Always a Wasp
General Category => Wasps Rugby Discussion => Topic started by: Raggs on November 08, 2017, 10:41:10 AM
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Heard/read anything?
So we've got a world class fly half from France. Cips moving on? Or just getting ready in case he does.
A potential tighthead (Marty Moore to Ulster being a rumour). Don't mind that too much, Moore hasn't impressed as much as I'd hoped.
Brad Shields apparently being courted by us too, perhaps a sign we're losing someone (Hask still hasn't re-signed).
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Marty Moore is a strange one... I don't mean the rumours, I mean his performances.
In some games, he appears to be a stronger scrummager than JCW, but in others, it's the other way around.
There's obviously a number of factors, including injuries and fatigue, but also that sometimes your technique matches up better with certain opponents.
I'm still not sure who the better scrumagger is, but I'm usually happier when JCW is starting.
I wonder if any new potential TH would be as a starter, or as 2nd choice / compete with JCW
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Marty Moore is a strange one... I don't mean the rumours, I mean his performances.
In some games, he appears to be a stronger scrummager than JCW, but in others, it's the other way around.
There's obviously a number of factors, including injuries and fatigue, but also that sometimes your technique matches up better with certain opponents.
I'm still not sure who the better scrumagger is, but I'm usually happier when JCW is starting.
I wonder if any new potential TH would be as a starter, or as 2nd choice / compete with JCW
Not strange at all IMO, you've answered your own question.
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Someone on the other site said Brad Shields was interested in coming to England. I think they said both his parents are English. Suggested Wasps was a possibility. Next season of course.
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Technically I've got no problem with Marty Moore, I have just lost count how many times he has come on a replacement and subsequently the starter has had to come back on owing to injury. Last season when him and JCW were competiting to be the most injured prop made us appear very vulnerable.
As for fly half, even if Cips stays I can imagine that we might look at Gopps as FB with Miller once WLR has gone. Therefore a replacement fly half may well be required.
Brad Shields is an exciting potential signing, it does make you wonder who we might be expecting to leave/see less of next year. Haskell, Jones (I hope not) or AJ?
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Apparently Steve Mafi is keen on a move back to the AP and being courted by a number of clubs. Tiggers appears to be the most likely destination.
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WRT the fly half debate: where do we see the academy guys fitting into the equation?
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Not seen either for a while but Eastgate has looked OK to me, but he's not struck me as anything more than perhaps solid squad level. Umaga I think has the skills, but needs that PI muscle to come in.
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Not seen either for a while but Eastgate has looked OK to me, but he's not struck me as anything more than perhaps solid squad level. Umaga I think has the skills, but needs that PI muscle to come in.
I wonder if James could do a job there, there's elements of his game reminds me of a young Cips.It seems though that Umaga is destined to be a 12 and James a FB.
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Not seen either for a while but Eastgate has looked OK to me, but he's not struck me as anything more than perhaps solid squad level. Umaga I think has the skills, but needs that PI muscle to come in.
Both starting against Ospreys. Interesting to see how they go.
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Not seen either for a while but Eastgate has looked OK to me, but he's not struck me as anything more than perhaps solid squad level. Umaga I think has the skills, but needs that PI muscle to come in.
I wonder if James could do a job there, there's elements of his game reminds me of a young Cips.It seems though that Umaga is destined to be a 12 and James a FB.
Rob Smith says James plays well at FB and 10. He says he reminds him of younger Cips when he was that age.
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Not seen either for a while but Eastgate has looked OK to me, but he's not struck me as anything more than perhaps solid squad level. Umaga I think has the skills, but needs that PI muscle to come in.
I wonder if James could do a job there, there's elements of his game reminds me of a young Cips.It seems though that Umaga is destined to be a 12 and James a FB.
Rob Smith says James plays well at FB and 10. He says he reminds him of younger Cips when he was that age.
Cheers NWW, good to hear.
By the way I think I may have met you at the Chiefs game, were you in the group 0f 8-10 blokes, they asked me to take a picture, but the blokes phone wasn't working?? Were you with them.
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By the way I think I may have met you at the Chiefs game, were you in the group 0f 8-10 blokes, they asked me to take a picture, but the blokes phone wasn't working?? Were you with them.
'Fraid not. Mind you, if looking at my photo on my avatar you think other poor bloke looks like me. Ouch. I pity him. Last time I went to Sandy Park was at the end of the season two years ago.
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By the way I think I may have met you at the Chiefs game, were you in the group 0f 8-10 blokes, they asked me to take a picture, but the blokes phone wasn't working?? Were you with them.
'Fraid not. Mind you, if looking at my photo on my avatar you think other poor bloke looks like me. Ouch. I pity him. Last time I went to Sandy Park was at the end of the season two years ago.
