LEICESTER TIGERS 2020/21 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACT THREAD EPISODE IV: A New Hope

[Scott1]

Sarries mentioned legal plan says to me that if there is no championship they may have found a way to force their way back into the league. What else could it be?

[RagingBull]

What's Ruan Botha deal?

[Richardfje]

What about Semi Kunatani, seems like a really good player who is currently out of contract after he didn’t pass his medical for Castres? Not sure why he failed so apologies if there is a glaring reason he can’t join us to cover Lavanini

[Leicestertinytiger]

George Merrick has just been released, he’s a big guy who would give us plenty of physicality. Our backrow looks great but with Lavanini’s injury, feel like we’re missing some quality in the engine room.

[FrontRowUnionMember]

What's Ruan Botha deal?

Is that a question or a hint?

[RagingBull]

Question

[ABClub]

What's Ruan Botha deal?

Is that a question or a hint?

Rumoured to be re-signing with Kubota Spears after LI confirmed he wouldn't be returning. Nothing confirmed/announced yet though.

Botha was outstanding for LI in his brief time there. He's a pretty ideal lock for the Premiership. Available all season, good injury record, one of the best lineout operators in the world, adds 20 stone of heft to the scrum and throws his weight around in the loose. Botha is international class just sat behind a lot of exceptional Springbok locks.

Jacques du Plessis is unattached and also falls into that bracket of being international class but stuck behind Pieter-Steph du Toit. He's yet to sign for another club (linked with Quins though) since leaving Montpellier. He's playing for an invitational tens side in Bermuda this month.

[TigerFeetSteve]

https://twitter.com/Argentina_2027/stat ... 32672?s=19

It appears Montoya will likely go to Western Force till next year when he'll be a Tiger. So pretty much looks like Tigers have him in line to replace OTY if he retires

[JP14]

Jaques du Plessis will be some injury dispensation, one can only dream.

[sam16111986]

What's Ruan Botha deal?

Is that a question or a hint?

Rumoured to be re-signing with Kubota Spears after LI confirmed he wouldn't be returning. Nothing confirmed/announced yet though.

Botha was outstanding for LI in his brief time there. He's a pretty ideal lock for the Premiership. Available all season, good injury record, one of the best lineout operators in the world, adds 20 stone of heft to the scrum and throws his weight around in the loose. Botha is international class just sat behind a lot of exceptional Springbok locks.

Jacques du Plessis is unattached and also falls into that bracket of being international class but stuck behind Pieter-Steph du Toit. He's yet to sign for another club (linked with Quins though) since leaving Montpellier. He's playing for an invitational tens side in Bermuda this month.

Has du Plessis actually left Montpellier, I heard there was lots of rumours about half of Europe wanting to sign him but didn't realise he was actually available. If he fancies a few months in England before inevitable move to Japan then that would be great. I doubt we'd be able to sign him full time though I'd love to see a Lavanini/du Plessis combination though the chance of us picking up a card would be quite high.

[RagingBull]

Montoya signs for the western force 2021 season.

[Leicestertinytiger]

Montoya signs for the western force 2021 season.

Assume or hope this is just a stop gap move until he joins us for the 21/22 season.

[RagingBull]

Everything I heard said it was going to be a 2021/22 thing

Which would make sense considering we have 4 hookers on the books.
But we shall see.

[sam16111986]

Everything I heard said it was going to be a 2021/22 thing

Which would make sense considering we have 4 hookers on the books.
But we shall see.

Always sounded like a Tom Youngs replacement should Tom decide he wants to spend more time on the farm and with the family. Tom will be 34 by next summer so might decide he's ready for something else with his body still in good shape. He has been performing better since Borthwick arrived though.

I can't imagine Kerr or Clare the other hookers possibly out of contract would be paid the type of wages required to bring Montoya in. Maybe even if their salaries were combined as Clare is probably on not much more than previous Championship level money and Kerr was a promising development level player who might have had a bump in pay after he got his cap and started getting around the first team.

[JP14]

Don't forget young Archie Vanes!