speedski wrote: ↑Wed Mar 22, 2023 10:10 am
Thomas Du Toit to Bath for next season.
Excellent signing for Bath but I bet he hasn't come cheap, even with him and Finn i'm not convinced Bath are going to improve much yet
edit: having thought about this a bit more its a bit systematic of England's problems, one of Obano or Stuart is going to lose out on game time you'd imagine which weakens an already weak area for the national side
speedski wrote: ↑Wed Mar 22, 2023 10:10 am
Thomas Du Toit to Bath for next season.
Excellent signing for Bath but I bet he hasn't come cheap, even with him and Finn i'm not convinced Bath are going to improve much yet
edit: having thought about this a bit more its a bit systematic of England's problems, one of Obano or Stuart is going to lose out on game time you'd imagine which weakens an already weak area for the national side
Ones a LH ones a TH. Does Du Toit play both sides?
Edit: just read he's played a quarter of his games at LH. I can only seem to recall him on the tight
"Rugby isn't a contact sport,ballroom dancing is a contact sport. Rugby is a collision sport" Heyneke Meyer
Hinkley leaves Saints immediately, seems a surprise to me
I know Backrow is an area of strength for us, but wouldn’t mind a trial period with him until after the WC ?! Be a good Tommy / Jasper boost and between Cracknell, Hanro, Hatherall, Emeka and Aaron that would be good depth?!
Especially if Martin and Henderson go to the WC and Ollie is injured/on the comeback
I actually think someone like Hinkley would round out our back row options very nicely.
4. O Chessum, Wells, T Manz
5. Martin, Henderson, Green, L Chessum
6. Liebenberg, Hatherall, J Manz, (GM/OC)
7. Reffell, Hinkley, Illone, (Cracknell)
8. Wiese, Cracknell, (Liebenberg/Illone)
Hinkley leaves Saints immediately, seems a surprise to me
I know Backrow is an area of strength for us, but wouldn’t mind a trial period with him until after the WC ?! Be a good Tommy / Jasper boost and between Cracknell, Hanro, Hatherall, Emeka and Aaron that would be good depth?!
Especially if Martin and Henderson go to the WC and Ollie is injured/on the comeback
Not sure... some comments on there saying it's a fall out with coaches. Add that to the fact that at 23 he's already had 3 clubs (Gloucester, Exeter & Saints) I'd be very cautious signing a player with that many clubs that young. I don't think he's done 2 full seasons at any club?
We have a good team spirit and good ethos in the squad, need to avoid bad apples (not saying he is but we need to do background first)
Used to run around with an 11, 14 or 15 on my back.
Hinkley leaves Saints immediately, seems a surprise to me
I know Backrow is an area of strength for us, but wouldn’t mind a trial period with him until after the WC ?! Be a good Tommy / Jasper boost and between Cracknell, Hanro, Hatherall, Emeka and Aaron that would be good depth?!
Especially if Martin and Henderson go to the WC and Ollie is injured/on the comeback
Not sure... some comments on there saying it's a fall out with coaches. Add that to the fact that at 23 he's already had 3 clubs (Gloucester, Exeter & Saints) I'd be very cautious signing a player with that many clubs that young. I don't think he's done 2 full seasons at any club?
We have a good team spirit and good ethos in the squad, need to avoid bad apples (not saying he is but we need to do background first)
He left Gloucester for Exeter for game time I believe. At Exeter he sustain a pretty serious injury and was out for a while. Left for Saints for some game time, started on trial and won a full contract. Can’t say about him leaving Saints but certainly doesn’t seem the same as say Hardwick for example…
I agree we have to be cautious - but Genge was a bit of a ‘hot head’ before he joined, as was Wiese, you could argue Brown and Ashton have had their moments too. If the environment is right get him in and see if we can be the right place.
Still think it would be worth a trial or WC contract and let McKellar get a grip on him.
Very much Hardwick-esq vibes with this statment for Hinkley, bunged on the end of Waller's re-signing.
Hinkley leaves Saints by mutual consent
Northampton Saints can confirm that Aaron Hinkley has left the Club by mutual consent. The back row forward arrived at cinch stadium at Franklin’s Gardens at the end of the 21/22 season, making 19 appearances in Black, Green and Gold.
Used to run around with an 11, 14 or 15 on my back.
RunTigerRun wrote: ↑Thu Mar 23, 2023 11:44 am
He left Gloucester for Exeter for game time I believe. At Exeter he sustain a pretty serious injury and was out for a while. Left for Saints for some game time, started on trial and won a full contract. Can’t say about him leaving Saints but certainly doesn’t seem the same as say Hardwick for example…
Just as you posted this I put in the very Hardwick-esq statement from Saints about him
Used to run around with an 11, 14 or 15 on my back.
Not sure the 3 clubs thing is big. He was at Gloucester but I don’t think he’d really made the breakthrough there, and went to Exeter which probably seemed like a good move given their young(ish) English core contingent. But the Chiefs back row is pretty well stocked.
For context we are Nic Dolly’s third club, he joined us at 21/22 years of age. Doesn’t make him a trouble maker does it.
Hinkley seemed to be going well at Saints, but yes, the initial social media rumblings are a fall out with coaching staff. Harsh to lump him in with Hardwick, different scenarios, Hardwick didn’t really kick on, but didn’t agree with his treatment or amount of gametime. Hinkley on the other hand appears to have been a regular fixture for Saints. Saw he was out of contract this summer, maybe he’s been told there will be no extension and has decided to seek an early move elsewhere.
RunTigerRun wrote: ↑Thu Mar 23, 2023 11:44 am
He left Gloucester for Exeter for game time I believe. At Exeter he sustain a pretty serious injury and was out for a while. Left for Saints for some game time, started on trial and won a full contract. Can’t say about him leaving Saints but certainly doesn’t seem the same as say Hardwick for example…
Just as you posted this I put in the very Hardwick-esq statement from Saints about him
I'd take Hinckley in a heartbeat. He was a Tom Curry-esque talent at U20s prior to all the injuries. When he's fleetingly got fit he's been excellent at senior level. Due to the injuries it would likely not be a costly signing but if he gets fit can be a huge asset. Low risk, potentially high reward.