The Official English Rugby Thread

[SaintK]

French press reporting Arundell to Racing as a done deal.

Will be interesting to see what they exemption situation (if any) is for next season

Also reporting Paddy Jackson to Lyon as a replascement for Sopoaga

[sockwithaticket]

Achtung Margin, am I misremembering or did Bernard van Rensburg occasionally jump in the lineout?

[Oxbow]

Achtung Margin, am I misremembering or did Bernard van Rensburg occasionally jump in the lineout?

I remember that happening at least once, might have been against Saints.

[Margin__Walker]

Achtung Margin, am I misremembering or did Bernard van Rensburg occasionally jump in the lineout?

Yep. Several times. Trick play party piece that was surprisingly effective.

[sockwithaticket]

Thanks both. Always happy to find out the grey matter's not yet betraying me.

[Margin__Walker]

Ollie Hoskins was laughing on a podcast this week about van Rensburg as the worst trainer he's ever shared a club with. Completely chilled, semi interested and laissez-faire on both the paddock and in the gym. Just has a go switch on match day where he clicks into a hyper competitive monster for 80 minutes.

Decent signing for Bristol

[fishfoodie]

Ollie Hoskins was laughing on a podcast this week about van Rensburg as the worst trainer he's ever shared a club with. Completely chilled, semi interested and laissez-faire on both the paddock and in the gym. Just has a go switch on match day where he clicks into a hyper competitive monster for 80 minutes.

Decent signing for Bristol

They're beneficiaries of LIs problems, getting HEC rugby next season, & with some good, cheap players available.

I'll wind & all that.

[Margin__Walker]

Ollie Hoskins was laughing on a podcast this week about van Rensburg as the worst trainer he's ever shared a club with. Completely chilled, semi interested and laissez-faire on both the paddock and in the gym. Just has a go switch on match day where he clicks into a hyper competitive monster for 80 minutes.

Decent signing for Bristol

They're beneficiaries of LIs problems, getting HEC rugby next season, & with some good, cheap players available.

I'll wind & all that.

At the rate the league's going every team will be qualifying for the HC next season.

[geordie_6]

French press reporting Arundell to Racing as a done deal.

Will be interesting to see what they exemption situation (if any) is for next season

Wasps and Worcester players got the rest of 22/23 as an exemption, presume Irish players would get the same for 23/24.

Wonder if he had no offers from English clubs, or if he genuinely fancied a bit of time in France?

[SaintK]

French press reporting Arundell to Racing as a done deal.

Will be interesting to see what they exemption situation (if any) is for next season

Wasps and Worcester players got the rest of 22/23 as an exemption, presume Irish players would get the same for 23/24.

Wonder if he had no offers from English clubs, or if he genuinely fancied a bit of time in France?

Initially linked with Bristol. But then a lot of players are!

[Margin__Walker]

He was linked heavily with Bath rather than Bristol. He was a Bath fan as a kid and from the area. Only moved into the LI catchment when his dad got a job at Harrow.

Wouldn't surprise me if he ended up at Bath eventually.

[Kawazaki]

Why haven't the 'salary cheats and perennial rule breakers' Saracens not just bought all the best London Irish players? Perhaps JM can tell us given he knows exactly what every club is paying everyone.

[Rhubarb & Custard]

French press reporting Arundell to Racing as a done deal.

Will be interesting to see what they exemption situation (if any) is for next season

Wasps and Worcester players got the rest of 22/23 as an exemption, presume Irish players would get the same for 23/24.

You'd presume, but the RFU have been silent so far.

Could take the view that it was different as the season had started already and LI players in England contention have more to time to arrange premiership deals (despite a still challenging market where offers will be supressed in value as a result of clubs being close to the cap)

But, yeah. More likely than not he gets dispensation for a year.

Dispensation or simply a change. Borthers is sounding far less compliant on this issue than Burt or Eddie, and Eddie was starting to get more annoyed in public with it

[SaintK]

Ollie Hoskins was laughing on a podcast this week about van Rensburg as the worst trainer he's ever shared a club with. Completely chilled, semi interested and laissez-faire on both the paddock and in the gym. Just has a go switch on match day where he clicks into a hyper competitive monster for 80 minutes.

Decent signing for Bristol

Ben Loader signed for Stormers and heading to S Africa!

[Margin__Walker]

Ollie Hoskins was laughing on a podcast this week about van Rensburg as the worst trainer he's ever shared a club with. Completely chilled, semi interested and laissez-faire on both the paddock and in the gym. Just has a go switch on match day where he clicks into a hyper competitive monster for 80 minutes.

Decent signing for Bristol

Ben Loader signed for Stormers and heading to S Africa!

Potentially. Not confirmed by team or player yet though.

