LEICESTER TIGERS 2023/24 - KANGAROO MCKELLER: Do you come from a land down under? (Squad thread pt 2)

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

Sam Edwards being linked to Bristol by Fissler

Paul Hill being linked to Edinburgh which makes LDB leaving them very likely

On the fence on Edwards, he didn't really take his chances when he got them in the past, Allen seems interesting player.
When Youngs retires I expect us to be bringing in someone anyway so I don't think Edwards would've stayed longer anyway

For me Edwards is better than Whiteley (some of the nonsense spouted on RL makes him sound like the new Gareth Edwards), even if its a 50/50 call (& I apply this squad wide) we should always back one of our own.

[RagingBull]

Sam Edwards being linked to Bristol by Fissler

Paul Hill being linked to Edinburgh which makes LDB leaving them very likely

On the fence on Edwards, he didn't really take his chances when he got them in the past, Allen seems interesting player.
When Youngs retires I expect us to be bringing in someone anyway so I don't think Edwards would've stayed longer anyway

For me Edwards is better than Whiteley (some of the nonsense spouted on RL makes him sound like the new Gareth Edwards), even if its a 50/50 call (& I apply this squad wide) we should always back one of our own.

From all the games I have seen I don't know if I agree with Edwards being better than Whiteley.

I just feel it's telling that Borthwick, Wigglesworth, McKeller didn't seem to rate him that highly IMO.
Certainly think the move is the right for him.

[sapajo]

Sam Edwards being linked to Bristol by Fissler

Paul Hill being linked to Edinburgh which makes LDB leaving them very likely

On the fence on Edwards, he didn't really take his chances when he got them in the past, Allen seems interesting player.
When Youngs retires I expect us to be bringing in someone anyway so I don't think Edwards would've stayed longer anyway

For me Edwards is better than Whiteley (some of the nonsense spouted on RL makes him sound like the new Gareth Edwards), even if its a 50/50 call (& I apply this squad wide) we should always back one of our own.

Well Whiteley cannot box kick and his passing is not consistent so he has all the qualities of a 3rd choice 9

[sk 88]

Edwards only really got a chance against Saints at home in Jan 2023, I thought he played really well for his first big game.

If I was him though I'd leave, they clearly don't rate him and he's not *that* young any more. From 4th choice he'd need two injuries to even make the matchday squad, so it's not like he's third choice, getting games & poised to make a break through.

I can't call that a mistake at the moment because we never see him play to make that call, and it's one of those no-win situations for the club, if he goes elsewhere and succeeds it will be a case of egg on face for us as a U-18s league winning captain & England U20 international leaves without getting a chance & looks good elsewhere. If he sinks without a trace no one will remember to say it was a good decision by our coaches.

[RagingBull]

I feel people are harsh on Whiteley tbh
Against Quins, Sarries, Bath, Stade I remember him being pretty damn good. Certainly solid.

Granted against Gloucester he played more like a flanker than a 9 last week.

I don't fully know what more people expect from a 3rd choice 9 I guess. No one of starting abilty will want to play behind JVP or Youngs, and the club certainly won't spend the money on one.

Youngs will prob retire soon and we will prob be looking at signing a back up 9 to JVP then. Allen in a couple will prob be targeting to jump past Whiteley.

[RagingBull]

Edwards only really got a chance against Saints at home in Jan 2023, I thought he played really well for his first big game.

If I was him though I'd leave, they clearly don't rate him and he's not *that* young any more. From 4th choice he'd need two injuries to even make the matchday squad, so it's not like he's third choice, getting games & poised to make a break through.

I can't call that a mistake at the moment because we never see him play to make that call, and it's one of those no-win situations for the club, if he goes elsewhere and succeeds it will be a case of egg on face for us as a U-18s league winning captain & England U20 international leaves without getting a chance & looks good elsewhere. If he sinks without a trace no one will remember to say it was a good decision by our coaches.

