I though with all the recent movement and rumours I’d have a look at where we are with players for next season.
Key – new signing, rumoured signing, (rumoured away)
LH – McIntyre, Zhvania, Harris B, West
Hooker – Taylor, Cruse, Johnson, (Harris TJ)
TH – Brookes, Toomuga-Allen, Owlett, Daniels, Alo
2nd Row – Launchbury, Gaskell, Rowlands, Matthews, Garrett, (Myall), Fardy
Back-row – Young, Shields, Willis J, Carr, Rieder, Morris, Atkinson, Vailanu
Scrum-Half – Robson, Vellacott, (Hampson), Homer
Fly-Half – Sopoaga, Searle
Centre – De Jong, Gopperth, Le Bourgeois, Fekitoa, (Lovobalvu), Clarke
Back-Three – Bassett, Miller, Neal, Minozzi, (Watson), Naholo, Worth, Moyle
Potential academy promotions:
Oghre (hooker)
Willis T (Back-Row)
Porter (Scrum-half)
Umaga (10/12/15)
Looking at that, if at least one of the rumoured tightheads comes in and Gaby gets promoted to the first team then that gives us good front-row resilience (4 in each position). I’d be very happy with Fardy for Myall in the row and I think the backrow looks very good, if Tom Willis comes up we have three full backrows which is plenty with good variety and versatility.
For the backs, I think we need four scrum-halves as Dan will hopefully be away with England so Homer coming in and Porter coming up would be good. Jacob and Jimmy provide back up at 10 so that’s fine. I think we do need another centre and I would be very happy of we did get Clarke from Bath: he young, English, can play 12 or 13 and has always looked good when given a chance. I still think we need a top winger, I think Naholo has probably signed for Irish so that’s gone. Random thought is Nehe Milner-Skudder (I know he signed for Toulon but there was a RugbyInsideLine rumour about a signed contract that wasn’t going to be honoured – some thought it might be JCW or similar – when the Savea situation broke, someone asked RIL if this was the broken contract and he said ‘no, but close’, made me think Savea may have told his ‘Canes buddy not to go there as it’s toxic - like I said, random thought). Also if Watson goes I think we need another ok winger (Charlie Walker would be good).