[SaintK]

Ollie Hoskins was laughing on a podcast this week about van Rensburg as the worst trainer he's ever shared a club with. Completely chilled, semi interested and laissez-faire on both the paddock and in the gym. Just has a go switch on match day where he clicks into a hyper competitive monster for 80 minutes.

Decent signing for Bristol

Ben Loader signed for Stormers and heading to S Africa!

Potentially. Not confirmed by team or player yet though.

Ahh! Rugby paper saying he's met Dobson and is joining!!
Good for him if he does, it will certainly broaden his experience

[sockwithaticket]

Squad update with players from losing semi-finalists:



Additions - Cole, Heyes, Lawes, Ludlam, Martin, Ribbans, Dingwall, Freeman, Porter, F. Smith, M.Smith, Steward, van Portvliet, Watson and Youngs

Walker, Hassell-Collins, Lawrence, Randall and Spencer seem to have dropped out.

[JM2K6]

Might herald Dan's selection. Lawrence dropping out is weird, one of the few success stories?

Edit: My crack team of researchers have informed me that Lawrence is struggling with injury. Fair enough.

[inactionman]

Might herald Dan's selection. Lawrence dropping out is weird, one of the few success stories?

Injury? Although I've not heard anything.

eta: Ah. Injury it is.

[sockwithaticket]

Figured it would have to be in his case at least, but didn't have time to look it up.

Walker also an injury according to the Beeb.

Apparently Chessum, Cowan-Dickie and B. Vunipola are attending camp, but not named in the squad, while undergoing injury recovery.

[inactionman]

Andy Robinson back at Bath as head academy coach.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/65959199

[petej]

Andy Robinson back at Bath as head academy coach.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/65959199

A bit uninspiring. Is their no new coaching talent in English rugby anywhere?

[JM2K6]

Quins benefit from being practically next door to London Irish and add Will Joseph, Lovejoy Chawatama, and the big surprise of Chandler Cunningham-South, who I thought was nailed on for Exeter.

Some excellent signings for the new season. Does suggest to me that Smith is gone regardless at the end of this season, but:

Joe Launchbury
Will Porter
Jarrod Evans
Dillon Lewis
Lovejoy Chawatama
Will Joseph
Chandler Cunningham-South
Roma Zheng

is a great way to manage the loss of:

Wilco Louw
Joe Marchant
Tommaso Allan
Josh Bassett
Aaron Morris
Scott Steele
Ross Chisholm
Charlie Matthews
Jack Stafford
Viliami Taulani
Conor Oresenya
Rhys Litterick

We've lost a lot of experienced players, some quality international talent, some very good sub-international players, and a lot of squad filler. We've managed to replace the internationals with other internationals (albeit in different positions) and while we're still down in numbers I'm more than happy with all those signings. Joseph has the potential to be at least as good as Marchant in a few years, CCS fills a real gap as a big carrying backrower to supplement Dombrandt / deal with the injuries to Chisholm, Launchbury is a big signing in a real problem position where our best player is an eternally broken Saffa, Jarrod Evans is a quality replacement for Allan / potential starter when Smith moves on, and Lewis isn't Louw but he's no mug. Still very excited about Will Porter, too.

Seems like a pattern across the league - most clubs have a long list of leavers but have been very judicious with who's joining.

[Margin__Walker]

Really pleased for LJ, not having to uproot his young family. Really cracking guy, who may surprise a few. Started for us more than Hoskins this year. Really simple, old school TH, despite being a relatively late convert. Doesn't offer a huge amount around the park, but loves a scrum and just doesn't get folded. Dealt absolutely fine with a stacked Stormers front row twice in the HC this season.

[JM2K6]

Really pleased for LJ, not having to uproot his young family. Really cracking guy, who may surprise a few. Started for us more than Hoskins this year. Really simple, old school TH, despite being a relatively late convert. Doesn't offer a huge amount around the park, but loves a scrum and just doesn't get folded. Dealt absolutely fine with a stacked Stormers front row twice in the HC this season.

As a big Will Collier fan, say no more - I'm on board the Lovejoy Boat


Hoskins has signed for Saracens, good bit of work for both parties there.

[Margin__Walker]

Yeah, Hoskins will be interesting too at Sarries. Another big character and the polar opposite as a TH. Huge engine and dynamic round the park, but prone to a bad day here and there in the set piece

[SaintK]

Hopefully Saints will bring in someone that can tighten up the defence. The writing has been on the wall for a while!!

Northampton Saints can today confirm that coach Ian Vass has left the Club by mutual consent.
The 41-year-old joined the coaching set-up at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens in January 2020, looking after Saints’ defence, and has helped to guide the men in Black, Green and Gold to two Gallagher Premiership semi-finals in three seasons.

https://www.northamptonsaints.co.uk/ne ... saints

[Oxbow]

Hopefully Saints will bring in someone that can tighten up the defence. The writing has been on the wall for a while!!

