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With the 2016-17 Aviva Premiership season fast approaching, Lee Calvert looks at some of the high-profile transfers who will be taking the pitch in new colours this season.
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Matt Toomua and JP Pietersen – Leicester Tigers
Leicester were once an unstoppable force in English rugby, devouring every trophy in their path with an almost boring consistency. This has not been the case more recently, though, and fans in the East Midlands are itching for things to return to how they used to be. The signings of Toomua and Pietersen certainly give them that chance. Pietersen has only just turned 30, which, given how long he has been a fixture for the Springboks, means he must have made his debut as a pre-teen. Despite his last season not being a vintage one he still remains top drawer and will definitely get over the whitewash regularly at this level. Matt Toomua is, to put it bluntly, outstanding, and it continues to amaze that he is not already a fixture for the Wallabies. Someone of his class could propel Leicester back to the glory days.
Dave Dennis – Exeter Chiefs
At first glance, Dennis is not as eye catching a signing as some of the others, but don’t be fooled – he is exactly what a team like Exeter require. The Chiefs play a forward platform dominated game, as demonstrated by their top scorer last year being incomparably chubby Number 8 Thomas Waldrom, who scored a boatload of tries from the back of mauls. Add Dave Dennis’s power, leadership and experience to that pack and it will make Exeter even more Exeter, which given they reached the final last season can only be a good thing.
Matt Scott – Gloucester
For quite some time Scotland were so unable to produce a quality international centre that they looked abroad and started the “kilted Kiwi” trend, before that stopped working and the likes of Graeme Morrison and Nick de Luca (yes really) started getting the nod. It seemed their only way forward would have to be witchcraft or illegal genetic modification. Whichever of these routes they took it seems to have worked, and from out of nowhere the likes of Mark Bennett, Duncan Taylor and Matt Scott have appeared. Gloucester have picked up arguably the pick of the bunch in Matt Scott.
Louis Picamoles – Northampton Saints
On his day Louis Picamoles is a magnificent and destructive Number 8 but when it’s not his day he looks like septic tank on rusty wheels with feet for hands. For the last twelve months, including the World Cup, it has not been Louis’ day. At all. But Northampton fans will hope that a change of scenery from France will allow him to relocate his mojo, stay off the confit meats and lose a bit of weight. If he does, then it will be tough season for all the eights he faces.
AJ MacGinty – Sale Sharks
If John Muldoon was the beating heart of Connacht’s wonderful Pro12 win last year, then MacGinty was the brains, playing wonderfully up to and including the final and looking every inch the accomplished and inventive fly half. The Premiership will be a different challenge, but with Sale’s other big signing, Wales scrum-half Mike Phillips, alongside him they could be the pairing to watch. Also keep an eye on league convert Josh Charnley, who has signed from Wigan Warriors and brings with him an outstanding try-scoring record. The last Wigan winger to sign for Sale – Jason Robinson – did pretty well, if you recall.
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Schalk Burger – Saracens
Just when you think you can’t dislike a club more, they sign Schalk Burger. However, his talent and ability cannot be denied and as one Burger (Jacques) leaves, another better one comes in the door. I’m still mystified as to how a bloke who looks so much like Ron Howard can be this good at rugby.
Kurtley Beale – Wasps
Injury means he won’t be available for the first few months, and then the question will be where is he going to play? Regardless of his eventual position, he will make the team better. His talent is comparable to Quade Cooper, only he doesn’t confuse the hell out of his team to the same degree. Wasps have also signed Danny Cipriani and Kyle Eastmond to add to Frank Halai and England starlet Elliot Daly, so it is reasonable to suggest that they will be the team to watch behind the scrum this coming season.
Ben Te’o – Worcester Warriors
The former league man was player of the year at Leinster, and Worcester were so keen on his talents they have made him one of the best paid players in the Premiership. One theory is that 2015-16 was his high water mark – ‘Peak Te’o – and Worcester have spent all their money on a player who will be found out among the Premierships more effective defences. Another theory he is a big lump of bustling, offloading class that will only get better as he beds into the England squad. Watch this space.
Comments on RugbyPass
Exeter were thumped by 38 points. And they only had to hop on a train.
