Tom Varndell signs for Yorkshire and not everyone's happy about it
Yorkshire Carnegie have confirmed the signing of former Leicester and Wasps winger Tom Varndell, 33, on a one year deal.
It comes a week after the financially stricken Championship club were given the green light by the RFU to press ahead with preparations for the new season.
Yorkshire’s participation was subject to the club satisfying certain conditions relating to them entering into a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA).
Insolvency practitioners supervising the CVA entered provided confirmation to the RFU by the August 9 deadline that 100 per cent of the club’s creditors had either agreed to the terms of the CVA or been paid in full by third parties.
That left the RFU, as per regulation 5.3, confirming that the Leeds-based club would not be subject to a deduction of 28 points for the new Championship season.
We are delighted to announce the signing Tom Varndell on a one-year deal
READ MORE ?? https://t.co/C5SeOQ0TOC pic.twitter.com/bCpPYT9WYp— Yorkshire Carnegie (@carnegierugby) August 16, 2019
Free from avoiding that season-ruining punishment, Varndell has now been recruitment by the club that has Joe Ford working as head coach under the director of rugby, Martyn Wood.
The winger, who has four England caps, holds the record as the leading try-scorer in the Gallagher Premiership with 92 tries during his time with Leicester Tigers, Wasps and Bristol.
He is the sixth signing announced by Carnegie as the club continues to rebuild its squad. At Leicester he won the title in 2007 and with 180 Premiership appearances, as well as international honours, he brings a wealth of experience to Yorkshire.
So Carnegie effectively went bust – not penalised at all for it by the RFU, owe some of last season’s players wages and other costs and now spending again with some big signings for championship? That about the sum of it?! https://t.co/H54rjag0Mu
— Ben Ryan (@benjaminryan) August 16, 2019
A Commonwealth Games silver medallist in Melbourne in 2006, he was also named Guinness Premiership young player of the year in 2006.
In recent years he has played with Scarlets and French club Soyaux Angouleme and this year played with South China Tigers in Hong Kong in the Global Rapid Rugby series. His recruitment by Yorkshire has been questioned on Twitter by Ben Ryan, the Olympic-winning Fijian coach.
But Yorkshire boss Wood said on the club’s website: “We are delighted to bring a player of Tom’s quality and experience to Yorkshire Carnegie. He is a proven finisher at all levels and we are looking forward to having him at the club.”
Yorkshire's Championship saga has delivered a verdict from the RFU that has left Richmond unhappy https://t.co/5mSj189QnF
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 12, 2019
Yorkshire’s early August announcement of Ford’s recruitment triggered a backlash on Twitter – from one of the club’s own players.
Backrow Daniel Temm wrote on the social media platform that the signing of a player of Ford’s profile was unbelievable considering what some current players are going through at the club.
“I find it truly unbelievable that Yorkshire Rugby are able to sign a guy like Joe Ford with premiership credentials. They have players who they signed and moved their families across the country and the world who have received 15 pence to the pound on agreed contracts!
Have players who played 30 games for the club last year who are now receiving personal medical bills from companies as the club is not willing to cover Xrays and MRIs that were undergone by players on recommendations and necessity from the clubs medical staff. But whilst this 2/3
— Daniel (@danieltemm3) August 2, 2019
“We now have players who played 30 games for the club last year who are now receiving personal medical bills from companies as the club is not willing to cover Xrays and MRIs that were undergone by players on recommendations and necessity from the clubs medical staff.
“This is happening the board who have lead the club into this financial crisis are left to operate how they please with no consequences. The thing for me as a player is that this issue isn’t just a financial issue. It is something that the England Rugby/RFU needs to look into.”
WATCH: The Rugby Pod question whether Johnny Sexton is at the level to start for Ireland at the World Cup
Comments on RugbyPass
Brayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
5 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to commentsDon’t see why Harrison makes the bench. Jones can play at 10 if needed, and there is a good case for starting her there to begin with if testing combinations. That would leave room for Sing on the bench
1 Go to commentsWhat a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.
27 Go to commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
5 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
5 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to commentsSimple reason for wanting him back. Robertson wants him as captain. Otherwise he wouldn’t be bothering chasing him. Not enough reason to come back just to mentor.
10 Go to comments