:D Then you do indeed have a doppelganger!
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By the way I think I may have met you at the Chiefs game, were you in the group 0f 8-10 blokes, they asked me to take a picture, but the blokes phone wasn't working?? Were you with them.
'Fraid not. Mind you, if looking at my photo on my avatar you think other poor bloke looks like me. Ouch. I pity him. Last time I went to Sandy Park was at the end of the season two years ago.
:D Then you do indeed have a doppelganger!
Poor bloke. And, in my case (due to hair colour), he would be a doppleginger!!
Which reminds me. My surname is Nelmes. When I went to the semi against Sarries at the Madejski 2 years ago, they had a printed list to check names off on the offy coaches. Under my name was a Nelmes I did not know. Curious. Not so many of us around.
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Any relative of former Cardiff captain and ex-England prop Barry Nelmes?
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So...
World class fly half to Wasps, or Leicester, or Wuss, or Irish, or Falcons (but probably wasps).
Cippers off.
Mullan? off to Falcons (based on ludicrously vague twitter emoji sequence).
Haskell yet to re-sign...
Launch says no to Sale, but hasn't yet said yes to us.
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Any relative of former Cardiff captain and ex-England prop Barry Nelmes?
Yes, cousin of some sorts. My grandad played for one of the (Welsh) valleys teams as well.
My brother played in the Leamington junior team that is in the Guinness Book of Records for the longest run of consecutive wins (over many years). I think that BT Rugby Tonight are trying to get that team back together to appear on one of the upcoming shows.
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So...
World class fly half to Wasps, or Leicester, or Wuss, or Irish, or Falcons (but probably wasps).
Cippers off.
Mullan? off to Falcons (based on ludicrously vague twitter emoji sequence).
Haskell yet to re-sign...
Launch says no to Sale, but hasn't yet said yes to us.
I'm thinking that with Launch being with England, any signing and release will more likely happen when he gets back. What a way to lift spirits ahead of the tigers game!
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Any relative of former Cardiff captain and ex-England prop Barry Nelmes?
Yes, cousin of some sorts. My grandad played for one of the (Welsh) valleys teams as well.
My brother played in the Leamington junior team that is in the Guinness Book of Records for the longest run of consecutive wins (over many years). I think that BT Rugby Tonight are trying to get that team back together to appear on one of the upcoming shows.
Oh, and another cousin played the round ball game for some team called Arsenal (and other teams, like West Ham and Wimbledon, and England), he was Nigel Winterburn. He was the reason I took up Rugby. He was so good I realised I needed to find a new sport. He almost joined the Navy instead of playing football because the Sky Blues turned him down (from what I remember)!
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Reider is a nice one to secure. I do wonder what it means for Hask though...
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Reider is a nice one to secure. I do wonder what it means for Hask though...
With Willis continuing to impress at each outing, I'd imagine a significant pay drop at least...
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Agreed. However with Guy Thompson likely needing a new contract too, there's still some news to come. Hughes last extended in 2016, so we've probably got another season before we have to start worrying about him.
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What's the deal with Mullan?
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so our back row options are:
Hughes
Young
Haskell
Thompson
Rieder
Jones
Willis (the older)
Others: Ash if not playing hooker, Willis (the younger) and possibly Carr if he stays... and then some 2nd rows.
Have i missed anyone?
We don't know how well Jones will return from his injury. It's likely to take quite a lot of time to get back up to speed, and to regain some kind of form, while also adapting his game to new laws which didn't exist when he last played. I don't see him being first choice again this season.
Thompson is 30, Haskell is 32, and Nate is often away with England.
I still don't feel as though we're hugely well stacked for depth in the back row.
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Here's one I just read on a championship forum.
Lee Blackett for the head coach/DOR position now available at Saints. We know they tried getting him the year before we went in, as their attack coach, so he's obviously known by them. He's also got past experience as top dog, and plays an exciting game. I have to be honest, if there genuinely is an offer for him to become head coach/dor there, I can't see him turning it down (assuming no one else is preferred and accepts). That would be a big shame for us I feel, and would leave Dai potentially scrambling to find a new attack/backs coach replacement.
I can't imagine that we've signed Costello to replace Blackett, since the Mallinder firing would have happened too recently, but it may be that Costello picks up a rapid promotion?
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That's worrying. I'd be really sad to see him leave.
Makes a lot of sense though.
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Stormers site states that Carr has committed his immediate future to them.
What this actually means we have no idea. A contract extension? An optimistic description of the fact he hasn't asked to be released early?
http://thestormers.com/dhl-stormers-working-hard-in-pre-season/
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As a PR piece it is artistry. See how it says who has contract extensions, and who is signed to the end of 2019? But the forwards who are committed are mentioned in neither group. Meaning for them 2018 is it. That is all you can take from that well crafted news report. I suspect Dai and Carr are leaving it till Haskell and Thompson's future are officially decided. Which will be January.
