LEICESTER TIGERS 2020/21 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACT THREAD EPISODE IV: A New Hope

Forum to discuss everything that is Tigers related

Moderators: Tigerbeat, Rizzo, Tigers Press Office, Tigers Webmaster

Locked
TigerFeetSteve
Super User
Super User
Posts: 7417
Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2020 6:23 am

Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2020/21 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACT THREAD EPISODE IV: A New Hope

Post by TigerFeetSteve »

trendylfj wrote: Sun Jan 10, 2021 10:17 am I trust RB's info before most other rumours
100% agree with this.

With an international fly half we need 4 fly halves minimum, for a full season with international breaks and injuries.

x1 International
x2 Good/Very Good club fly halves
x1(min) development prospect

Based on this no way does Bonilla signing mean Henry is on his way out unless either Hardwick is coming up in Borthwicks plan or they have another Fly half in their plans.
Used to run around with an 11, 14 or 15 on my back.
johnthegriff
Super User
Super User
Posts: 2013
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2008 12:37 am

Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2020/21 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACT THREAD EPISODE IV: A New Hope

Post by johnthegriff »

Clearly the large chunks of the cap plus marquee amounts paid out to a few players hampered our squad balance and depth. Borthwick has come into a strange situation but the silver lining is the opening to re-balance the squad which is aided by the emergence of some potentially very good young players. In recent years the replacements for first choice players absent on international duty or through injury have in many cases just not been good enough or although of decent class were available to us as a signing because their bodies were actually giving up on them and they were to be honest knackered and unable to play many games.
We have a new era, I think there may be some comings and goings as S.B develops the squad he wants and the players and coaches buy into his way of working. It is a shame we lost Costello in the key Fly Half position, he will become a great player but he wants to play for Wales and felt his best chance of doing that was to move to Scarlets. As a result of his going we have signed Zack Henry and Bonilla as back up to George Ford, Tom Hardwick seems to be out of the picture, currently we have no 10's in our Development squad so there is a big age gap to our Academy prospects in that position unless Harry Simmons can add Fly Half to his repertoire. If Fisler is correct about Zack being unhappy and wanting away I wonder where he would go that would give him more opportunity than he is currently getting, I think he would be a good second choice at a number of Premiership clubs but their first choices are unlikely to be away with England.
Scott1
Super User
Super User
Posts: 16783
Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2016 5:03 pm

Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2020/21 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACT THREAD EPISODE IV: A New Hope

Post by Scott1 »

Where was that about Zack?
"Rugby isn't a contact sport,ballroom dancing is a contact sport. Rugby is a collision sport" Heyneke Meyer
MCC1964
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 906
Joined: Sun Oct 04, 2015 4:29 pm
Location: East Midlands

Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2020/21 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACT THREAD EPISODE IV: A New Hope

Post by MCC1964 »

Scott1 wrote: Sun Jan 10, 2021 11:41 am Where was that about Zack?
Check the previous page.
Scott1
Super User
Super User
Posts: 16783
Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2016 5:03 pm

Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2020/21 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACT THREAD EPISODE IV: A New Hope

Post by Scott1 »

MCC1964 wrote: Sun Jan 10, 2021 12:07 pm
Scott1 wrote: Sun Jan 10, 2021 11:41 am Where was that about Zack?
Check the previous page.
Thanks!
"Rugby isn't a contact sport,ballroom dancing is a contact sport. Rugby is a collision sport" Heyneke Meyer
TigerFeetSteve
Super User
Super User
Posts: 7417
Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2020 6:23 am

Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2020/21 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACT THREAD EPISODE IV: A New Hope