TBF that year had like 5 captains throughout the whole
Vanes
Singer
K.Smith
Edwards
Muncaster

Interesting only 1 would still be with us
Muncaster seems to be thriving at Edinburgh

Looking at the squad for that final
15 Ollie Smith, 14 Josh Lugsden, 13 Cormac Calnan, 12 Matt Potts, 11 Jake Sterland, 10 Charlie Titcombe, 9 Sam Edwards, 1 Seb Smith, 2 Archie Vanes, 3 Jack Rowntree, 4 Callum Oakden, 5 Bobby Singer, 6 Kit Smith, 7 Jordan Tebbatt, 8 Ben Muncaster
Replacements: 16 Joe Plunkett, 17 Lynx Noumey, 18 Dan Clements, 19 Phil Tandoh, 20 Noah Leo, 21 Jed Gelderbloom, 22 Billy Hull, 23 Henry Joule

Archie Vanes 2 prem games, 3 champions cup
Edwards and Seb Smith have 1 prem cap between them for us.
Charlie Titcombe and Muncaster play in the URC with Scarlets and Edinburgh
Tebbatt plays in Poland (Polish international)
Joule and Gelderbloom play in the championship for Nottingham and Cambridge
Sterland plays for Leicester Lions
Oakden plays for Sandbach
Calnan plays for Uni of Nottingham 1st XV
Plunkett, Tandoh for Loughborugh
Ollie smith, Lusgden, Potts, Kit Smith, Rowntree, Singer, Noumey, Clements, Leo, Hull don't play anymore from what I can see

[johnthegriff]

Edwards has not been given a chance to show what he can do. In fact many young players are now not being given the opportunity to make that transition from Academy to Premiership. The fault is that there is no A League and by swamping the squad with seasoned mature players the young ones are not getting experience even in the Premier Cup. We seem to be returning to the system in place a few seasons back. I suppose the signs were there when Borthwick recruited the aging Wigglesworth, pushing Ben White out of the club reminiscent of signing Poleta-Nau and getting rid of Thacker and McGuigan.

[RagingBull]

It was Ben White or JVP in all reality fighting for Ben Youngs back up.
No way White would've played 3rd choice behind JVP or Youngs. Whereas Wigglesworth was just wanting a playing contract not a coaching one that Sarries was offering.

The Idea that Wigglesworth was the one who pushed White out IMO is way off the mark, he was gone as soon as we deemed JVP the better prospect.

Also let's not forget Wigglesworth did help win that Prem final, that move to Wiese was entirely him.

[sk 88]

Edwards only really got a chance against Saints at home in Jan 2023, I thought he played really well for his first big game.

If I was him though I'd leave, they clearly don't rate him and he's not *that* young any more. From 4th choice he'd need two injuries to even make the matchday squad, so it's not like he's third choice, getting games & poised to make a break through.

I can't call that a mistake at the moment because we never see him play to make that call, and it's one of those no-win situations for the club, if he goes elsewhere and succeeds it will be a case of egg on face for us as a U-18s league winning captain & England U20 international leaves without getting a chance & looks good elsewhere. If he sinks without a trace no one will remember to say it was a good decision by our coaches.

TBF that year had like 5 captains throughout the whole
Vanes
Singer
K.Smith
Edwards
Muncaster

Interesting only 1 would still be with us
Muncaster seems to be thriving at Edinburgh

Looking at the squad for that final
15 Ollie Smith, 14 Josh Lugsden, 13 Cormac Calnan, 12 Matt Potts, 11 Jake Sterland, 10 Charlie Titcombe, 9 Sam Edwards, 1 Seb Smith, 2 Archie Vanes, 3 Jack Rowntree, 4 Callum Oakden, 5 Bobby Singer, 6 Kit Smith, 7 Jordan Tebbatt, 8 Ben Muncaster
Replacements: 16 Joe Plunkett, 17 Lynx Noumey, 18 Dan Clements, 19 Phil Tandoh, 20 Noah Leo, 21 Jed Gelderbloom, 22 Billy Hull, 23 Henry Joule

Archie Vanes 2 prem games, 3 champions cup
Edwards and Seb Smith have 1 prem cap between them for us.
Charlie Titcombe and Muncaster play in the URC with Scarlets and Edinburgh
Tebbatt plays in Poland (Polish international)
Joule and Gelderbloom play in the championship for Nottingham and Cambridge
Sterland plays for Leicester Lions
Oakden plays for Sandbach
Calnan plays for Uni of Nottingham 1st XV
Plunkett, Tandoh for Loughborugh
Ollie smith, Lusgden, Potts, Kit Smith, Rowntree, Singer, Noumey, Clements, Leo, Hull don't play anymore from what I can see

Agree but its the way people would spin it.

That is a lot of wastage from a good team. Last I saw Singer was playing for Newcastle Uni, so a few more of those will be playing social rugby I'd guess.

[Tiglon]

It's the same outrage any time a young player on the edge of the first team leaves.

I'm sure there are Tigers fans out there still distraught that we allowed Thacker, Worth and Olowofela to leave.

A lot of youngsters play U20's for England and don't make it as a first choice Prem player.

Edwards has looked OK when he's had his chances, nothing catastrophic, but nothing special either. I'm not particularly worried whether he stays or goes.

