LEICESTER TIGERS 2021/22 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACTS: Aled Walters and the Philosopher's Stone

[Scott1]

I’m over the moon for everyone,but especially Jansen,incredible story! What an incentive for him and a great chance to prove he can take Weise shirt while he is away! Chuffed for him! Plus I’ve got a soft spot for BRers as it’s the most important position on the pitch

[TigerFeetSteve]

Series change due to the age of some of the signings.

Board of Directors
Chairman: Peter Tom CBE
CEO: Andrea Pinchen
Non-Exec: Petar Cvetkovic
Non-Exec: Duncan Green
Non-Exec: Fintan Kennedy
Non-Exec: Tom Scott

LEICESTER TIGERS COACHING TEAM – SEASON 2020/21
Head Coach: Steve Borthwick
General Manager: Leigh Jones
Head of Senior recruitment: Richard Wilks
Defence Coach: Kevin Sinfield
Scrum Coach: Tom Harrison
Assistant Coach: Matt Smith
Assistant Forwards: Brett Deacon
Head of Physical Performance: Aled Walters
Head of Medical: Simon Wallace
Senior Performance Analyst: Matt Egan
Team Manager: Tessa Carrington
Academy Manager: Dave Wilks
Lead Academy Coach: Geraint Davies
Academy Coach/ACE Head Coach: Greg Mannion
Junior Academy Manager: George Glenn

Senior Players:
Hooker: Clare, Cowan-Dickie, Dolly, Montoya, Youngs
Props: Cole, Genge, Heyes, Hurd, Leatigaga, Richardson, Van Wyk, Whitcombe,
Locks: O.Chessum, Green, Henderson, Martin, Snyman, Wells,
Back Row: Agbongbon, Liebenberg, Jansen, Reffell, Robinson, Van Staden, Wiese
Scrum Half: Simmons, van Poortvliet, Wigglesworth, Youngs
Fly Half: Burns, Ford, Lancaster
Centre: Kelly, Moroni, Porter, Scott, Socino, Taute,
Winger: Aslpand-Robinson, Ashton, Nadolo Olowofela, Potter, Saumaki,
Full Back: Hegarty, Murimurivalu, Steward,

Rumoured IN

Rumoured OUT


IN
Tom Cowan-Dickie (Cornish Pirates)
Tomiwa Agbongbon (Loughborough)
Handre Pollard
Olly Robinson (Cardiff) (Loan for the season)
Jimmy Gopperth (Wasps)
Sean Jansen (Otago) (Short term contract)
Chris Ashton (Free Agent)
James Cronin (Biarritz)
Phil Cokansigna (London Irish)
Olly Cracknell (London Irish)
Anthony Watson (Bath)

OUT
George Ford (Sale)
Thom Smith (Doncaster Knights)
Ellis Genge (Bristol)
Cyle Brink (Bulls)
Kobus Van Wyk

Re-signed
Nic Dolly
Guy Porter
Joe Heyes
Calum Green
Harry Potter
Matt Scott
Hanro Liebenberg
Chris Ashton
Sean Jansen
Richard Wigglesworth
Harry Simmons
Kini Murimurivalu

Development Squad
Hooker: Vanes
Props: Hoyt, Rowntree, Smith,
Locks: L.Chessum, Manz,
Back Row: Ilione,
Scrum Half: Law, Edwards
Fly Half: Walsh
Centre: Cusick
Wings: Browning,
Full Back:

IN
Jed Walsh (NSW Waratahs)

Re-Signings
Archie Vanes
Tom Manz
Emeka Ilione
Sam Edwards
Jacob Cusick
Joe Browning

Just noticed that this has already been fully updated, well done RB

[LE18]

Sadly I cant see how we can afford to keep Moroni with all those new 3/4 signings.

[KiwiTig]

Very happy
Great balance

[mightymouse]

All updated except Tom Youngs

[ay2oh]

Very happy
Great balance

No 2nd row signings so wouldn’t be surprised to see Martin in the second row next season. My guess at leavers are Taute, Socino, Leatigaga, Robinson.

[ABClub]

Sadly I cant see how we can afford to keep Moroni with all those new 3/4 signings.

van Wyk/Nadolo ---> Watson
Taute ---> Cokanasiga
Brink ---> Cracknell
Genge ---> Cronin

Given when Taute signed his deal should be more than Cokanasiga will be on. Same for Brink out and Cracknell in.

Cronin will obviously cost less than Genge but if we're dropping to 1 marquee player with Genge and Ford leaving then Cronin will be taking up new cap space.

No renewal for Nephi makes me wonder whether there will be more movement in the props.

I wouldn't say those signings suggest to me we definitely can't afford a wage rise for Moroni though.

[Pellsey]

What lovely news to wake up to!

That said, there is nothing really that we didn't know already, apart from Simmons. For me Kini is also a surprise, but good news anyway.