Post by TigerFeetSteve »

johnthegriff wrote: Sun Jan 10, 2021 11:20 am Clearly the large chunks of the cap plus marquee amounts paid out to a few players hampered our squad balance and depth. Borthwick has come into a strange situation but the silver lining is the opening to re-balance the squad which is aided by the emergence of some potentially very good young players. In recent years the replacements for first choice players absent on international duty or through injury have in many cases just not been good enough or although of decent class were available to us as a signing because their bodies were actually giving up on them and they were to be honest knackered and unable to play many games.
We have a new era, I think there may be some comings and goings as S.B develops the squad he wants and the players and coaches buy into his way of working. It is a shame we lost Costello in the key Fly Half position, he will become a great player but he wants to play for Wales and felt his best chance of doing that was to move to Scarlets. As a result of his going we have signed Zack Henry and Bonilla as back up to George Ford, Tom Hardwick seems to be out of the picture, currently we have no 10's in our Development squad so there is a big age gap to our Academy prospects in that position unless Harry Simmons can add Fly Half to his repertoire. If Fisler is correct about Zack being unhappy and wanting away I wonder where he would go that would give him more opportunity than he is currently getting, I think he would be a good second choice at a number of Premiership clubs but their first choices are unlikely to be away with England.
We do also have McPhillips, but I'm yet to be fully convinced about him (but appears to be ahead of Hardwick in the pecking order atm)
Used to run around with an 11, 14 or 15 on my back.
Tiglon
Super User
Super User
Posts: 3887
Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2011 8:54 pm

Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2020/21 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACT THREAD EPISODE IV: A New Hope

Post by Tiglon »

I have no reason to believe the rumour is true, but I think the reasoning is that we would have to pay Bonilla more to keep him, which would mean we couldn't afford to keep Henry as well.

In matches, I Bonilla has not shown what he is capable of so you can only think he has impressed much more in training - he obviously has the pedigree. Henry shows promise and talent but still has clear weaknesses which, at 26 years of age, suggest he is never going to be a first choice Premiership 10.
JP14
Super User
Super User
Posts: 7484
Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2017 7:37 am

Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2020/21 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACT THREAD EPISODE IV: A New Hope

Post by JP14 »

Tiglon wrote: Sun Jan 10, 2021 1:20 pm I have no reason to believe the rumour is true, but I think the reasoning is that we would have to pay Bonilla more to keep him, which would mean we couldn't afford to keep Henry as well.

In matches, I Bonilla has not shown what he is capable of so you can only think he has impressed much more in training - he obviously has the pedigree. Henry shows promise and talent but still has clear weaknesses which, at 26 years of age, suggest he is never going to be a first choice Premiership 10.
I think that last statement is unfair on Henry, yes I agree that he is the unfinished article, but he will improve with time and will be a more than capable understudy to Ford whilst the latter is on international duty.
Formerly of Burbaaage (not Inkleh), now up north at uni
Tiglon
Super User
Super User
Posts: 3887
Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2011 8:54 pm

Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2020/21 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACT THREAD EPISODE IV: A New Hope

Post by Tiglon »

JP14 wrote: Sun Jan 10, 2021 1:55 pm
Tiglon wrote: Sun Jan 10, 2021 1:20 pm I have no reason to believe the rumour is true, but I think the reasoning is that we would have to pay Bonilla more to keep him, which would mean we couldn't afford to keep Henry as well.

In matches, I Bonilla has not shown what he is capable of so you can only think he has impressed much more in training - he obviously has the pedigree. Henry shows promise and talent but still has clear weaknesses which, at 26 years of age, suggest he is never going to be a first choice Premiership 10.
I think that last statement is unfair on Henry, yes I agree that he is the unfinished article, but he will improve with time and will be a more than capable understudy to Ford whilst the latter is on international duty.
I agree he is a capable understudy, he's just not a first choice Premiership fly half.
LE18
Super User
Super User
Posts: 4840
Joined: Wed Jan 27, 2010 12:13 am
Location: Great Glen

Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2020/21 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACT THREAD EPISODE IV: A New Hope

Post by LE18 »

I will stick my neck out and say I think Bonilla is far better than he has shown us so far, I think we will see a lithe classy well balanced fly half if we give him time. I think Henry has talent but is a more robust guy and a bit left footed, I would keep both but I think Bonilla will become the turn to flyhalf when Ford not here, he could push Ford close!

