LEICESTER TIGERS 2020/21 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACT THREAD EPISODE V: Borthwick Strikes Back

[kk20gb30]

All credit to Jordan for taking the opportunity offered - wish him the best of luck at Western Force.

[TigerFeetSteve]

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/spor ... ssion=true

I see the Mercury is speculating on 7 more players thwy think may go on loan

Sam Aspland-Robinson
Tom Smith
George Worth
Jake Kerr
Tom Hardwick
Harry Potter
David Williams

Personally I have my doubts, from the wording looks like a complete speculation piece.


Personally I only think 3 of those would go on loan.

Sam Aspland-Robinson
Think a loan is what he needs, a guy massively unfortunate with no development games, coming back from injury means he needs time to get match sharp, think a loan would be perfect for him to push for inclusion.

George Worth
I think he again needs some game time to have any hope of getting back in to contention, but there just seems like there's a lot of people crowding him out in most positions, to get back in the thought process he needs on field performances.

David Williams
Was brought in as short term cover after players left and he impressed, but like Worth needs some gametime to try and show he should be back in contention.


Ones I think SB wants in the squad so doubt they'll go on loan

Thom Smith
Youngest ever skipper in some rotation games last year shows the club think highly of him, he was name checked by SB in the aftermath of Hanro and Jasper getting banned, so would have been very close to the 23 last week and still may feature this weekend, to my mind he's too close to the team to let go.

Jake Kerr
With Mamukashvili gone, he's just one injury/ban and some rotation from playing, you really NEED 4 hookers in your squad, unfortunately one doesn't get much of a look in, IF he goes on loan it's a big statement of faith in Vanes IMO as means he's trusted as cover.

Harry Potter
I think his disappearance from the matchday squads had more to do with the rumored injury. I think he's more likely than most to be called up wing cover.


The one I doubt we want to loan out as I think we want him gone on a permanent loan.

Tom Hardwick, apart from the young prop Hurd that we signed less than a fortnight ago, Hardwick is the only player not to have a photo of him on the squad page in the main team kit. Rumours of him having fallen out with the club abound and I cannot see how a loan would allow him to get back in the team, think if what we're hearing is true then it'd be best for all parties if a permanent move could be found.

[TigerFeetSteve]

Leigh Jones joins as a General Manager of Rugby role on May 1st.

It seems to be a bit of an amalgamation of Jan McGintey & Geordan Murphy's previous role, with the on field solely down to Borthwick.

[RagingBull]

Might be worth a different thread it’s a interesting signing.

[JP14]

So many references to a "journey" I'm beginning to think 'Don't Stop Believing' is going to become our new post-match victory song...

[tigercub21]

Also worth noting that Jones and Borthwick both worked together with Japan.

[MCC1964]

With another Welshman arriving, it won’t be long until Bleddyn spontaneously combusts with delight.

Welcome and good luck to Leigh in his new appointment.

[MurphysLaw]

[quote=TigerFeetSteve post_id=769792 time=1614683890 user_id=34255]
Leigh Jones joins as a General Manager of Rugby role on May 1st.

It seems to be a bit of an amalgamation of Jan McGintey & Geordan Murphy's previous role, with the on field solely down to Borthwick.
[/quote]

From what Andrea Pinchen is saying, I think you are right, it is an amalgamation of the Murphy and McGinity roles, and maybe a tad more. It is clearly a major role within the club; one that merits him becoming a member of the senior leadership team.

[MurphysLaw]

Some are speculating that David Williams might go out on loan. He is listed, and pictured in team colours, on the Nottingham senior squad for their upcoming season. Looks as if he has already returned.

[TigerFeetSteve]

Some are speculating that David Williams might go out on loan. He is listed, and pictured in team colours, on the Nottingham senior squad for their upcoming season. Looks as if he has already returned.

So I just checked when he extended, according to this article the agreement for him to stay this year was only ever an extension to his LOAN, so he was still obly ever loaned to us.

So letting him go back seems sensible as he's not getting rugby, he was probably told that once the likes of Van Wyk arrived that his opportunities would be limited, but by staying on loan, Tigers got an extra body for training and if required, Nottingham had less wages to cover and Williams got to regularly train at a time when he may have been furloughed if he'd returned to Nottingham.

The loan would have been win win win for all parties at the time but makes sense him going back for rugby even if we have our eye on him for the future.

See below for the article on him extending his loan for this season.

https://www.leicestertigers.com/news/re ... ams-201112

[RagingBull]

Wonder if Jones could help out with defense?
;)

[MurphysLaw]

[quote=RagingBull post_id=769802 time=1614691116 user_id=10459]
Wonder if Jones could help out with defense?
;)
[/quote]

or even attack!!
It seems that his remit covers the performance and recruitment of coaches.

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

So many references to a "journey" I'm beginning to think 'Don't Stop Believing' is going to become our new post-match victory song...

Plus over use of the phrase World Class

[RagingBull]

So his history I think is
Ebbw Vale - Head Coach
Wales A - Head Coach
WRU District A Director
Newport - Head Coach
Newport Qwent Dragons - Forwards Coach
Hong Kong - national coach development manager
Japan - Defence Coach
Hong Kong - Head Coach
Hong Kong - General Manager

[sk 88]

With these guys going out on loan, and speculation that further may join them, the journalists at the Rugby Paper (Jon Newcombe) still says that the Premiership Cup is returning midweek from April. Going to have to have some players to play in that!