LEICESTER TIGERS 2020/21 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACT THREAD

[RagingBull]

Wasps sign Rob Hardwick to their senior academy after he was released by us.

[Tiglon]

Joe Heyes, still a lot of time to mature in his position. However, that so many seem so sure that he will inevitably be an England player seems a little odd to me - there's a lot more needed before we can make those sort of assumptions.

Likewise Reffell, far too early to think we can build a pack around him. Great prospects, but Tigers fans seem to have a bad habit of assuming all the youngsters who come through the academy will be superstars.

Genge is the sort of player we've always known was destined to be a star - he made his England debut at 21. That's who you build your pack around, not a couple of players who are yet to really stand out in the Premiership.

All the young players who have really made it as top players with Tigers have broken through very young - Ben Youngs, George Ford, Ellis Genge, Manu Tuilagi. How many of the most recent England team were not first choice in their position by 21/22? The idea of someone suddenly becoming a star at 23/24/25 is just not realistic and very rarely happens.

[Mark62]

Joe Heyes, still a lot of time to mature in his position. However, that so many seem so sure that he will inevitably be an England player seems a little odd to me - there's a lot more needed before we can make those sort of assumptions.

Likewise Reffell, far too early to think we can build a pack around him. Great prospects, but Tigers fans seem to have a bad habit of assuming all the youngsters who come through the academy will be superstars.

Genge is the sort of player we've always known was destined to be a star - he made his England debut at 21. That's who you build your pack around, not a couple of players who are yet to really stand out in the Premiership.

All the young players who have really made it as top players with Tigers have broken through very young - Ben Youngs, George Ford, Ellis Genge, Manu Tuilagi. How many of the most recent England team were not first choice in their position by 21/22? The idea of someone suddenly becoming a star at 23/24/25 is just not realistic and very rarely happens.

Agree with all of the above

[Hot_Charlie]

Wasps sign Rob Hardwick to their senior academy after he was released by us.

You'd hope many of them are hoovered up by the other clubs. Shows the quality of the academy graduates.

[HarryTigerFan]

Currently we have Lavanini and Green as out and out second rows and Wells and Lewis but they seem to be preferred at 6, so slightly light in this area. Then its onto the academy guys, Henderson, Martin, Manz and now Chessum. McGinity said in his interview last week that the tigers are looking to bring through second rows so I wouldn't be shocked at signing Itoje on a year long loan whilst the academy lads get used to perm rugby and we get to see if they're up for it. If they are not up to it then maybe we look to sign someone next year. It seems like a good stop gap deal for us, that helps us in the short and potentially long term. Plus who better to learn off than Itoje and Lavanini, two of the current best.

If this Itoje stuff isn't true then I think we still need a second row. Hopefully the Matías Alemanno rumours come back as they have gone very quiet...

[RagingBull]

Wasps sign Rob Hardwick to their senior academy after he was released by us.

You'd hope many of them are hoovered up by the other clubs. Shows the quality of the academy graduates.

He's a hell of a potential player who would most likely be here still if not for a certain incident.

[strawclearer]

Wasps sign Rob Hardwick to their senior academy after he was released by us.

You'd hope many of them are hoovered up by the other clubs. Shows the quality of the academy graduates.

He's a hell of a potential player who would most likely be here still if not for a certain incident.

Yes - another 'brother pairing' gone in a flash.

[sapajo]

Its amazing how people are beguiled by youth.

Clearly every supporter wants our youngsters to realise their full potential.

However, it is true to say that the chances of them becoming internationals like Manu, Youngs , Cole and Genge are and remain remote.

[Scuttle]

Wasps sign Rob Hardwick to their senior academy after he was released by us.

You'd hope many of them are hoovered up by the other clubs. Shows the quality of the academy graduates.

He's a hell of a potential player who would most likely be here still if not for a certain incident.

What happened to make him leave?

[johnthegriff]

But it is right for young players to have the dream and also right for supporters to share it.
I think Reffell has done enough in his appearances for Tigers to show he has the ability to be a regular in our first team and is a potential international, the same in my opinion applies to Ben White. Joe Hayes is gradually coming to terms with playing the men's game where his weight and strength don't give him the advantage they did as a youth, I believe he will make the transition but I doubt he will oust Dan Cole just yet.
Jordan Olowofela is an asset to our first team squad and could be demanding a starting place this season, Freddie Steward looks a fine prospect, I have seen him on the wing and at full back, I was also impressed when he stepped into the centre in an under 18's final but I think it is probably a year or so before he starts regularly for us.
I am not beguiled by youth and I agree with Sapajo that the odds are against them becoming full internationals but I am convinced that the ones I mention above plus a few others on our books will become Premiership players after that it is all down to the whim of international selectors and of course the competition.

[BFG]

Joe Heyes, still a lot of time to mature in his position. However, that so many seem so sure that he will inevitably be an England player seems a little odd to me - there's a lot more needed before we can make those sort of assumptions.

Likewise Reffell, far too early to think we can build a pack around him. Great prospects, but Tigers fans seem to have a bad habit of assuming all the youngsters who come through the academy will be superstars.

Genge is the sort of player we've always known was destined to be a star - he made his England debut at 21. That's who you build your pack around, not a couple of players who are yet to really stand out in the Premiership.

All the young players who have really made it as top players with Tigers have broken through very young - Ben Youngs, George Ford, Ellis Genge, Manu Tuilagi. How many of the most recent England team were not first choice in their position by 21/22? The idea of someone suddenly becoming a star at 23/24/25 is just not realistic and very rarely happens.

They are on the lookout for the very rare.

[RagingBull]

You'd hope many of them are hoovered up by the other clubs. Shows the quality of the academy graduates.

He's a hell of a potential player who would most likely be here still if not for a certain incident.

What happened to make him leave?

Well from what I gather he apparently spat at a ref.

[Scuttle]

He's a hell of a potential player who would most likely be here still if not for a certain incident.

What happened to make him leave?

Well from what I gather he apparently spat at a ref.

Thanks

[POSTIGER]

If Twitter is to be believed then Joe Batley has signed for Worcester. That's a real shame imho, I really hoped we'd get him on board permanently. Good player.

[Mark62]

If Twitter is to be believed then Joe Batley has signed for Worcester. That's a real shame imho, I really hoped we'd get him on board permanently. Good player.

The issue with Batley is that he is still at the the development stage, and those signings we have made at that level means there is no room for him.
Promising player but there is no proof at the moment how much further he will progress