LEICESTER TIGERS 2021/22 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACTS: Steve Borthwick and the Chamber of Oval Park

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Leicestertinytiger
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Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2021/22 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACTS: Steve Borthwick and the Chamber of Oval Park

Post by Leicestertinytiger »

We know Reffell is in contract next season. We’d all love him to play his career at Tigers. But we have to be honest, if he gets rightly called up to Wales for their summer tour, the chances of him leaving in 2023 are pretty high.
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Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2021/22 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACTS: Steve Borthwick and the Chamber of Oval Park

Post by RagingBull »

In theory if he signs a new extension before he’s capped he should be fine though.


But suspect this is why we have signed the Italian u20 7 see how he goes in a year.

Jack Willis out of contract end of next season atm
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Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2021/22 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACTS: Steve Borthwick and the Chamber of Oval Park

Post by sam16111986 »

RagingBull wrote: Sun May 15, 2022 9:06 am In theory if he signs a new extension before he’s capped he should be fine though.
We did that with Holmes didn't we? Week before his call up was announced he signed an extension. Give Tommy a three or four year deal. He's been excellent these last two seasons.
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Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2021/22 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACTS: Steve Borthwick and the Chamber of Oval Park

Post by tigerburnie »

Give Tommy an England cap, he's lived here long enough....................................... :smt004
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Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2021/22 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACTS: Steve Borthwick and the Chamber of Oval Park

Post by Rugbygramps »

Reffell is an interesting one for me. Fantastic player work load this season with MVS injury has been off the charts, every week he is in the Tigers top 5 performers.
But IMO if you are to pick your strongest Tigers starting 15 you pick MVS over him every time. He is not like Genge who is very difficult to replace with someone of the same quality. In the premiership alone there are a number of 7s at a very similar level, the Curry twins, Underhill, Earl, Ludlam, Ludlow, Willis. That’s without looking at options elsewhere

He is a great asset to the club, but unfortunately as a squad and as a business the bigger picture needs to be looked at. It would be disappointing if we were to loose him but there are a number of players I would rather keep ahead of him.
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Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2021/22 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACTS: Steve Borthwick and the Chamber of Oval Park

Post by Knightonian »

sam16111986 wrote: Sun May 15, 2022 9:19 am
RagingBull wrote: Sun May 15, 2022 9:06 am In theory if he signs a new extension before he’s capped he should be fine though.
We did that with Holmes didn't we? Week before his call up was announced he signed an extension. Give Tommy a three or four year deal. He's been excellent these last two seasons.
It’s an interesting quandary offer him a three year extension he signs great

If he doesn’t there’s a couple of twins in Sale we have very strong links too!

If it’s offered he should take it as with the reduction in Welsh clubs you’ve got to believe your number 1 or 2 number 7 or your potentially going to ruin your own career like another ex tiger
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Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2021/22 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACTS: Steve Borthwick and the Chamber of Oval Park

Post by sam16111986 »

Rugbygramps wrote: Sun May 15, 2022 10:05 am Reffell is an interesting one for me. Fantastic player work load this season with MVS injury has been off the charts, every week he is in the Tigers top 5 performers.
But IMO if you are to pick your strongest Tigers starting 15 you pick MVS over him every time. He is not like Genge who is very difficult to replace with someone of the same quality. In the premiership alone there are a number of 7s at a very similar level, the Curry twins, Underhill, Earl, Ludlam, Ludlow, Willis. That’s without looking at options elsewhere

He is a great asset to the club, but unfortunately as a squad and as a business the bigger picture needs to be looked at. It would be disappointing if we were to loose him but there are a number of players I would rather keep ahead of him.
You could give him a long term deal without paying him a lot of money.

The issue for the club might be if he loses his current EQ status.
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Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2021/22 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACTS: Steve Borthwick and the Chamber of Oval Park

Post by johnthegriff »

i see Tommy as one of the best 7's in the premiership and he is still improving, MVS is a great player but is he better than Reffell, I don't know we have not seen enough of him to compare but we do know that Tommy is a better player now than he was at the start of the season and in my opinion is future captaincy material.
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Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2021/22 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACTS: Steve Borthwick and the Chamber of Oval Park

Post by Scott1 »