Northampton Saints can today confirm that coach Ian Vass has left the Club by mutual consent.
The 41-year-old joined the coaching set-up at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens in January 2020, looking after Saints’ defence, and has helped to guide the men in Black, Green and Gold to two Gallagher Premiership semi-finals in three seasons.

https://www.northamptonsaints.co.uk/ne ... saints

Not a surprise, never going to win anything with the worst defence in the league, even if the attack is the best.

[SaintK]

Saints are first out of the blocks on the LI players, signing Munga, Haffar and Pearson. The latter will get the headlines, but Haffar is one I'd watch out for. Only 21, but was keeping guys like Goodrick-Clark and Gigena out of the match day 23 in the second half of the season. Freakishly athletic for a prop and hasn't been embarrassed at set piece so far.

Who was the Saints player who was leaving to join London Irish? He must be a tad pissed off.

Also, expect Quins fans to accuse Northampton of cheating.

Tom Collins. Word is he might end up at Bedford and still have a connection to Saints.

Collins has signed for Ealing according to The Rugby Paper

[Oxbow]

Who was the Saints player who was leaving to join London Irish? He must be a tad pissed off.

Also, expect Quins fans to accuse Northampton of cheating.

Tom Collins. Word is he might end up at Bedford and still have a connection to Saints.

Collins has signed for Ealing according to The Rugby Paper

I'm glad he's found a club, but he's way better than Championship standard. Still, there are likely LI players left without a club at all, so small mercies.

[inactionman]

Rumours that JJ may be off to France, I've heard Agen mentioned.

Great player, but not really been at his lofty best for a while - although he showed flashes of class in later part of last season. He'd definitely be missed, although there are good centres at Bath coming through.

The extension to those rumours is that JJ would leave to free up cap for Arundell. Not sure I believe it, think it's just a bit of wishful thinking (for Arundell arriving, not JJ leaving) and 2+2=5

[JM2K6]

Yeah, Hoskins will be interesting too at Sarries. Another big character and the polar opposite as a TH. Huge engine and dynamic round the park, but prone to a bad day here and there in the set piece

Cinti has joined them too. Seems like a classy operator.

[Margin__Walker]

Cinti has joined them too. Seems like a classy operator.

Yeah, Cinti's understated but very good. Part of a settled back three for much of this season with Loader and OHC. Decent athlete and very strong aerially.

Gloucester picked up a bunch of youngsters yesterday. That lad from IoW Raggs was on about (Taylor - 18), your favourite ginger 9 (Englefield - 23), Dykes (21), Fasogbon (18) and Donnell (22). Not surprising given Skivs and James Lightfoot Brown being there. These are all kids they'll have worked with.

Still some decent players available. Confirmed signings below. The two Aussie locks, Arundell and White seem to all be France bound if the press are to be believed. Loader likely going to the stormers. Collins and WGX possibly to Ealing and Rogerson rumoured to Leicester. Still some really good Academy kids available, with Allan and Bradbury (who's injured) probably the pick. Of the senior guys, I assume players like Gonzales and Fischetti have something lined up. Kyle Rowe is fit again has a big upside for anyone willing to to take a chance on him and I'm sure Basham will get a gig somewhere.

Ben Atkins
Matt Cornish
Agustín Creevy
Ignacio Ruiz
Lovejoy Chawatama - Harlequins
Luke Green
Ciaran Parker
Danilo Fischetti
Will Goodrick-Clarke
Ollie Hoskins - Saracens
Josh Caulfield - Bristol
Adam Coleman
Chunya Munga - Northampton
Api Ratuniyarawa
Ed Scragg
Josh Basham
Ben Donnell - Gloucester
Jack Cooke
So'otala Fa'aso'o - Perpignan
Juan Martín González
Izaia Moore-Aiono
Tom Pearson - Northampton
Matt Rogerson (c)
Josh Smart
Caolan Englefield - Gloucester
Joe Powell
Ben White
Jacob Atkins
Paddy Jackson - Lyon
Rory Jennings - Newcastle
Tom Hitchock
Benhard Janse van Rensburg - Bristol
Will Joseph - Harlequins
Luca Morisi
Eddie Poolman
Matt Williams
Ben Loader
Lucio Cinti - Saracens
Henry Arundell
Kyle Rowe
Tom Collins
Michael Dykes - Gloucester

Calum Scott
Joe Vajner
Afolabi Fasogbon - Gloucester
Tarek Haffar - Northampton
Mikey Summerfield
Chandler Cunningham-South - Harlequins
Jarlath Gleeson
Lucas Brooke
Ollie Allan
Monty Bradbury
Conor Cross
Jake Shortland
Jack Walsh
Alexander Harmes
Ralph McEachran
Rory Taylor - Gloucester
Finn Worley Brady
Toby Maddock
Charlie Moss

[JM2K6]

Scary number of players without immediate prospects.

