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Maro Itoje linked with huge Premiership move... and Alex Goode is off as well - The Rugby Pod
Maro Itoje has been linked with a loan switch to Leicester rather than spend next season with Championship-bound Saracens. One of Warren Gatland’s potential 2021 Lions captains, the England lock has been touted for quite some time with a temporary move away from Allianz Park.
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An approach from Racing 92 for him to make camp in the Top 14 for 2020/21 was quashed due to objections from rival Premiership clubs who reportedly didn’t take kindly to the prospect of Eddie Jones bending the selection rules to accommodate a player who would have been based outside England.
However, five weeks on from Racing president Jacky Lorenzetti admitting that his ambitious cross-channel approach wasn’t going to work, an in-England move has now been rumoured for Itoje – a switch to Tigers who will have Steve Borthwick, the forwards coach for the 25-year-old player’s entire England career and the 2017 Lions tour, soon taking over as head coach.
Speaking on the latest edition of The Rugby Pod, Jim Hamilton, the ex-Scotland international who played the last few years of his career with Itoje at Saracens, suggested a switch to Welford Road was potentially on the cards.
Asked on the rumour mill section of the show if he had anything to offer, he said: “I saw one, a big one as well, just before we came on to do the podcast, so I have not done enough digging and there’s been a couple of reports.
“It was John Mitchell who mentioned how Maro and Mako (Vunipola) would be staying at Saracens but then I saw something about Maro to Leicester. Genuinely, I’m not throwing a dead line amongst the pigeons here. I genuinely saw it, so I’m going to do a bit more digging on that.
“The more and more I think about it, I can’t see how someone like Maro Itoje is going to play in the Championship. I know they [Saracens] are going to put on some exhibition games. Imagine if he went to Leicester. I’m not throwing it out there to cause a stir. I have seen it somewhere and I will dig because I have got time to dig. I saw it on social media somewhere.”
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Hamilton’s co-star Andy Goode then offered up speculation about his namesake, the Saracens and out-of-favour England back Alex Goode. “There is a little rumour that Alex Goode may be heading off to the land of the rising sun, following Freddie Burns and a few of the boys over there,” he said, adding that he has also heard suggestions of Makazole Mapimpi, the World Cup winner with South Africa, possibly being another Leicester target.
“Talking about Leicester, one of our favourite names may end up at Leicester if the rumours are true. Mapimpi. I’ve heard that rumour.”
As tempting as Friday night lights at The Cornish Pirates may have been for Maro Itoje, it seems the England International could be making the switch to Welford Road🐯
Full video below 👇https://t.co/HBVcr6AuzH@AndyGoode10 @jimhamilton4 @AndyRoweOnline
— The Rugby Pod (@TheRugbyPod) May 12, 2020
The show’s segment finished with some speculation concerning Johan Ackermann, Gloucester’s South African boss. “Talking about Japan, what about Johan Ackermann? The rumours are that he is heading over to Japan to go to the Docomo Red Hurricanes,” said Goode.
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“He signed a contract extension in May of last year, the back-end of last season. Maybe that runs out next year and he is going to go for the following season. We shall see. Clearly, he is a man in demand.
“We don’t know if this season will restart but Gloucester are down in ninth, they are flattering to deceive a bit this year after some brilliant stuff last year, but I know the Premiership is tight and a couple of wins changes things. I cannot see him leaving Gloucester, but that is the rumour.”
“I sat in endless meetings where the talk was about wanting homegrown talent, people from Bath – yet I didn’t get given an opportunity”
– @FreddieBurns tells @heagneyl how it fizzled out for him at @bathrugby and why @shokki is an adventure he craves 👨💻https://t.co/c3Iqqo3so2— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 6, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Completely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
3 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
54 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
54 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
54 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to comments