Nizaam came for the short term, but with an open mind and free to sign if he wanted. He liked Wasps, he likes the fans and the locals. He has found a very nice and supportive Muslim community, and he was sold. But, he is a man very much in love with his wife. She has now come over and loves it here. Job done. Yes, it is colder, but then you get to build a snowman. How cool is that? I would be very surprised if he didn't sign with Wasps, and I would be very surprised if he isn't already house hunting.
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As a PR piece it is artistry. See how it says who has contract extensions, and who is signed to the end of 2019? But the forwards who are committed are mentioned in neither group. Meaning for them 2018 is it. That is all you can take from that well crafted news report. I suspect Dai and Carr are leaving it till Haskell and Thompson's future are officially decided. Which will be January.
Nizaam came for the short term, but with an open mind and free to sign if he wanted. He liked Wasps, he likes the fans and the locals. He has found a very nice and supportive Muslim community, and he was sold. But, he is a man very much in love with his wife. She has now come over and loves it here. Job done. Yes, it is colder, but then you get to build a snowman. How cool is that? I would be very surprised if he didn't sign with Wasps, and I would be very surprised if he isn't already house hunting.
In a cynical business frame of mind (maybe not that bad a thing), tapping into the muslim community (cov = 23k+, birmingham = 234k+) may help boost our attendance too. He may not be a superstar in the rugby world, but he could very easily become a very good ambassador for Wasps.
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If he does sign, I would like to think he can become a role model for Muslim youth in the West Midlands. They are so excluded from the professional world of some sports, not least because they see no route for them. In those sports where they see role models, they strive to achieve and show the world what they can be. Whatever their gender, race or religion, I would wish that they could experience the joy and fun that Rugby Union brought to me as a young person, and has stayed with me for many decades, be it as a player or spectator.
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Couldn't agree more NWW.
It'd be great to have a role model for the Muslim community. For some reason young Muslim guys never seem to get into rugby. I've met plenty in MMA and wrestling who would have been great if they'd played, but for whatever reason it never happened.
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Well since it is nearly Christmas, here is my rumour;
Nelly has a twin brother that he didn't know about and they both support Wasps.
Joking aside I suspect my rumour has been generated the same way as many we read in the papers!
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Well since it is nearly Christmas, here is my rumour;
Nelly has a twin brother that he didn't know about and they both support Wasps.
Joking aside I suspect my rumour has been generated the same way as many we read in the papers!
;D ;D ;D
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Appearing on Rugby Inside Line as we speak and Telegraph tomorrow - Fissler stating it is fake news!
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This thread seemed to start after Goodey's hint at a world class 10 arriving from France. One who fit that bill and was out of contract and I wouldn't have minded Wasps signing was Freddie Michalak. Well, he's just announced his retirement so that's a no-go. I didn't think he was quite so old! Impressive career - France's leading points scorer, 3 grand slams with France and a Heineken Cup runners up medal in 2004...
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Goodey seemed to be suggesting russell, who's now confirmed to racing i believe.
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I guess a lot of it depends on what is happening with Danny and Jimmy next season. Time will tell...
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Though we are rumored to be interested in Sarto as a possible replacement for Josh, should he decide to leave. I have a rumbling in my gut that we might be one of the clubs keen on Alex Lewington whose contract is up this season and is wasted at Irish. It is said that Sarries are after him to replace Chris Wyles. We shall see.
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The way Sarries fans are talking it is a done deal. Time will tell though.
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FWIW: Alex Lewington follows a lot of people on Twitter - rugby orientated is LI players then predominately Wasps; he follows: Nathan Hughes, Tommy Taylor, Jake Cooper-Wooley, Dan Robson, Tom Cruze, Matt Symons, Elliot Daly, Guy Armitage, Sam Jones and Danny Cipriani. Does this mean anything at all? Almost certainly not, more a comment on me than Lewington. I've filled approx 30 minutes of an extremely boring New Years Day. Here's to 2018 - gotta get better:)
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Rugby Rampage on Facebook claiming Lima Sopoaga has signed for us.
https://www.facebook.com/RugbyRampage/posts/1620800048011845
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So the question becomes Danny or Jimmy? On very recent form Danny has been kicking well and out kicked (from tee) the England fly half last week, best scenario in my mind is Jimmy to become a coach. Coached 7's and coaching in his spare time, he is towards a retirement age and said last season that he had never taken so much contact.
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It seems likely that the main Marquee will be Lima, with Joe Launchbury likely the second. Both rumoured on £500k/year.
