Who is out there and available?

[iceman_19]

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

Sorry to be pedantic but....journeyman?! He's been at one club his entire life, Tigers through and through!

He is a very decent Premiership player but, of course, doesn't have the natural ability of other star centres, but his work rate and team ethos counts for a lot. I'd constructively suggest that you're trying to say that he probably isn't a first choice centre for a club of our aspirations and agree with you there, but I'd rather have him around than not.

[big john]

I know they might not reach the class we all want but Western Force have a couple of young ish (23) centres who might be worth a go or we could maybe pick up Dane Haylett-Petty from there as a 15 to give us more cover to use Smith and Tait in the centre also he can cover wing so i'm not sure if any of the winger could "step in" at 13

[RagingBull]

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

Sorry to be pedantic but....journeyman?! He's been at one club his entire life, Tigers through and through!

journeyman can mean average.

[GB72]

May be just me being paranoid but am I the only one who is a little concerned about this development.
The original statement was 12 weeks but that has now moved to more than 12 weeks. Add to that the fact that we would have expected to lose Manu for at least half of that for the Autumn internationals (and I assume had planned to cover him with existing resources) and it says to me that this injury may be more serious than is being announced.
As I said, probably me being paranoid but, taking into account the fact that it will take a few weeks to get cover in, another couple to get them trained up and the fact that we would have been planning not to have Manu around for a number of weeks and it all points towards a more serious issue.

[drc_007]

May be just me being paranoid but am I the only one who is a little concerned about this development.
The original statement was 12 weeks but that has now moved to more than 12 weeks. Add to that the fact that we would have expected to lose Manu for at least half of that for the Autumn internationals (and I assume had planned to cover him with existing resources) and it says to me that this injury may be more serious than is being announced.
As I said, probably me being paranoid but, taking into account the fact that it will take a few weeks to get cover in, another couple to get them trained up and the fact that we would have been planning not to have Manu around for a number of weeks and it all points towards a more serious issue.

I think a player has to be unavailable for more than 12 weeks to allow an injury dispensation. I suspect the change in wording is nothing more than Tigers ensuring they have the option to seek a replacement.

[iceman_19]

get your claxton ready

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

Sorry to be pedantic but....journeyman?! He's been at one club his entire life, Tigers through and through!

journeyman can mean average.

I believe that's the American interpretation...I've always had it to mean a player who gets through new clubs like new shoes, and thus usually happens to be average.

However, back on track, my preference for players in for Manu would be:

Van Rensburg - Not in South African squad, despite successfully recovering from injury. Playing in Currie Cup for Lions but - shorn of their other internationals - they're not doing too well. Huge unit, would be a similar player to Manu if we can get him. Would have to pay off the Golden Lions for his services however.

George Moala - Another big unit, not in the All Black squad, playing Mitre 10 Cup (NPC) for Aurckland. Similar to Manu again, but perhaps a bit quicker and not quite as destructive in close quarters. 4 AB Caps in 3 years, but 3 tries in those appearances. A little injury prone so would fit right in. Again, a fee would be due to Auckland for his services.

Will Hurrell - Certainly less of a blockbuster player than the other 2 but he knows Leicester, is close by and can probably be loaned quickly. Was one of the few Bristol backs to shine last year, along with Jason Woodward. At one point he was leading the Aviva Premiership for turnovers won, and showed himself to be a difficult player to put down. Again, Bristol would be owed money (as a loan fee).

[doublecarpet]

May be just me being paranoid but am I the only one who is a little concerned about this development.
The original statement was 12 weeks but that has now moved to more than 12 weeks. Add to that the fact that we would have expected to lose Manu for at least half of that for the Autumn internationals (and I assume had planned to cover him with existing resources) and it says to me that this injury may be more serious than is being announced.
As I said, probably me being paranoid but, taking into account the fact that it will take a few weeks to get cover in, another couple to get them trained up and the fact that we would have been planning not to have Manu around for a number of weeks and it all points towards a more serious issue.

It's easier if you prepare yourself for him being out for the season, as per norm. Anything less than that is a bonus

[chewbacca]

May be just me being paranoid but am I the only one who is a little concerned about this development.
The original statement was 12 weeks but that has now moved to more than 12 weeks. Add to that the fact that we would have expected to lose Manu for at least half of that for the Autumn internationals (and I assume had planned to cover him with existing resources) and it says to me that this injury may be more serious than is being announced.
As I said, probably me being paranoid but, taking into account the fact that it will take a few weeks to get cover in, another couple to get them trained up and the fact that we would have been planning not to have Manu around for a number of weeks and it all points towards a more serious issue.

It's easier if you prepare yourself for him being out for the season, as per norm. Anything less than that is a bonus

We did prepare to be without Manu, we signed an injured player.

[LE18]

I didn't want to get into a drawn out discussion about my earlier comment but I feel I have to explain more fully!
My "scrutiny" referred to scrutiny of O' Connor, not to Matt Smith, nowhere did I say Matt was not a loyal servant, nor did I call him a journey man, (perhaps he should have moved on where he possibly could have earned more money if anyone had come in for him?).
I said he was an average winger, when was he last selected as No1 in that position, and why did club continually bye wingers like Brady, Camacho et al, if Matt is so highly rated? (yes I know they were bought before). When was he last selected as 1st choice centre, other than injury cover, which still does not count as being No1? Surely if you are not selected as 1st choice you are of a lower ability, average perhaps?
I fully agree that he is a reliable loyal hard working player, but we are currently 11th in the table and Matt is not going to do more than a reliable job for us, but we don't look like getting much higher unless O'Connor finds someone to fill Manu's boots and Matt will never be able to do that, (I have not been too aware of Owen in the past, is he up to filling the boots?)
I will be at the next match, I will cheer anyone selected in that position, its great that so many of you on here are very supportive of Matt, me too, but I do think, like some of the other posters, that maybe you will just have to accept an honest, possibly not too well worded post, but we will just have to wait and see if O'Connors faith is well founded!

[animalnitrate]

Its possible Israel Folau could be dropped from the Aussie squad for his tweets against gay marriage !!

I think he can play centre as well as full back.

[Dr H Flashman MBE]

Israel could be our new Loti Tiquiri.... that would put a smile on the whole of Welford road!! Or I would take Will Hurrell in the real world. He was good last season and very combative.

[ellis9]

If we are going to bring in someone like Will Hurrell, then I probably wouldn't bother. I'd play Smith and then give Catchpole and Charlie Thacker more game time. Smith would do a better job than Hurrell and the other two would do just as well as Hurrell would.

If we bring in someone, it needs to be someone who is good enough and not just someone to fill a gap.

[Loob19]

If we are going to bring in someone like Will Hurrell, then I probably wouldn't bother. I'd play Smith and then give Catchpole and Charlie Thacker more game time. Smith would do a better job than Hurrell and the other two would do just as well as Hurrell would.

If we bring in someone, it needs to be someone who is good enough and not just someone to fill a gap.

Quite agree - Thacker has untold upside, let's look to the future and give this boy a chance first.

[Noddy555]

Apart possibly for injury dispensation in the case of Tuilagi, I can't think that there would be enough money in the pot to go and purchase players Willy nilly, If as I have argued previously we can acquire a world class full back then that would free up Veianu for his favourite position on the wing whilst Adam Thompstone remains injured.

[SirGordonRamsey]

Love this post Noddy.

If we had jumped at May and closed the loophole up early, we could have made a bid for TEO who is looking to move. He would have been a class replacement.

Obviously at the time we couldnt predict Manu's injury, bookies would say differently.

Whats the point in having Evans (welsh centre from scarlets) if hes not going to do a job?