LEICESTER TIGERS 2019/20 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACT THREAD Part 1

[TigerS2]

Suppose so, after all Toby Flood denied he was off until the last minute.

[sam16111986]

If we sign anyone, please let it be this chap, I love him already!!!

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/rug ... -world-cup

The scrum half throwing the pass or the tighthead?

Given the conveyor belt production of age grade scrum halfs currently coming through I can't see us moving for the 9. The tighthead Manasa Saulo is apparently unattached following some time at LI. So could be available unsure whether we need the cover.

[Leicestertinytiger]

Johnny McPhillips has joined Doncaster Knights on loan from Leicester Tigers until the end of the season on a dual-registered contract.

Obviously the coaching set up has faith in Hardwick covering 10 this season. Looked good in preseason.

[Jimmy Skitz]

the South African 14 looks a special talent

[Scott1]

the South African 14 looks a special talent

Cheslyn Kolbe? World class! Can play FB too and is incredible in the air for his size. If you ever get the chance watch his club Toulouse when they play, arguably the world's most exciting club team when in full flow.

[sam16111986]

Johnny McPhillips has joined Doncaster Knights on loan from Leicester Tigers until the end of the season on a dual-registered contract.

Obviously the coaching set up has faith in Hardwick covering 10 this season. Looked good in preseason.

Wow that's a statement. Our flyhalf is with England but we'd rather use two academy players to back up Reid than a recent acquisition with top level experience. I wonder if McPhillips isn't showing up well behind the scenes.

[Mark62]

I’m a little surprised too, but he’s dual registered and will be getting plenty of championship rugby at Doncaster.
Obviously being dual registered he can still be called back if Hardwick or Reid go lame

[Jimmy Skitz]

look at it the positive way, Hardwick has progressed quicker than they thought he would

[JP14]

Saulo? For me Ravai is a much better player, more mobile and a former 7s player would you believe not that we need tighthead players considering we have three international tightheads plus a potential future England player.

I’m guessing the post was tongue in cheek.

[sam16111986]

look at it the positive way, Hardwick has progressed quicker than they thought he would

He's certainly got all the attributes to be a very good 10/12. Hopefully Reid is mentoring him because he seems to be the kind of thinking centre/ stand in playmaker that Hardwick could well become. If Hardwick wants to cement a position in the Tigers team long term I think 12 may be his best bet, he's certainly big enough to lead the line and if he becomes that vocal defensive leader he'll go far. Being able to step in at 10 is an extra string to his bow and just makes him more useful.

That offload Vs Chiefs last week was outrageous.

[Hot_Charlie]

Johnny McPhillips has joined Doncaster Knights on loan from Leicester Tigers until the end of the season on a dual-registered contract.

Obviously the coaching set up has faith in Hardwick covering 10 this season. Looked good in preseason.

Wow that's a statement. Our flyhalf is with England but we'd rather use two academy players to back up Reid than a recent acquisition with top level experience. I wonder if McPhillips isn't showing up well behind the scenes.

I don’t see it like that. I think it’s clear we intend to use Reid as a 10 (which may not have been immediately apparent) that we rate Hardwick and given the choice of putting one of them on loan, McPhillips it is. Costelow will benefit from the (managed workload) “bit part” PRC experience, McPhillips will probably play far more minutes in the Championship.

For the rest of this part of the PRC (2 matches?) and the start of the Prem we’ll see a combo of Reid/Hardwick/Costelow and then once the England players are back then Ford/Reid/Hardwick.

If any of them get injured before the New Year I’d expect we’d see McPhillips back.

[sam16111986]

Johnny McPhillips has joined Doncaster Knights on loan from Leicester Tigers until the end of the season on a dual-registered contract.

Obviously the coaching set up has faith in Hardwick covering 10 this season. Looked good in preseason.

Wow that's a statement. Our flyhalf is with England but we'd rather use two academy players to back up Reid than a recent acquisition with top level experience. I wonder if McPhillips isn't showing up well behind the scenes.

I don’t see it like that. I think it’s clear we intend to use Reid as a 10 (which may not have been immediately apparent) that we rate Hardwick and given the choice of putting one of them on loan, McPhillips it is. Costelow will benefit from the (managed workload) “bit part” PRC experience, McPhillips will probably play far more minutes in the Championship.

For the rest of this part of the PRC (2 matches?) and the start of the Prem we’ll see a combo of Reid/Hardwick/Costelow and then once the England players are back then Ford/Reid/Hardwick.

If any of them get injured before the New Year I’d expect we’d see McPhillips back.

Yeah I understand that and for us it works nicely having a match fit flyhalf waiting in the Championship in case we need him. For McPhillips he cannot be happy, he's a year older and far more experienced than Hardwick in terms of game time (he benefitted from Jackson's stupidity at Ulster). Whichever way you cut it he's been told he's the fourth choice flyhalf and is only likely to feature if we have injuries.

He can at least use his game time at Doncaster to try and force his way back into our thinking or gain a contract somewhere else for next season.

[Leicestertinytiger]

I imagine McPhillips was signed to replace Joe Ford as he has shown great potential in the past so was worth a try. However, it seems that Hardwick must have been smashing it in training and has leapfrogged him to 3rd choice fly half, especially as he can also cover 12. His offload against Exeter was great.

Maybe a bit ruthless by the club, maybe the gametime in the championship will do him good.

[sam16111986]

I imagine McPhillips was signed to replace Joe Ford as he has shown great potential in the past so was worth a try. However, it seems that Hardwick must have been smashing it in training and has leapfrogged him to 3rd choice fly half, especially as he can also cover 12. His offload against Exeter was great.

Maybe a bit ruthless by the club, maybe the gametime in the championship will do him good.

I imagine the plan was to have Hardwick out on loan gaining experience. After he leapfrogged McPhillips then I guess the plan has just adjusted slightly. When McPhillips was signed it was mentioned he was also cover at 15 but it looks like Steward is showing up well there.

There is no real point having McPhillips sat around not playing.

[Hot_Charlie]

I imagine McPhillips was signed to replace Joe Ford as he has shown great potential in the past so was worth a try. However, it seems that Hardwick must have been smashing it in training and has leapfrogged him to 3rd choice fly half, especially as he can also cover 12. His offload against Exeter was great.

Maybe a bit ruthless by the club, maybe the gametime in the championship will do him good.

I imagine the plan was to have Hardwick out on loan gaining experience. After he leapfrogged McPhillips then I guess the plan has just adjusted slightly. When McPhillips was signed it was mentioned he was also cover at 15 but it looks like Steward is showing up well there.

There is no real point having McPhillips sat around not playing.

I think the plan would always have been to keep Hardwick around the club and not going on loan. He needs to be pushing himself in training against Reid every week and prove he is the long term successor at 10/12. Putting him on loan after last season effectively as a first team semi- regular would be disastrous man-management.