[ABClub]

It's a shame if Ollie Smith just gave the game up. I remember being amazed when he didn't get a contract. He looked like a brilliant talent.

From memory, I saw Kit Smith on the Lough pages, then he was with Cov around the same time just after leaving Tigers. Did he just not turn out for either?

Wasn't Tebbatt with Sale FC at one point?

[RagingBull]

Edwards only really got a chance against Saints at home in Jan 2023, I thought he played really well for his first big game.

If I was him though I'd leave, they clearly don't rate him and he's not *that* young any more. From 4th choice he'd need two injuries to even make the matchday squad, so it's not like he's third choice, getting games & poised to make a break through.

I can't call that a mistake at the moment because we never see him play to make that call, and it's one of those no-win situations for the club, if he goes elsewhere and succeeds it will be a case of egg on face for us as a U-18s league winning captain & England U20 international leaves without getting a chance & looks good elsewhere. If he sinks without a trace no one will remember to say it was a good decision by our coaches.

TBF that year had like 5 captains throughout the whole
Vanes
Singer
K.Smith
Edwards
Muncaster

Interesting only 1 would still be with us
Muncaster seems to be thriving at Edinburgh

Looking at the squad for that final
15 Ollie Smith, 14 Josh Lugsden, 13 Cormac Calnan, 12 Matt Potts, 11 Jake Sterland, 10 Charlie Titcombe, 9 Sam Edwards, 1 Seb Smith, 2 Archie Vanes, 3 Jack Rowntree, 4 Callum Oakden, 5 Bobby Singer, 6 Kit Smith, 7 Jordan Tebbatt, 8 Ben Muncaster
Replacements: 16 Joe Plunkett, 17 Lynx Noumey, 18 Dan Clements, 19 Phil Tandoh, 20 Noah Leo, 21 Jed Gelderbloom, 22 Billy Hull, 23 Henry Joule

Archie Vanes 2 prem games, 3 champions cup
Edwards and Seb Smith have 1 prem cap between them for us.
Charlie Titcombe and Muncaster play in the URC with Scarlets and Edinburgh
Tebbatt plays in Poland (Polish international)
Joule and Gelderbloom play in the championship for Nottingham and Cambridge
Sterland plays for Leicester Lions
Oakden plays for Sandbach
Calnan plays for Uni of Nottingham 1st XV
Plunkett, Tandoh for Loughborugh
Ollie smith, Lusgden, Potts, Kit Smith, Rowntree, Singer, Noumey, Clements, Leo, Hull don't play anymore from what I can see

Agree but its the way people would spin it.

That is a lot of wastage from a good team. Last I saw Singer was playing for Newcastle Uni, so a few more of those will be playing social rugby I'd guess.

Potentially but alot of those lads have quite good jobs so would be surprised

[sk 88]

It's a shame if Ollie Smith just gave the game up. I remember being amazed when he didn't get a contract. He looked like a brilliant talent.

From memory, I saw Kit Smith on the Lough pages, then he was with Cov around the same time just after leaving Tigers. Did he just not turn out for either?

Wasn't Tebbatt with Sale FC at one point?

Yes was with Sale Sharks & Sale F.C. while at uni, now playing semi-professionally in Poland and with their national team. Made his debut in this REC when they got relegated. He will be one of the best players in the RET, should have a long career with Poland now if he wants it.

[LE18]

It was Ben White or JVP in all reality fighting for Ben Youngs back up.
No way White would've played 3rd choice behind JVP or Youngs. Whereas Wigglesworth was just wanting a playing contract not a coaching one that Sarries was offering.

The Idea that Wigglesworth was the one who pushed White out IMO is way off the mark, he was gone as soon as we deemed JVP the better prospect.

Also let's not forget Wigglesworth did help win that Prem final, that move to Wiese was entirely him.

I dont get Ben White v JVP, surely there is a big age difference, JVP would still have been at school when White was here, it was White V Simmons and I rated Simmons in front of White.?

[LE18]

Many excited by our new signings. We have signed a South African Under20's player to add to our home produced English and Welsh Under 20's who are not getting much game time. We have gone to a poor Ospreys team for a prop not selected for the Wooden Spoon winning Welsh side and we have gone to the abysmal NSW Waratahs for an outside centre who at half-time in the match I am watching is being outclassed by the Fijian 13.
Obviously a good player can be in a poor team and I reserve judgement until.I see these guys playing at Welford Rd but I do question whether they are any better than what we already have and my excitement at the signings is a little restrained.

You have deflated my expectations there John, not sure whether to praise you or condemn you.