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

[Leicestertinytiger]

Players I can see leaving are:

Bower
Coghlan
Bonilla
Enever
Hardwick
Olowofela
Lewis
Kerr
De Bruin

You look at the second row with Martin and Henderson coming into the senior squad and both have shown they can perform at this level. Would be sad to see Lewis leave but can also understand maybe he doesn’t fit into the game plan.

Taufua would love for him to stay but also wouldn’t be the end of the world if he left. We’ve got great options in the backrow.

Worth also would probably be a handy squad player to keep hold of and can cover across the back line. Also don’t think we need another centre with Moroni in the squad. Don’t forget we’ve got Kelly who’s shown great promise.

Don’t think we would need many additions:
1 x prop
1 x hooker
1x backrow if Taufua leaves

[ay2oh]

Rumour is that Montoya is a done deal so don’t need another hooker. With Lavinini, Green and Wells with Martin and Henderson coming through not badly off for locks either. Would use any cap to give improved terms to Steward, Martin and Portlivet and perhaps look to sign a big centre like Lawrence.

[RunTigerRun]

We haven't been substantially linked to players other than Montoya, as others have mentioned; and the Louis Lynagh and Tommy Taylor. So hopefully the same degree of churn of players won't happen this season.

If those mentioned by RB and LTT leave I'd expect a hooker, prop, project backrower and a younger back (either centre or back-3 like - but not exclusively - Lynagh).

I'd also imagine players such as Steward, Martin, JvP, Kelly, Chessum, Whitcombe, Thom Smith will be promoted to senior squad either this year or next.

[ABClub]

For cap purposes from next season an 'academy player' is any player who is under 24 on September 1st 2021 and earning less than £50k a year.

A 'home grown academy player' is a player who has been with the club since they were 17 and has either never been a member of another clubs academy or has been a member of his current clubs academy for two years prior to the current salary cap year.

Home grown academy players don't count towards the cap. For non home grown academy players there is an academy ceiling of £100k.

I expect Tigers will take full advantage of that with players such as Martin, Henderson, Smith, JvP and Steward who could be academy players for cap purposes but playing senior rugby. Whether they are listed in the development squad or senior squad is much of a muchness.

If Steward re-signs long term he will definitely be on more than £50k a year with his current performances though.

It will be important for all sides to use those 'home grown' and 'academy player' rules for depth with the cap coming down to £5m.

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

Without going mad would love to see Taufua stay, he is captaincy material, a proven performer over many seasons & something different to the other back row players.
Trying to secure Reffell & Steward to a long term contracts is essential, especially in Reffells case.
Hooker is the obvious position where we are weak (even if Montoya comes) & props you need to secure when they are available, a lot depends on the development of the younger props which is going to be hindered by no lower league rugby.

[TigerFeetSteve]

For cap purposes from next season an 'academy player' is any player who is under 24 on September 1st 2021 and earning less than £50k a year.

A 'home grown academy player' is a player who has been with the club since they were 17 and has either never been a member of another clubs academy or has been a member of his current clubs academy for two years prior to the current salary cap year.

Home grown academy players don't count towards the cap. For non home grown academy players there is an academy ceiling of £100k.

I expect Tigers will take full advantage of that with players such as Martin, Henderson, Smith, JvP and Steward who could be academy players for cap purposes but playing senior rugby. Whether they are listed in the development squad or senior squad is much of a muchness.

If Steward re-signs long term he will definitely be on more than £50k a year with his current performances though.

It will be important for all sides to use those 'home grown' and 'academy player' rules for depth with the cap coming down to £5m.

With Steward, Martin, Henderson, JVP etc we should definitely ensure we keep them that home grown status that has helped Exeter so much should allow us to be able to offer more than comparative clubs for the ones we want to keep.

Props in and out we should roughly keep the same numbers, though I expect Whitcombe to make a good step upat least in the next 12 months.

Hooker we need to get Montoya confirmed, think, with his last min deal to Western Force is to my mind a risk of a spanner in the works there.

2nd row am happy with 3 really good Development prospects all looking like they can make the step up so not worried there.