That means Cips is unlikely to be offered more than £300k, and my guess he was offered less than that. The French have an odd tax system that actually encourages incoming sports stars, giving the effect of bumping up the first year salary. At least, I think that is so. A French acquaintance of mine in Toulon says that he could easily net an income 3 times what Wasps have probably offered him. I suspect that soon after Wasps make the official announcement, Cips' future will also be revealed.
Then we would have Sopoaga (the Os are flat and there is an N sound before the G I believe), so Sop as in flop then oaga prounced as owanga, as our #1 10, with Gopps as the #2 and then an academy player (Eastgate or Umaga) as #3. Then Eastmond and Juan de Jongh in the centre, Wade and Daly on the wings (yes, I too think Bassett is off to Saints).
But what about WLR? Will he stay? If so, he may be on less money and not a marquee. Otherwise, we need another FB with Miller at #1 FB. Maybe James would step up to #2 FB?
We already have Shields coming. I suspect (hope) that Carr will come back, and I expect Haskell to be off. We are OK in the second row. I am not sure if we need any front row players, as Academy players come through. Indeed, there are some interesting players who have turned out for our A team recently who might formally come on board.
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Banahan signs for Gloucester.
I didn't see that coming.
Nelly, don't we still need a replacement for Marty Moore?
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Aren't we looking at someone in France? Rugby inside line also mentioned we are looking at Brookes but that may just be recycled speculation.
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Marcel van der Merwe from Toulon is our interest apparently.
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I get confused as to which side, loose or tight, he is, but we have some academy or associate players in the front row also, like West (?) and Langley maybe?
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Tight. Langley and Stuart.
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A recent tweet suggesting a three year deal. Lima has posted an intahram message saying he is leaving NZ, noticed Lima sign off as TheSops. Let's hope we can have Cipps and TheSops!
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According to Gloucestershire live, Ollie Thorley is not coming to Wasps.
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Well that didn't last long...
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Billy Searle from Bristol to wasps or chiefs apparently.
Remember him getting plaudits last season. Nice young backup 10 or 15.
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Billy Searle from Bristol to wasps or chiefs apparently.
Remember him getting plaudits last season. Nice young backup 10 or 15.
It'd be nice to see some movement in our direction for a change.
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Seems like the Billy Searle rumour is gathering credence. The Bristol Post article being the latest. Not great news for those of us who would like to see Danny to stay, feels like his exit is another step nearer.
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Saw an Article the other day from 2014 from the Manchester Evening News. Very similar thoughts from Danny before he signed a deal to come back to us:
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/danny-cipriani-wont-rush-decision-8223916
Has options that he's weighing up, won't be rushed, wants to take time, priority is with good performances for the incumbent club, wants to be involved in play-off rugby into his early 30's. A good few similarities with his interview after the Quins game.
That + the Searle rumour isn't great news for those of us who'd like Danny to stay (I'm happy to see Billy come to come to Wasps if he's unveiled). But then again, if we're trading Symons for Matthews, Haskell goes and Gopps moves into a coaching role (likely he'll trade cash for longevity and I think he'd have a lot to give) then should free up some cash to help keep Cips. With new additions we should be even more competitive next year.
I'd like to think that perhaps a 12-month extension would be good (best) for all - allow Cips to keep his options open and one last chance to get some Silverware with us and allows Lima to bed-down and settle-in without the same pressure if Danny wasn't there. Also gives Searle a chance to learn if he does indeed come our way.
(Totally appreciate that in reality, you're only one injury away from your career-ending, so it can be difficult to plan like that from a players perspective).
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Cipriani's at that age where his value will start to drop soon. He might get a 3 year contract in France worth €500k a year (numbers at random) as a 30 year old but would he still get such a good contract as a 31 year old?
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True. It's also interesting to see what will happen with the French residency / player laws changing to encourage more home-grown players in squads and whether that might force Danny's hand.
On the France thing, I just saw Ragg's post about Eastmond. Midol usually pretty accurate, but would be surprised if he went. Like Wadey, I always got the impression that he was a lad who liked familiarity, his friends, family and home comforts. There was always lots of rumours at Bath at how unhappy he was being away from 'home' in the North.
There seems to be a very close-knit bunch of lads at Wasps and WLR, Wadey, Eastmond, Danny seem at the heart of it.
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Eastmond was not a solid thing, Toulouse on the back of potentially losing Fickou, looking at options to replace him, and Eastmond seemed like a secondary choice.
Out of interest, according to the coverntry telegraph, TRP states Wasps are apparently interested in Joe Cokanasiga, anyone able to confirm?
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Chris Boyd the Hurricanes coach going to Saints as DoR according to Rugby Inside Line.
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Saints confirmed it yesterday.
Lots of NZ fans seem to think he's not as good as he's being touted, and it's his no.2 Plumtree that was the real brains behind the success.