Transfers & Rumours Non Tigers 2016/17

[BFG]

It'll be very disappointing if Thacker has signed for Bristol!
After all the talk of what it means to play for Leicester, to come through the academy and play for his hometown club, the supposed ethos and the Tigers family etc, and spent time passing that voice onto the next generation, to then walk away after over sixty appearances in the front row at just 23 years old (of which most young players can only dream of that level of opportunity) then it'll make a complete mockery of it all in my opinion!

[Tiger93]

Can only imagine Harry has been offered a lot more there than what we can offer here. He's made no end of appearances for his age here and developed well. If rules in rugby were different he'd probably be an England international.

[BFG]

Can only imagine Harry has been offered a lot more there than what we can offer here. He's made no end of appearances for his age here and developed well. If rules in rugby were different he'd probably be an England international.

If he has signed for them Tiger93 I think it'll prove that he was never really good enough, if he isn't prepared to work to get better here!
What would be most saddening though is that it makes all the talk of how much it means to play here just a load of bu!!.

[Tiger93]

I agree. It's dissaponting. But Bristol will probably double his money.

[Robespierre]

There are a few rather negative comments regarding Thacker's move to Bristol.
So he wasn't a regular first team player at Tigers, but a fine player nevertheless, and an opportunity has been presented to him that he would have been daft to refuse.
Saying that he wasn't prepared to work to improve his game is a bit strong as he seems to be supremely fit and quick. His size, however, didn't exactly endear him to the powers that be and had few chances to play, either in the back row or as hooker.
It appears that his position will be hooker at Bristol and I for one, will be keeping an eye on his progress and wish him the very best.

[strawclearer]

It appears that his position will be hooker at Bristol and I for one, will be keeping an eye on his progress and wish him the very best.

[Jimmy Skitz]

shame to see Harry leave but good luck to him

[FrontRowUnionMember]

Mentioned in commentary last night, that Auterac is off to Quins in the summer. With Marler, and Boyce (freshly called up by England) that's a strong pool of loosehead props.

[JP14]

Tapuai too is going off to Quins too as well

[4071]

It'll be very disappointing if Thacker has signed for Bristol!
After all the talk of what it means to play for Leicester, to come through the academy and play for his hometown club, the supposed ethos and the Tigers family etc, and spent time passing that voice onto the next generation, to then walk away after over sixty appearances in the front row at just 23 years old (of which most young players can only dream of that level of opportunity) then it'll make a complete mockery of it all in my opinion!

His Tigers career has definitely stalled. He broke through in the 2015-16 season, but in the last couple of seasons he's made just 2 starts outside the Anglo-Welsh cup, and we've just brought in an Australian international alongside our current club captain.

Thacker needs to move to get games. He's not going to get them at Tigers. He had one stand-out season, but he's 24 this year and would still be third choice at Leicester, playing a role only during the AWC or covering for injuries.

You never know - a couple of seasons at another club racking up the starts and regular appearances that he wouldn't have got here could be enough to develop him further, and we can bring him back to the fold when Bristol (inevitably) go down again and our current lot look towards retirement.

[BFG]

It'll be very disappointing if Thacker has signed for Bristol!
After all the talk of what it means to play for Leicester, to come through the academy and play for his hometown club, the supposed ethos and the Tigers family etc, and spent time passing that voice onto the next generation, to then walk away after over sixty appearances in the front row at just 23 years old (of which most young players can only dream of that level of opportunity) then it'll make a complete mockery of it all in my opinion!

His Tigers career has definitely stalled. He broke through in the 2015-16 season, but in the last couple of seasons he's made just 2 starts outside the Anglo-Welsh cup, and we've just brought in an Australian international alongside our current club captain.

Thacker needs to move to get games. He's not going to get them at Tigers. He had one stand-out season, but he's 24 this year and would still be third choice at Leicester, playing a role only during the AWC or covering for injuries.

You never know - a couple of seasons at another club racking up the starts and regular appearances that he wouldn't have got here could be enough to develop him further, and we can bring him back to the fold when Bristol (inevitably) go down again and our current lot look towards retirement.

I thought he was very good around the park during 2015/16, the scrummaging though was extremely poor in my opinion!
Since that time I don't know if he has bulked up, the scrummaging is better but still not up to it with the very best units, the ability of the unit to go forward at the scrum is still not present although they have been able to buy some penalties with the low set up, it is still not a useful tool to drain the opposition, but the mobility has dropped off considerably in my opinion and the ability to do what he did in 2015/16 seems to have gone and he has been very average.
I also note the strapping around the knee.

[jgriffin]

I suspect he may be a player who could've made a position change (e.g. to average 7 or good 9 as he has played 10 in younger days) but if he is set on being a 2 then Tigers did all they could, and it was his choice in the end. OTY took advice and moved to 2, and ended up a Lion.

[Tiglon]

Not sure how you can criticise a professional for changing employer for better money and more chance of progression.

Unless of course, you have a big chip on your shoulder against anyone named Thacker - which one fellow poster clearly does.

As for positional change, unfortunately for him he has a body shape that is in between the perceived ideal for a number of different positions. Personally, I feel centre would be the way to go for him. We don't know if he has decided he wants to persevere as a 2, or if that was Tigers' decision/advice.

[strawclearer]

As for positional change, unfortunately for him he has a body shape that is in between the perceived ideal for a number of different positions. Personally, I feel centre would be the way to go for him. We don't know if he has decided he wants to persevere as a 2, or if that was Tigers' decision/advice.

Bristol website has him as hooker...

"A skillful dynamo of a hooker..... has also featured in the back-row at Welford Road."

Sounds like nothing has changed - a hooker but...

[Robespierre]

Why not centre? I believe OTY was a pretty good centre before becoming a hooker.
Why not the other direction for Thacker?