed to extend Hougaard’s contract.

[WonkyWasp]

Hello Steve!  Completely agree with you.  We too thought Will must have changed whatever it was he had for breakfast.

[JonnyD]

Hello Steve!  Completely agree with you.  We too thought Will must have changed whatever it was he had for breakfast.

I think Porter was very much like Spink as well as Alfie.
The first two seemed to pick up little knocks and hamstring tweaks every time they played, whether it was the A league or the first team.
Last season was the first time both of them had strung any games together (Spink, probably to a greater extent) and their form shone through, they got confident and stayed injury free.
I’m hoping the same will be for Will Simonds now after his stint in Aus, as he was in a similar boat, as Kieran Curran has been.

Potentially something we were getting wrong with their training in the early days but now seem to have fixed.
If all these guys can stay fit and continue to improve, as well as the likes of Charlie, Jacob, Alfie, Jack, Tom et al, our squad looks a hell of a lot stronger

[Brandnewtorugby]

Seem to remember Houghaard's best games were when he played on the wing. Maybe that was just the way those particular games played out with all of the disruption.

[WonkyWasp]

Returning briefly to Will Porter I think he has spent a fair old while on ?strengthening?  as his last season's shirt is a helluva lot bigger than the  previous season's shirt!  He probably wouldn't get into his 20/21  shirt now.

[BlackAndGoldSunglasses]

Seem to remember Houghaard's best games were when he played on the wing. Maybe that was just the way those particular games played out with all of the disruption.

I think he's our best "defensive" winger. He's not going to scorch 90 yeard winners, but to negate an opposition wing I don't think we've got anyone better.

That's not to say he's a first choice on the wing though.

[Chunky24]

I wonder if there is potentially a coaching role for him possibly this season or in the future, probably initially with the academy, very experienced player across a number of back line positions.

[Steve from Cov]

I wonder if there is potentially a coaching role for him possibly this season or in the future, probably initially with the academy, very experienced player across a number of back line positions.

Possibly but doesn’t he have lucrative non-rugby interests?

Jimmy is still living locally and I expect him to be back at the end of his playing career.

[Chunky24]

I wonder if there is potentially a coaching role for him possibly this season or in the future, probably initially with the academy, very experienced player across a number of back line positions.

Possibly but doesn’t he have lucrative non-rugby interests?

Jimmy is still living locally and I expect him to be back at the end of his playing career.

I believe he does have some significant business interests but still interested enough in rugby to be possibly looking to sign another year as 3rd / 4th choice scrum half and occasional winger at 34.