Re: On to Leigh : Wed Mar 22, 2023 4:56 pm  

bonaire wrote:

I have been saying for ages we should be looking at RU players a lot more.The RU game has changed lot with more running with the ball and defence much more in line with R/L.
Huge changes coming in RU
Many Premiership sides have been living hand to mouth, a situation that worsened as Covid-19 annihilated matchday income. Some UK£59 million (US$67.7 million) of the UK government’s UK£300 million (US$3444 million) ‘Sport Winter Survival Package’ in November 2020 was allocated to English top-flight rugby union clubs.
We have already seen whats happened to Worcester and Wasps and high wage bills cannot now be sustained so inevitably there will be some high quality players come available.
We certainly need someone with RU connections acting and advising the club of players availability

I assume we have as we signed that young lad from Welsh RU on a trial, Jermarie Chatham, although I believe he's at Cornwall now.

Re: On to Leigh : Wed Mar 22, 2023 5:11 pm  

Just reading about him and apparently he was with us for 2 years but was released last year which was when he went to Cornwall.

Re: On to Leigh : Wed Mar 22, 2023 6:54 pm  

ComeOnYouUll wrote:

I assume we have as we signed that young lad from Welsh RU on a trial, Jermarie Chatham, although I believe he's at Cornwall now.

I agree we should always be looking at young players in case we turn up a gem but i am talking about players in the RU premiership whos deals will finish this year and due to major financial problems in the game will have to either take a huge salary cut or look for another club.
Some hopefully will come into our game.

Re: On to Leigh : Wed Mar 22, 2023 8:03 pm  

A sweeping generalisation on my part, but their technical skills - catch and pass, are very poor. Watching the 6 nations and the amount of ball that hits the floor, or the spin a pass out when it doesn't need it, or the runner has to stop as the pass is poor, is plentiful

Re: On to Leigh : Wed Mar 22, 2023 8:27 pm  

Irregs#16 wrote:

A sweeping generalisation on my part, but their technical skills - catch and pass, are very poor

. Watching the 6 nations and the amount of ball that hits the floor, or the spin a pass out when it doesn't need it, or the runner has to stop as the pass is poor, is plentiful

It's not. Ex-England coaches Eddie Jones and Stuart Lancaster have made reference to this that the core skills of League players are far superior. That's why so many ex-league coaches are employed by union.

That's not to say that they are union players that could not be top League players. Some of the outside backs are brilliant and would excel in league. The front rowers and the lineout jumpers wouldn't stand a chance.

Re: On to Leigh : Wed Mar 22, 2023 8:42 pm  

scarrie wrote:

Absolutley. Our overseas recruitment has been pretty patchy over the last few years, some real disappointments in there.

A costly legacy of Hodgson's tenure.

Re: On to Leigh : Wed Mar 22, 2023 8:56 pm  

B0NES wrote:

I think

Simon Jordan

has done a great job in backing Powell at Wire in breaking up an aging team and bring in fresh blood . I'm hoping Pearson can let TS do the same . Not going to be easy as there is other clubs (Cas been one ) with a big roster to rotate .

It's Simon Moran but yes I'm hoping Pearson gives Smith time as well. If Smith cannot build and improve us then I'm not sure who can.

For info Simon Jordan is the talksport opinionated dandy who talks like he has swallowed a thesaurus.

He is also Michelle Dewberrys long time partner.

Re: On to Leigh : Wed Mar 22, 2023 8:58 pm  

Irregs#16 wrote:

A sweeping generalisation on my part, but their technical skills - catch and pass, are very poor. Watching the 6 nations and the amount of ball that hits the floor, or the spin a pass out when it doesn't need it, or the runner has to stop as the pass is poor, is plentiful

Forget about the internationals try and watch some of the league games.
Bristol play very exciting attacking rugby and if Ratu hadnt have picked up his lengthy injury he would have been at the top or near top of try scorers.
As Marcus mentioned some of the half backs, outside backs and full backs are brilliant with bags of pace and with huge clearouts coming in Rugby Union and the UK no longer seen as attractive to overseas RU players there has to be room for some of these players in S/L.
Just wonder if the rumour about Ratu has any mileage as its still not clear whether he actually signed an extension to his 2year deal or whether he will be released.

Re: On to Leigh : Wed Mar 22, 2023 9:15 pm  

bonaire wrote:

Forget about the internationals try and watch some of the league games.
Bristol play very exciting attacking rugby and if Ratu hadnt have picked up his lengthy injury he would have been at the top or near top of try scorers.
As Marcus mentioned some of the half backs, outside backs and full backs are brilliant with bags of pace and with huge clearouts coming in Rugby Union and the UK no longer seen as attractive to overseas RU players there has to be room for some of these players in S/L.
Just wonder if the rumour about Ratu has any milage as its still not clear whether he actually signed an extension to his 2year deal or whether he will be released.

The problem is despite the parlous state of union finances even the fringe players are on huge salarys. League clubs should be scouting union academy players. If I'm right the first season doesn't count on the cap?

I hope the Ratu rumour is just a rumour. I thought he was brilliant for us especially when you consider he was a union 7's player and signed for us in his mid 20's. Not sure he's ever played league before.

Re: On to Leigh : Wed Mar 22, 2023 9:16 pm  

Marcus's Bicycle wrote:

A costly legacy of Hodgson's tenure.

It wasn't all bad there was...errr....there was...hmmm....maybe it was all bad...
Were Hoy and Clifford signed before Hodgson departed?