[Margin__Walker]

Scary number of players without immediate prospects.

Yeah, it's a crap market for them, as you'd expect.

Saw Rogerson (or his agent) stick some highlights up yesterday which probably proves the point. Club captain, the kind of player coaches love and you'd think would walk into a contract in the Prem with relatively little fuss.

You're probably just going to get this pain with a bit of a reset in how good you need to be in a prem squad with the reduction to 10 teams. The squad players in the three defunct teams are just the unlucky ones who are most at a disadvantage in the shift, but there will be a knock on in the next few seasons to other squads. The kind of player that may comfortably have come through and had a bits and pieces career in the premiership, may find themselves out of luck.

Mentioned before, but the obvious way to reduce the impact on the home grown player pool is to keep hiking the EQP number requirements.

[JM2K6]

Scary number of players without immediate prospects.

Yeah, it's a crap market for them, as you'd expect.

Saw Rogerson (or his agent) stick some highlights up yesterday which probably proves the point. Club captain, the kind of player coaches love and you'd think would walk into a contract in the Prem with relatively little fuss.

You're probably just going to get this pain with a bit of a reset in how good you need to be in a prem squad with the reduction to 10 teams. The squad players in the three defunct teams are just the unlucky ones who are most at a disadvantage in the shift, but there will be a knock on in the next few seasons to other squads. The kind of player that may comfortably have come through and had a bits and pieces career in the premiership, may find themselves out of luck.

Mentioned before, but the obvious way to reduce the impact on the home grown player pool is to keep hiking the EQP number requirements.

Yeah I'm amazed Rogerson hasn't been picked up. He's a Jono Ross kind of player - perfect club rugby material. I really hope he finds somewhere, because you just know he'd end up being a mini club legend wherever he rocks up, even if he maybe doesn't have the same ceiling as some of the bigger names from Irish. He's probably on a lot of short lists for injury replacements for next season.

[Margin__Walker]

Yep, got a young family so may not want to stray too far. You'd think a lot of players are weighing up sitting tight and waiting to get picked up as injury dispensation once things kick off.

[Margin__Walker]

WC training squad announced. Headlines here



Forwards (23)
Jamie Blamire (Newcastle Falcons, 6 caps)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 100 caps)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 45 caps)
Theo Dan (Saracens, uncapped)
Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 14 caps)
Ben Earl (Saracens, 15 caps)
Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 48 caps)
Jamie George (Saracens, 77 caps)
Jonny Hill (Sale Sharks, 19 caps)
Maro Itoje (Saracens, 67 caps)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 97 caps)
Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 19 caps)
Joe Marler (Harlequins, 79 caps)
George Martin (Leicester Tigers, 1 cap)
Tom Pearson (London Irish, uncapped)
Val Rapava-Ruskin (Gloucester Rugby, uncapped)
David Ribbans (Northampton Saints, 5 caps)
Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 2 caps)
Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 61 caps)
Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 25 caps)
Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 29 caps)
Jack Willis (Toulouse, 10 caps)
Tom Willis (Bordeaux Bègles, uncapped)

Backs (18)
Henry Arundell (London Irish, 7 caps)
Danny Care (Harlequins, 87 caps)
Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby, 14 caps)
Elliot Daly (Saracens, 57 caps)
Owen Farrell (Saracens, 106 caps)
George Ford (Sale Sharks, 81 caps)
Max Malins (Saracens, 18 caps)
Joe Marchant (Harlequins, 15 caps)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 72 caps)
Cadan Murley (Harlequins, uncapped)
Guy Porter (Leicester Tigers, 4 caps)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 56 caps)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 21 caps)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 22 caps)
Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks, 51 caps)
Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 12 caps)
Anthony Watson (Leicester Tigers, 55 caps)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 122 caps)

Rehabilitation (5)
Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 9 caps)
Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 11 caps)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 79 caps)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 68 caps)
Jack Walker (Harlequins, 3 caps)

https://www.englandrugby.com/news/artic ... ning-squad

[Hal Jordan]

I assume Mercer is the new Armitage, assuming the mantle of the Prince Across The Water?

[Margin__Walker]

I assume Mercer is the new Armitage, assuming the mantle of the Prince Across The Water?

Albeit Mercer's actually coming back for it. FWIW I don't think T Willis instead is a crazy call. I think he's got a lot to offer as a slightly tighter option.