Rugbygramps wrote: Sun May 15, 2022 10:05 am Reffell is an interesting one for me. Fantastic player work load this season with MVS injury has been off the charts, every week he is in the Tigers top 5 performers.
But IMO if you are to pick your strongest Tigers starting 15 you pick MVS over him every time. He is not like Genge who is very difficult to replace with someone of the same quality. In the premiership alone there are a number of 7s at a very similar level, the Curry twins, Underhill, Earl, Ludlam, Ludlow, Willis. That’s without looking at options elsewhere

He is a great asset to the club, but unfortunately as a squad and as a business the bigger picture needs to be looked at. It would be disappointing if we were to loose him but there are a number of players I would rather keep ahead of him.
Agree MVS is different gravy. Robinson would be a decent back up if Reffell was sadly off and Liebenberg can play 7 too. I’d definitely prefer to keep Tommy if possible though,the lads got a pretty big decision coming up!
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Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2021/22 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACTS: Steve Borthwick and the Chamber of Oval Park

Post by ay2oh »

He’s under contract next season so he has a few months to decide what to do. In saying that back row is one of our areas of strength so although I would like to keep him it all depends on his salary demands.
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Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2021/22 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACTS: Steve Borthwick and the Chamber of Oval Park

Post by Wayne Richardson Fan Club »

ay2oh wrote: Sun May 15, 2022 10:50 am He’s under contract next season so he has a few months to decide what to do. In saying that back row is one of our areas of strength so although I would like to keep him it all depends on his salary demands.
If he tours & wins a cap, window shuts, at present it means return to Wales or International career on hold. Wales might alter the 60 cap threshold with the uncertainty on the region's, best thing for Tigers would be to offer a new contract & put the decision onto Tommy.
He is ex academy & is getting better game by game, he & MVS are very different types of 7, the one thing would be if the coaches see Iilone as a 7 going forward
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Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2021/22 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACTS: Steve Borthwick and the Chamber of Oval Park

Post by Rugbygramps »

Wayne Richardson Fan Club wrote: Sun May 15, 2022 11:18 am
ay2oh wrote: Sun May 15, 2022 10:50 am He’s under contract next season so he has a few months to decide what to do. In saying that back row is one of our areas of strength so although I would like to keep him it all depends on his salary demands.
If he tours & wins a cap, window shuts, at present it means return to Wales or International career on hold. Wales might alter the 60 cap threshold with the uncertainty on the region's, best thing for Tigers would be to offer a new contract & put the decision onto Tommy.
He is ex academy & is getting better game by game, he & MVS are very different types of 7, the one thing would be if the coaches see Iilone as a 7 going forward
I do agree with all this, also the rumoured Italian u20 7 has to be taken into account too, and totally agree about his improvement on a match by match basis, which is probably the basis for the welsh squad call up rumour
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Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2021/22 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACTS: Steve Borthwick and the Chamber of Oval Park

Post by Rugbygramps »

johnthegriff wrote: Sun May 15, 2022 10:29 am i see Tommy as one of the best 7's in the premiership and he is still improving, MVS is a great player but is he better than Reffell, I don't know we have not seen enough of him to compare but we do know that Tommy is a better player now than he was at the start of the season and in my opinion is future captaincy material.
Good points JTG but I’ve seen enough of MVS both playing for South Africa and Tigers to know at present, admittedly when fit, he is on the next step to Reffell. You don’t get in that current Boks back row without being very very good. This future captaincy material holds no water for me I’m afraid, we’ve got plenty of those.
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Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2021/22 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACTS: Steve Borthwick and the Chamber of Oval Park

Post by ay2oh »

Wonder if we’ve signed the Italian u20 no7 as a replacement for Tommy for the season after next. As I said earlier would like to keep him but not at the expense of other areas that need strengthening .
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Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2021/22 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACTS: Steve Borthwick and the Chamber of Oval Park

Post by Tiglon »

I love Reffell as a player, he's got the perfect attitude and work ethic for this team, and no shortage of ability in some key areas. The problem comes if/when he gets capped for Wales - his wage expectations will go up (rightly so) and his availability will go down, so it will be a tough call on judging what level of pay represents good value for the club. For me he isn't the same level as MVS (few are) and he isn't at the level where you'd break the bank to have him play half the season.

If MVS is still here, and away for Autumn Internationals, can you also afford to have Reffell away for AI's? You'd be left with your 3rd choice 7 for 6 weeks of the season. Two players in the same position with international commitments is a bit of a risk.
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