I really hope Moroni can stay as he is IMHO our best defensive back, and we would be a worse team without him. He has something special, a class, which apart from maybe Ford or Pollard, the other backs do not have IMHO.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a couple of good surprises today which we did not already know

[TigerFeetSteve]

So the morning after the night before I'm still in a good place with the signings, this is where I'm putting the leavers now:

Confirmed Leaving:
Ford
Genge
Youngs T (retired)

Likely Leaving:
Aspland-Robinson
Law
Leatigaga
Olowafela
Socino
Taute (retired)
Robinson

50:50 leaving (or up to 60:40 either way)
Cowan-Dickie
Moroni

Slim chance of Leaving:
Nadolo*
Reffell
Van Wyk
Wells

* This is for leaving this summer. I think we'll keep him till November/December time

Not going to go into the likely leavers but this is sort of my thinking on the rest:

Moroni could go either way still I feel.

Cowan-Dickie, I was surprised to see him not in the re-signed list too yesterday, but he could still sign. The other alternative, without a new signing is we're happy with Vanes stepping up to 4th choice plus adding Aniebonam to the senior academy. Seems a tad risky given possibly in AIs both Montoya and Dolly may be missing.

Nadolo, think it's settled he's going at Christmas time not immediately.

Reffell, most people seem confident he's in contract next year.

Van Wyk, likely a two year contract when he started may not be happy as 3rd choice but think he's unlikely to have many offers above that, so think he'll stay.

Wells, only really on the list because of how long ago he signed his last contract, but he may yet extend or more likely still have a year on his contract, with Green having extended already if we do lose a 2nd row I think it's likely Wells who will go, but with no 2nd row signings announced yet or rumoured I think we'll likely retain him.

[Goshengareth]

Wells won’t leave until he retires.

[RagingBull]

What a difference a good season makes

These kind of signings2 years ago would’ve gotten
Gopperth - 39 year old way past it now
Cracknell - can’t nail down a starter shirt for Irish
Cronin - couldn’t make it with Ireland
Cokanasiga- alright but not getting any game time with Irish
Watson - hobbling winger

Now it’s all how are Tigers affording these players

Love it lol

[tigercub21]

I must say I am most intrigued by the Simmons extension.
If he is coming in at scrum-half then he would most likely be fourth choice behind the obvious three other candidates.
I also don’t see him challenging for a first choice winger spot as the current crop, plus porter who can do a handy job there, are nailed on for me.On top of Watson and Cockinasinga who can both cover there, and in Watson’s case to a world class standard.
However, Borthwick isn’t going to give contracts out for nothing so he must have seen something in there worth developing.

[trendylfj]

I must say I am most intrigued by the Simmons extension.
If he is coming in at scrum-half then he would most likely be fourth choice behind the obvious three other candidates.
I also don’t see him challenging for a first choice winger spot as the current crop, plus porter who can do a handy job there, are nailed on for me.On top of Watson and Cockinasinga who can both cover there, and in Watson’s case to a world class standard.
However, Borthwick isn’t going to give contracts out for nothing so he must have seen something in there worth developing.

Totally agree, I was very surprised to see Simmons back but it may be easier to understand when we announce who is going. Everyone on here seems to agree that Moroni is a big issue and like them, I want to see him stay, IF, we can afford him. I would willingly have given him the money we are spending on Simmons and Nadolo (always assuming he is staying till Xmas) with whatever we have available if that would have enabled him to stay. 1/2 a season of Nadolo + Simmons against 2 years of Moroni - I know which I would choose. Yes I know that it would have not = a Moroni salary but I really rate this guy

[RagingBull]

The way Cokanasiga talks and talked about I feel he will be viewed as a 13/wing going forward.

Something like
9. Youngs, JVP, Wigglesworth, Simmons, Edwards
10. Pollard, Burns, Lancaster, Meredith
11. Watson, Saumaki, Murimurivalu
12. Kelly, Porter, Gopperth, Woodward
13. Moroni?, Scott, Cokanasiga, Cusick, Loose
14. Potter, Ashton, Browning
15. Steward, Hegarty, Walsh

[TigerFeetSteve]

I must say I am most intrigued by the Simmons extension.
If he is coming in at scrum-half then he would most likely be fourth choice behind the obvious three other candidates.
I also don’t see him challenging for a first choice winger spot as the current crop, plus porter who can do a handy job there, are nailed on for me.On top of Watson and Cockinasinga who can both cover there, and in Watson’s case to a world class standard.
However, Borthwick isn’t going to give contracts out for nothing so he must have seen something in there worth developing.

When you have to consider there's a good chance of a number of call ups to all the positions he can cover...

Lets say during the AI's (this is unlikely all will be called up)

Youngs, Steward, Kelly, Scott, Pollard, Nadolo, Saumaki, Murimurivalu, Watson (Moroni if he stays) all called up.

SH: he's one injury away from playing

Burns will likely be at 10, Gopperth 12, Porter 13

So that leaves Ashton and Potter as wingers, Hegarty at Fullback and Simmons as the bench cover for those

For me he's a utility player that adds much needed squad depth, and really could be useful in international periods.

A scrum half who genuinely covers other positions is also so useful when going 6-2 on the bench. So him and Gopperth for example as a bench option in the 6Nations, it covers all back line positions and allows our pack to try and monster over oppositions.