29 Go to commentsI am De Groot.
1 Go to commentsHad hoped you might write an article on this game, Nick. It’s a good one. Things have not gone as smoothly for ROG since beating Leinster last year at the Aviva in the CC final. LAR had the Top 14 Final won till Raymond Rhule missed a simple tackle on the excellent Ntamack, and Toulouse reaped the rewards of just staying in the fight till the death. Then the disruption of the RWC this season. LAR have not handled that well, but they were not alone, and we saw Pau heading the Top 14 table at one stage early season. I would think one of the reasons for the poor showing would have to be that the younger players coming through, and the more mature amongst the group outside the top 25/30, are not as strong as would be hoped for. I note that Romain Sazy retired at the end of last season. He had been with LAR since 2010, and was thus one of their foundation players when they were promoted to Top 14. Records show he ended up with 336 games played with LAR. That is some experience, some rock in the team. He has been replaced for the most part by Ultan Dillane. At 30, Dillane is not young, but given the chances, he may be a fair enough replacement for Sazy. But that won’be for more than a few years. I honestly know little of the pathways into the LAR setup from within France. I did read somewhere a couple of years ago that on the way up to Top 14, the club very successfully picked up players from the academies of other French teams who were not offered places by those teams. These guys were often great signings…can’t find the article right now, so can’t name any….but the Tadgh Beirne type players. So all in all, it will be interesting to see where the replacements for all the older players come from. Only Lleyd’s and Rhule from SA currently, both backs. So maybe a few SA forwards ?? By contrast, Leinster have a pretty clear line of good players coming through in the majority of positions. Props maybe a weak spot ? And they are very fleet footed and shrewd in appointing very good coaches. Or maybe it is also true that very good coaches do very well in the Leinster setup. So, Nick, I would fully concurr that “On the evidence of Saturday’s semi-final between the two clubs, the rebuild in the Bay of Biscay is going to take longer than it is on the east coast of Ireland”
6 Go to commentsWhat was the excuse for the other knockout blowouts then? Does the result not prove the Saints were just so much better? Wise call to put your eggs in one basket when you’ve got 2 comps simultaneously finishing.
29 Go to commentsReally hope Kuruvoli and his partner rock the Canes.
1 Go to commentsI wonder what impact Samson has had on their attack, as the team seems less prone to trundle it up the middle, take the tackle and then trundle it up again. I lost faith in the coach last year as the Rebelss looked like a 2nd/3rd rate South African team. I also disliked Gordon standing back, often ignored as the forward battle went on and on. Maybe its our Aussie way of not getting off our A***’s until the enemy is at the gate.
83 Go to commentsThanks for the write up. Great to see the Rebs winning, I am a little interested in how they will go against the remaining kiwi teams, I think they’ve only played Hurricanes and Highlanders but how great to see these players performing!! I also see Parling has a job beyond June 30! A good move by RA? Also how do you fix the Rebels previously scratchy defence?
83 Go to commentsbe smart - go black
13 Go to commentsNext week the Crusaders hopefully have Scott Barrett back. Will be great to have the captain back. Hopefully he will be the All Black captain as well.
12 Go to commentsExciting place to be for the young fella. I expected he was French Polynesian when I saw him included in the France 6N squad (after seeing him in NZs), and therefor be strong grounds we might loose him to rugby down here. Good, in that he is good enough to warrant such a profile, and from a journalism’s fan interaction aspect, to finally get a back ground story on the fella. Hope he has settled into NZ OK and that at least one rugby country will fit with him to help his development, which, if so, he should surely continue for a few years, and then that he can experience France to it’s fullest with a bit more maturity and less reliance on family than you would have at his current age. A good 3 or 4 years before he would be ready for International duty if he wanted to wait. Of course he already sounds good enough to accept a call up, and to cap himself, in the more immediate future (he’d have to be very very good in the case of the ABs), and he’ll get a great taste of that being with the Canes who have a bunch who are just a few years further into their career and looking likely Internationals themselves.
13 Go to commentsI remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
4 Go to commentsOh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
29 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
4 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
4 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
13 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
6 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
6 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
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