Who is out there and available?

[Dr H Flashman MBE]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/41247993
Just read this. I am no expert in world rugby so have no idea who is available if we take up the option. We need a centre to replace Manu, but I have no idea who. Thoughts??

[LE18]

Ha Ha, does O'Connor know what he is saying, he really is a poor judge if that's what he thinks. Smith had 1 purple patch 2 years ago, he surprised everyone, but in the rest of his career he has been just an average winger and a reliable replacement centre, nothing more!
Perhaps we should send out the tea lady to find someone!

[LE18]

Bring back Dusty to scout for us!

[Tiglon]

Agree with O'Connor on Smith, he's a decent player. No one's saying he is going to earn an England call up, but he'll do a decent job.

Would still be good to use the opportunity to get someone else in short term if anyone who would add something is available.

[Wes]

Ha Ha, does O'Connor know what he is saying, he really is a poor judge if that's what he thinks. Smith had 1 purple patch 2 years ago, he surprised everyone, but in the rest of his career he has been just an average winger and a reliable replacement centre, nothing more!

And is the right way to manage a player to say "well, to be fair he's a bit rubbish and it's kind of scraping the bottom of the barrel but he's the only bloke left"? Be fair, what else was he going to say!?

Clearly Smith in no Manu, but right now, I'd take a player who works his socks off for Tigers and plays in more than a match a season for us over Manu anytime - and I rate Manu higher than anyone when he was last, genuinely fit.

[LE18]

He didn"t need to name a player, he could have said " we have players that we can pick there but it is sensible to look at possibly bringing in a replacement". Why commit yourself to such a statement like he has made, it just leaves him open to scrutiny, just like I have!

[Crumblies]

Kyle Eastmond for one!

[tigerburnie]

Scrutiny is not slagging one our finest servants who never lets us down, scrutiny is coming up with a better assessment that he had a purple patch x years ago once. He's a dam fine player who does more for the club than so called fans like you.

[westwinds31]

Not sure if we could tempt any of these....Eastmond is the obvious and were we linked with him at some point ?, Macken at Wasps, Trinder at Glos currently playing A league as we have a track record with Gloucester players, could we tempt Hurrell back from Bristol ?

Note: these are just randomly plucked out of thin air, I have no clue if they're available. Would it be like a "loan" until Manu hopefully returns ?

[jgriffin]

Scrutiny is not slagging one our finest servants who never lets us down, scrutiny is coming up with a better assessment that he had a purple patch x years ago once. He's a dam fine player who does more for the club than so called fans like you.

Two votes from our house for that! Well put (down)!

[TTRITH]

Scrutiny is not slagging one our finest servants who never lets us down, scrutiny is coming up with a better assessment that he had a purple patch x years ago once. He's a dam fine player who does more for the club than so called fans like you.

Two votes from our house for that! Well put (down)!

Gonna throw a fourth vote behind that.

Smith was one of few to look genuinely gutted on Saturday. He's deceptively fast. He's excellent over the ball, to the point some of our forwards could learn a thing or two. He doesn't go backwards.

Id love Eastmond, but without our pack suddenly sparking into an aggressive front foot pack, he'd have a nightmare here.

[JP14]

We should recruit someone from the Southern Hemisphere as an injury replacement as they aren't currently isn't playing rugby at the moment, Rohan Janse van Rensburg is a very good centre who was left out of SA squad because of initial injury.

[RagingBull]

Eastmond is out with a ACL injury so might not be the best injury signing in the world.

Super rugby would be the obvious target IMO, just because it doesn't start till Late feb.

[Chobbsy]

Agree with O'Connor on Smith, he's a decent player. No one's saying he is going to earn an England call up, but he'll do a decent job.

Would still be good to use the opportunity to get someone else in short term if anyone who would add something is available.

get your claxton ready

Smith is a journeyman a great servant but he is not going to solve our problem, especially in the centres

[RagingBull]

Players i wouldn't mind who are not involved in the international teams but unlikely.
Taqele Naiyaravoro - Waratahs
George Moala - Blues
Vince Aso - Hurricanes
Matt Procter - Hurricanes
Rohan Janse van Rensburg - Lions
Lionel Mapoe - Lions
Harold Vorster - Lions
Ruan Combrinck - Lions

Who knows.