We have Taufua, Lewis and Coghlan possibly all leaving we should maybe look at one or two back row projects but we do have strength there so not top priority.

If Bonilla (& Hardwick) leaves we need a 10

Centre I would love a crash ball specialist if we add here to give us that dimension to play, that is more a luxury than necessity.

Back 3, we're fine unless we lose players but with Steward, Nadolo, Van Wyk, Murimurivalu, Porter, Potter, Williams, Simmons, Aspland Robinson, Worth & Olowafela we don't need more atm.

[Tiglon]

Back 3, we're fine unless we lose players but with Steward, Nadolo, Van Wyk, Murimurivalu, Porter, Potter, Williams, Simmons, Aspland Robinson, Worth & Olowafela we don't need more atm.

It's amazing that not very long ago Worth and Olowofela were 2nd choice in their positions. Our strength in the back 3 is so much better than a year ago, without any other area of the team being sacrificed. We must have been seriously overpaying some players in recent years...

[ay2oh]

Back 3, we're fine unless we lose players but with Steward, Nadolo, Van Wyk, Murimurivalu, Porter, Potter, Williams, Simmons, Aspland Robinson, Worth & Olowafela we don't need more atm.

It's amazing that not very long ago Worth and Olowofela were 2nd choice in their positions. Our strength in the back 3 is so much better than a year ago, without any other area of the team being sacrificed. We must have been seriously overpaying some players in recent years...

Not surprising considering we have lost Tuilagi, May, Veanu et al

[chipnchase]

Back 3, we're fine unless we lose players but with Steward, Nadolo, Van Wyk, Murimurivalu, Porter, Potter, Williams, Simmons, Aspland Robinson, Worth & Olowafela we don't need more atm.

It's amazing that not very long ago Worth and Olowofela were 2nd choice in their positions. Our strength in the back 3 is so much better than a year ago, without any other area of the team being sacrificed. We must have been seriously overpaying some players in recent years...

Not surprising considering we have lost Tuilagi, May, Veanu et al

I hate to imagine how much we were paying May and Tuilagi for the game time we got out of them.

[ay2oh]

It's amazing that not very long ago Worth and Olowofela were 2nd choice in their positions. Our strength in the back 3 is so much better than a year ago, without any other area of the team being sacrificed. We must have been seriously overpaying some players in recent years...

Not surprising considering we have lost Tuilagi, May, Veanu et al

I hate to imagine how much we were paying May and Tuilagi for the game time we got out of them.

I would guess at around £1M between the 3 of them

[RagingBull]

So with Joe Thomes now signed for Dragons it leaves just Eastmond and Eveleigh as players who left without clubs.

[RagingBull]

Not surprising considering we have lost Tuilagi, May, Veanu et al

I hate to imagine how much we were paying May and Tuilagi for the game time we got out of them.

I would guess at around £1M between the 3 of them

My guess is
£550,000 - Manu
£300,000 - May
£250,000 - Veainu

Replacements maybe
£230,000 - Moroni
£200,000 - Nadolo
£150,000 - Murimurivalu

[Tiglon]

I hate to imagine how much we were paying May and Tuilagi for the game time we got out of them.

I would guess at around £1M between the 3 of them

My guess is
£550,000 - Manu
£300,000 - May
£250,000 - Veainu

Replacements maybe
£230,000 - Moroni
£200,000 - Nadolo
£150,000 - Murimurivalu

Practically half the price, if you're right!

I suppose it helps hugely when a group of young players break through at the same time. Saracens, Exeter, Wasps and Tigers have all had plenty of homegrown players when they've been at the top.

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

You couldn't begrudge May his salary, he always performed for us, whether we should of signed him in the first place is another matter.

[Tiglon]

You couldn't begrudge May his salary, he always performed for us, whether we should of signed him in the first place is another matter.

Same with Manu and Veainu, when they played. I have no problem with any of those players, all brilliant and an absolute joy to watch - it's an honour to have had them wear the Tigers shirt. The issue was that it didn't allow for a balanced squad.