Martin Castrogiovanni signs for Toulon

[old one eye]

I do not see much point in keeping anyone who wants to go.

I am not suggesting Castro would not give his all, but it would not be a good situation.

[TigerLad]

I'd expect Logo to move to 3 and Cockers to sign a loosehead. Leaving us with

1.Ayerza/Stankovich
3.Cole/Mulipola/Balmain

Mulipola can obviously also play loosehead if required. We could use the money to bring in someone like Tendo 'the beast' Mtarasomething from South Africa or sign a couple of decent young players like Kvesic and Gibson. Personally I think we need to make a big signing. Castro or Cole coming off the bench has won us multiple matches so we need someone of Castro's calibre as a replacement.

[TigerAlex]

I'd expect Logo to move to 3 and Cockers to sign a loosehead. Leaving us with

1.Ayerza/Stankovich
3.Cole/Mulipola/Balmain

Mulipola can obviously also play loosehead if required. We could use the money to bring in someone like Tendo 'the beast' Mtarasomething from South Africa or sign a couple of decent young players like Kvesic and Gibson. Personally I think we need to make a big signing. Castro or Cole coming off the bench has won us multiple matches so we need someone of Castro's calibre as a replacement.

No thank you to Mtawarira. Not so much a beast as a borer. Personally I think Balmain is perfectly capable of kicking on. I don't think a big signing is needed at all. A decent, reliable, journeyman for a year or two, capable off the bench in the international window/in case of injury,, and then reassess the situation if Balmain also gets called up by England.

[fortysix]

Castro apparantly has celiacs disease-which is not good news for a 120% athlete whose strength is paramount....
As it stands Tigers will lose him BUT with our pedigree it should be absolutely No 1 Priority to replace him with a couple of junior probabilities... from where-ever.
The front 3 are the absolute cornerstone of any team and it is only in recent years that the Aussies have tried desperately to negate front row play by getting the rules nullified... Their idea of playing 13 man running rugby is an insidious attempt to bolster their flagging National side--after all front Rows are in for a :censored: good hiding week in week out, and as such deserve twice as much as any other for their efforts..
This has had an insidious effect on referees who are sometimes, not front row friendly... as they ''aint '' got a :censored: clue...
So yes applaud Castro-------a true Tigers legend-and if Toulon offer him a million quid for 3 years, take it.
He wont be the last Tiger to be approached, either..
After 2015 it will be EXIT Tigers time for a great number of Internationals--unless French Rugby implodes.. Let us hope it does....
I used to play in Leicester in another Professional sport and IF someone from Cannes had offered me a 3 year contact at double the money...

[sam16111986]

I hope Castro stays. If not then we need to retain the props we have.

LHs: Ayerza, Mulipola, Stankovitch, Harris
THs: Cole, Balmain, Brookes, Bower

If Brookes and Balmain step up we're in business if not we go looking for another prop the summer after. In an emergency we move Mulipola across or bring in a SH prop half way duringbthe season. We need to ive the young guns a go first though. Our tight five is very strong but we need to bring in more quality into the openside, centre and fullback.

We may need to consider that a hooker may be a greater need what with Chuter set to retire, Hawkins form a tad indifferent and Tom Youngs set to spend spells with England.

[sam16111986]

I hope Castro stays. If not then we need to retain the props we have.

LHs: Ayerza, Mulipola, Stankovitch, Harris
THs: Cole, Balmain, Brookes, Bower

If Brookes and Balmain step up we're in business if not we go looking for another prop the summer after. In an emergency we move Mulipola across or bring in a SH prop half way duringbthe season. We need to ive the young guns a go first though. Our tight five is very strong but we need to bring in more quality into the openside, centre and fullback.

We may need to consider that a hooker may be a greater need what with Chuter set to retire, Hawkins form a tad indifferent and Tom Youngs set to spend spells with England.

[Grimlish]

Hawkins' form a tad indifferent? What do you base that on?

I know he's not got RC's 'favoured son' vote, but I hadn't noticed a drop in form since his return, albeit he may not be fully back to his best after his enforced layoff.

[kingol22]

I think we have enough depth at tight head to cover the potential loss of Castro, obviously we wont be as strong but we will still have a very good line up. I think the money would be best spent on a specialist open side to compete with Salvi as we have no cover in this position.

[kingol22]

I think we have enough depth at tight head to cover the potential loss of Castro, obviously we wont be as strong but we will still have a very good line up. I think the money would be best spent on a specialist open side to compete with Salvi as we have no cover in this position.

[old one eye]

I think we have enough depth at tight head to cover the potential loss of Castro, obviously we wont be as strong but we will still have a very good line up. I think the money would be best spent on a specialist open side to compete with Salvi as we have no cover in this position.

I agree. openside is one position where we lack depth. when Julian Salvi does not play we struggle in the loose.

[BJ.]

If he does go, I vote he is given the Freedon of the City of Leicester before he goes....great bloke whatever way you look at it!

The club as a whole already has the Freedom of the City.

[WhitecapTiger]

http://www1.skysports.com/rugby-union/n ... -from-done

Bit of a re-hash, still nothing confirmed. Talks between Tigers and Toulon about satisfactory transfer fee unresolved.

Castro apparently still not told Tigers he wants to leave according to this article and Simon Cohen quotes.

[APJones]

there is nothing confirmed - yet except that Castro has a year to go on contract but cockers says he can go if 'the right offer to the club is made'

There is no falling out between the club and Castro. Don't forget Castro has already turned down attractive offers in order to stay with Tigers but he is now 31 and while on pitch gives his all but he is no longer an 80 minute man. I'd like to see him get one more try tho'

If Castro goes I am worried that his best mate Logo will follow soon after.

[APJones]

Martin Castrogiovanni's mooted move from Leicester to Toulon is still far from being completed, say the Tigers.

The two sides, who will meet in the Heineken Cup quarter-finals, have opened talks over a possible transfer for the 31-year-old prop.

But Leicester chief executive Simon Cohen claims that no agreement was yet in place and they would only consider allowing the Italian to leave for the right price.

"We have always said that there needs to be two elements in place for any transfer to go ahead," Cohen told the Leicester Mercury. "Firstly, we need a satisfactory transfer fee and, secondly, Martin Castrogiovanni needs to come to us and say that he wants to leave.

"We have had an initial and preliminary discussion with Toulon about a transfer fee and there is no agreement in place at this moment.

"We won't have a discussion with Martin Castrogiovanni about what he wants to do until an agreement is in place."

"If we fail to reach an agreement with Toulon, then Martin Castrogiovanni will see out his contract with us," added Cohen.

"That would be excellent news for us because he is an extremely talented player and an icon at this club."

Castrogiovanni, who has made 141 appearances during his six-and-a-half years at Welford Road, has largely played second fiddle to Dan Cole this season.

[Tiger Chris]

What about Henry Thomas of sale if they go down,meant to be a good player was close to the England team last before getting injured still only 21(I think). He'd be a decent replacement as Brookes hasn't really cut the mustard