Signing to be announced at 11.00am - Yes, It's JEFF TOOMAGA-ALLEN!

[Rifleman Harris]

He certainly looks like he could manage 3 Shredded Wheats!

[BG]

A 6ft 4 prop.. that's Sheridan, Hayman territory.

[Neils]

He looks quite speedy for his size. Love the tackling on the compilation. Plus another one who does not go off for the AIs or 6N.

[Tervueren]

Bollocks. Was really hoping he'd stick around. Rumour is Bath waved a huge check under his nose.

Wasps just signed Owlett from Exeter as a THP.

Huge cheques are very hard to ignore. Despite all the gloom and doom merchants, I doubt if there is a lot more to it than that. I presume his senior contract signed last May was for 1 year. Would a 1 year contract be usual for a senior academy player breaking into the seniors?

[southamwasp]

I think that wasps have had some quality signings over the last couple of days. I hope this puts to bed some peoples impression that there was trouble at mill. it is unlikely that players with obvious connections to current squad members would join an organisation with a toxic culture.
i wish them well for the coming seasons and think that we could be in for some fun at the ricoh.   

[Raggs]

Tommy Taylor has repeatedly come up as one that was apparently leaving due to a bad culture, and yet not only did he see out his contract, but he's re-signed. Others who've been with us a long time are also sticking with us. Some are leaving, but I suspect both JCW and Hughes were made very large offers, and both are going to clubs with money and lots of room in the cap.

[welsh wasp]

I've watched him playing in Super Rugby and was impressed. Strong runner, very good hands, good tackler. Craig Dowd Mark 2.

[westwaleswasp]

Dowd had 60 AB full caps though.
Not a negative or a naysaying comment, but a plea for realism.
If people think he is going to be Dowd Mk II there is a good chance people will be upset very quickly.
As he replaces JCW, who has none, it is all a moot point, but to put it all in context, Paul Doran Jones has more international caps.

 

 

[Rossm]

If I remember correctly even Craig had a bit of a slow start with us.

[Hymenoptera]

If I remember correctly even Craig had a bit of a slow start with us.

You are correct sir, he was slow.

and I believe the MarkII comment was based around his style rather than his comparative quality or achievements ...

[Hymenoptera]

Question.

Sops, Fekitoa, Shields and this man make 4 AB's..isn't that 1 over the match day total of foreigners?

[Raggs]

Question.

Sops, Fekitoa, Shields and this man make 4 AB's..isn't that 1 over the match day total of foreigners?

Shields is English. Sops is likely classed as Samoan, so Kolpak, Fekitoa classed as Tongan, so Kolpak, then Jeff, so just the one. However with Brexit, it'll be interesting to see what happens there...

[westwaleswasp]

How can players who have played for the ABs not be New Zealanders?

Shields as English I get, but what are the rules vis-a-vis ABs that enable them to become Pacific islanders? Can Nathan go back after his England career is over?

It seems odd in an era when Tom Young gets tied to Wales forever for comparatively little commitment to them (whilst players playing for England at age group level switch to Wales with impunity), and yet players can play for New Zealand and then get classed as non New Zealanders.

Where does Jimmy fit into this as a zero full cap AB?

[BG]

Question.

Sops, Fekitoa, Shields and this man make 4 AB's..isn't that 1 over the match day total of foreigners?

Shields is English. Sops is likely classed as Samoan, so Kolpak, Fekitoa classed as Tongan, so Kolpak, then Jeff, so just the one. However with Brexit, it'll be interesting to see what happens there...

The EQP rule states that roughly 17.5 players in every match day squad must be EQP but this is averaged out across the season. Its not mandatory but a club does face a fine if they don't stick to it.

France have a similar rule now to try and encourage home grown talent.

Brexit has no relevance to this as this is a rule agreed upon by PRL and the RFU.

[BG]

How can players who have played for the ABs not be New Zealanders?

Shields as English I get, but what are the rules vis-a-vis ABs that enable them to become Pacific islanders? Can Nathan go back after his England career is over?

It seems odd in an era when Tom Young gets tied to Wales forever for comparatively little commitment to them (whilst players playing for England at age group level switch to Wales with impunity), and yet players can play for New Zealand and then get classed as non New Zealanders.

Where does Jimmy fit into this as a zero full cap AB?

Players' nationalities (citizenship and passport ) have little relevance to what country they can or cannot play for (parents or grandparents can qualify a player)

I believe once you've represented a country at U20 level then you can't represent another country until you qualify via another rule.

Residency rules have changed from 3 to 5 yrs

I'm guessing Jimmy and YY are both EQP considering they both have been in England for so long (residency rules) but that doesn't mean they will ever want to play for England.