LEICESTER TIGERS 2018/19 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACT THREAD Part Deux

[kpj tiger]

I think my view on overseas marquee players has shifted since our experience with Matt Toomua; for his own good reasons he has changed his mind and I will not criticise him; many of us will have experienced situations which have fundamentally changed our position and he is no different. From a Tigers perspective it just makes me wonder whether we need to fish in the overseas marquee pool at all.

Exeter seem to base their team on talent that wants to play for the shirt and for the team. We may mock the messing around on the beach but they are developing a consistency that we have lost; they do not have much stardust, noting they have (i think) only 4 in the recently announced England training camp and they don't have many in the England starting 15. But they are doing well with a group of very good (if not starting 15) England players and I think it is the passion to play for each other and the shirt that gets them results.

The problem is Leicester can't breed a decent inside centre. Never have, never will!

Look back over the last 20 years and name one top class 12 that was homegrown.

Apparently Andre Dunn is a decent prospect, still only about 18 though so we won't see him in the first team for a year or 2 yet

[RagingBull]

Interesting that Thompson in the rugby paper talking about how he prefers 7.

[johnthegriff]

Interesting comment by Cardiff Tiger about Tigers not being able to breed an inside centre. My first though was that's nonsense then thinking back over the professional years I could think of home grown talent in all positions except 12, we can go back to the time of Paul Dodge for genuine talent but that was well before professional rugby. Starting with Will Greenwood to the current incumbent Matt Toomua we have had some great players in the position most of whom were from the Southern Hemisphere. So what makes an inside centre? We have had 10's that can play the position if necessary but no one that seems to do so by first choice, It is a problem not only for Tigers but for England too. Maybe one of our Development squad will provide an answer, I really hope so.

[sam16111986]

Vesty was pretty good at 12 towards the end of his career and Twlevetrees played 12 internationally. Whilst neither were/are going to be called "top drawer", "world class" or similar they were both decent options for us.

[JP14]

Twelvetrees is a good shout to be fair, I wouldn't mind him returning to us one day.

[Hot_Charlie]

Interesting that Thompson in the rugby paper talking about how he prefers 7.

Perfect replacement for Hamilton I think. Versatile across the back row.

[voice of the crumbie]

Interesting comment by Cardiff Tiger about Tigers not being able to breed an inside centre. My first though was that's nonsense then thinking back over the professional years I could think of home grown talent in all positions except 12, we can go back to the time of Paul Dodge for genuine talent but that was well before professional rugby. Starting with Will Greenwood to the current incumbent Matt Toomua we have had some great players in the position most of whom were from the Southern Hemisphere. So what makes an inside centre? We have had 10's that can play the position if necessary but no one that seems to do so by first choice, It is a problem not only for Tigers but for England too. Maybe one of our Development squad will provide an answer, I really hope so.

What about Ollie Smith and Dan Hipkiss? Both England internationals and Smith was also a Lion. Although they were primarily 13s they did play at 12 occasionally.

[johnthegriff]

The comment was name a top class inside centre not 13's that occasionally played inside or Fly halves that sometimes played at 12. Billy T is a reasonable shout, but our most successful in the position have been Anthony Allen and Pat Howard neither of whom were as effective elsewhere. What are the qualities that determine that a player is an inside centre specialist.

[RagingBull]

2 signings tomorrow!

[longlivethecrumbie]

2 signings tomorrow!

Any idea who they could be?

[kpj tiger]

2 signings tomorrow!

Any idea who they could be?

Feao and Ma'afu probably

[ellis9]

2 signings tomorrow!

Any idea who they could be?

Just don't get too excited.

[os99]

2 signings tomorrow!

Any idea who they could be?

Retallick and Crotty hopefully!

[AusTiger]

2 signings tomorrow!

Any idea who they could be?

Retallick and Crotty hopefully!

Is there any truth to what the Eggchasers lads were saying about Tigers turning down Crotty during Maugers reign?

[JP14]

Macken possibly?