Fuel for Hughes is off fire.

[Raggs]

Apparently alapati leiuas mum posted on her Facebook that Hughes has signed for 2 years for Bristol.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

She will have met with him back home for the funeral. Not a good time for posting on social media, but nothing we sort of knew in our hearts. Sad time for his family though. I think many of us older ones have had a year where family matters went terribly wrong many times over. It is hard to get through, so my thoughts on not on where he is going, but how he is coping.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

I think we can safely say it's a done deal.  Still not january though...

[westwaleswasp]

Players move on. It is an area of strength for us. If his performances were rubbish we would dump him, pro sport does not have loyalty one way only.
Careers are short. Oppotunities in his homeland are more limited than other parts of the world.
I wish him the best at Bristol if it happens but not against us, of course. Now Daly to Sarries, that is a different kettle of fish, if it happens. That would leave a sour taste by comparison...

[coddy]

I thought other clubs couldn't even speak to a player for another few days let alone sign a contract! Am I mis understanding Premier Rugby rules or is there something very underhand going on?

[NellyWellyWaspy]

I thought other clubs couldn't even speak to a player for another few days let alone sign a contract! Am I mis understanding Premier Rugby rules or is there something very underhand going on?

The rules were too gentlemanly to mention agents.

[Dgwasp]

Hughes is a great impact player who would be a loss to anyone... Half a million of salary cap and limited game time however restricts the impact he can have. He has been looking - of late - more and more unaware of how to deal with the breakdown, is getting fewer turn overs and line breaks and committing stupid offences.  Sad to see him go, however we have some good back row options and that isn't an area of the squad that concerns me much. If Dai drops him it'll be interesting to see if it damages his WC prospects...

[coddy]

Agree, back row is stretched a bit today in terms of numbers with Ashley, Rieder, Hughes and the Willis brothers all out injured and Gaskell as cover out too but the backs today showed we are lacking in both numbers and skill levels.