Re Adam Thompstone, nice guy, he sold his house near me a while back now and moved out, anyone know where he lives now, any clues to where he might find a job?
Leicestertinytiger
Super User
Super User
Posts: 2956
Joined: Fri Sep 08, 2017 2:22 pm

Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2020/21 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACT THREAD EPISODE IV: A New Hope

Post by Leicestertinytiger »

LE18 wrote: Sun Jan 10, 2021 7:29 pm I will stick my neck out and say I think Bonilla is far better than he has shown us so far, I think we will see a lithe classy well balanced fly half if we give him time. I think Henry has talent but is a more robust guy and a bit left footed, I would keep both but I think Bonilla will become the turn to flyhalf when Ford not here, he could push Ford close!
Totally agree with this, Bonilla is a class no.10. For whatever reason he hasn’t shown his best in a Tigers shirt..... yet! But no doubt given some time we’ll get to see what he’s made of.
westwinds31
Super User
Super User
Posts: 5976
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 9:26 am

Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2020/21 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACT THREAD EPISODE IV: A New Hope

Post by westwinds31 »

i may be completely wrong here, it’s been known (!), but could there be a language barrier with Bonilla, and he’s playing catch up ? And I guess his family have to settle in as well. 10 has to be vocal and communicate and it could take a while. I expect him to get better every time he takes to the field. I think Lavanini may have had a similar problem but he’s clearly up to speed now.
sam16111986
Super User
Super User
Posts: 7056
Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2008 6:27 pm
Location: Shepshed

Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2020/21 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACT THREAD EPISODE IV: A New Hope

Post by sam16111986 »

westwinds31 wrote: Sun Jan 10, 2021 9:17 pm i may be completely wrong here, it’s been known (!), but could there be a language barrier with Bonilla, and he’s playing catch up ? And I guess his family have to settle in as well. 10 has to be vocal and communicate and it could take a while. I expect him to get better every time he takes to the field. I think Lavanini may have had a similar problem but he’s clearly up to speed now.
Does the language barrier issues explain why he doesn't seem to understand the need to kick the penalty to touch?

He's obviously better than he's shown so far. I'm sure I heard something that he was working with Wigglesworth in assisting Smith with the attacking game plan so he must have a good rugby brain.
TigerFeetSteve
Super User
Super User
Posts: 7417
Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2020 6:23 am

Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2020/21 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACT THREAD EPISODE IV: A New Hope

Post by TigerFeetSteve »

sam16111986 wrote: Sun Jan 10, 2021 9:28 pm
westwinds31 wrote: Sun Jan 10, 2021 9:17 pm i may be completely wrong here, it’s been known (!), but could there be a language barrier with Bonilla, and he’s playing catch up ? And I guess his family have to settle in as well. 10 has to be vocal and communicate and it could take a while. I expect him to get better every time he takes to the field. I think Lavanini may have had a similar problem but he’s clearly up to speed now.
Does the language barrier issues explain why he doesn't seem to understand the need to kick the penalty to touch?

He's obviously better than he's shown so far. I'm sure I heard something that he was working with Wigglesworth in assisting Smith with the attacking game plan so he must have a good rugby brain.
The guy had barely played rugby in 9 months and was a little rusty. That combined with a desire to squeeze every last inch to impress his new club probably contributed.

He's got the likes of Moroni around him who speaks his native language, think he has chance to prove why he's a tier 1 internationally capped player.
Used to run around with an 11, 14 or 15 on my back.
chipnchase
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 1226
Joined: Sat Jul 02, 2005 10:18 am
Location: Leicestershire, UK

Re: LEICESTER TIGERS 2020/21 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACT THREAD EPISODE IV: A New Hope

Post by chipnchase »

MCC1964 wrote: Sun Jan 10, 2021 9:22 am TRP reports that Bonilla had impressed so much we are looking to extent his contract which will mean Zach Henry is off.

Hmm....
Thought it sounded like a load of tosh when I read it. Henry’s got a lot of promise, seen nothing of Bonilla yet so seems like a story manufactured to fill some space. Also I doubt the club would have taken either on one year contracts with Ford likely to be away on international duty in the near future.
Locked