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

[AViewFromLe2]

Sarries are pretty stacked in the centres now

Yeah I don't see him going there now. I wonder if they had a choice between Spink and Marchant and went with Spink. Marchant makes sense if we are losing Porter. If Porter is staying it becomes harder to justify signing him. Perese, Porter and Marchant would be incredible depth but overkill!

Tbf when I read Marchant and Tigers I thought maybe Watson is leaving. He’s just as good on the wing as he is at 13. Forget how good under the highball he is.

Great point. I genuinely am concerned that Watson may need to retire. Back injuries are horrible and really affect quality of life post rugby. Would not surprise me if it is one that forces him to call it a day, but i do hope he makes a full recovery.

[Rugbygramps]

Marchant had been speaking to Sarries as he was pretty keen to go back to London, which was the same as Sam Spink who has now signed with Sarries. To be fair, Tom Whiteley commutes up from North London every day so it can be done if he is prepared to do so.

Complete aside - do many of the current Tigers players commute far for training or do most live locally?

Borthwick has never moved from Bath, Sinfield stayed around Oldham close to the Ford clan I heard. Mike Brown still keeps his home in London, and I’m sure I read that Wigglesworth continued to live in Cheshire even while at Sarries. Don’t think Watson has ever moved to Leicester

[Rugbygramps]

Yeah I don't see him going there now. I wonder if they had a choice between Spink and Marchant and went with Spink. Marchant makes sense if we are losing Porter. If Porter is staying it becomes harder to justify signing him. Perese, Porter and Marchant would be incredible depth but overkill!

Tbf when I read Marchant and Tigers I thought maybe Watson is leaving. He’s just as good on the wing as he is at 13. Forget how good under the highball he is.

Great point. I genuinely am concerned that Watson may need to retire. Back injuries are horrible and really affect quality of life post rugby. Would not surprise me if it is one that forces him to call it a day, but i do hope he makes a full recovery.

Unfortunately I agree about Watson which would be a big loss to the game. Marchant would be an excellent signing, he was very good at RWC, be another likely to be on England duty though

[watsonjm]

Marchant had been speaking to Sarries as he was pretty keen to go back to London, which was the same as Sam Spink who has now signed with Sarries. To be fair, Tom Whiteley commutes up from North London every day so it can be done if he is prepared to do so.

Complete aside - do many of the current Tigers players commute far for training or do most live locally?

Borthwick has never moved from Bath, Sinfield stayed around Oldham close to the Ford clan I heard. Mike Brown still keeps his home in London, and I’m sure I read that Wigglesworth continued to live in Cheshire even while at Sarries. Don’t think Watson has ever moved to Leicester

Fairly sure Borthwick and and family moved to the midlands when he was with us. Seem to remember him mentioning them settling into Schools etc well when he joined.

[GB72]

Yeah I don't see him going there now. I wonder if they had a choice between Spink and Marchant and went with Spink. Marchant makes sense if we are losing Porter. If Porter is staying it becomes harder to justify signing him. Perese, Porter and Marchant would be incredible depth but overkill!

Tbf when I read Marchant and Tigers I thought maybe Watson is leaving. He’s just as good on the wing as he is at 13. Forget how good under the highball he is.

Great point. I genuinely am concerned that Watson may need to retire. Back injuries are horrible and really affect quality of life post rugby. Would not surprise me if it is one that forces him to call it a day, but i do hope he makes a full recovery.

Sadly I agree, the last interview that I heard with him did not sound promising bearing in mind that he could not even sit down to do it. Like you, I really hope for a full recovery but fear that this may not be the case.

[westwinds31]

Any idea why or where he’s off to?

Bristol.

I heard and unsubstantiated rumour that Bristol are after Sam Edwards as well.

I've heard Edwards to Bristol as well. Cusick and Koroyoidi possibly to Ealing.

[LekkerTigers]

Bristol.

I heard and unsubstantiated rumour that Bristol are after Sam Edwards as well.

I've heard Edwards to Bristol as well. Cusick and Koroyoidi possibly to Ealing.

We need an 8/6. Why would we let Koroiyadi go?! Especially after we let Chester Owen go from the academy and he looked the more promising ball carrier.

[albany]

We need an 8/6. Why would we let Koroiyadi go?! Especially after we let Chester Owen go from the academy and he looked the more promising ball carrier.

We have Carnduff/Manz @6. We have Beets @8. I don't see where Koroiyadi fits anymore.

[LekkerTigers]

We need an 8/6. Why would we let Koroiyadi go?! Especially after we let Chester Owen go from the academy and he looked the more promising ball carrier.

We have Carnduff/Manz @6. We have Beets @8. I don't see where Koroiyadi fits anymore.

With Wiese off, Cracknell and Rogerson not really fulfilling what we need, there is definitely room in the squad for a promising number 8.

[Tiglon]

We need an 8/6. Why would we let Koroiyadi go?! Especially after we let Chester Owen go from the academy and he looked the more promising ball carrier.

We have Carnduff/Manz @6. We have Beets @8. I don't see where Koroiyadi fits anymore.

With Wiese off, Cracknell and Rogerson not really fulfilling what we need, there is definitely room in the squad for a promising number 8.

Perhaps he's not deemed to be good enough?

Not everyone who enters the Tigers academy is going to make it to Premiership standard.

Is Koroiyadi better than Cracknell or Rogerson? Clearly not.

[AViewFromLe2]

I'd like to keep Koroiyadi if possible, but if he's not good enough, he's not good enough. Can't keep everyone.

The stick Cracknell and Rogerson get on here is so overblown it is unreal.

Just to add, Chester Owen i believe suffered multiple concussions in a short space of time, which was a contributing factor to him leaving.

[Rugbygramps]

The stick Cracknell and Rogerson get on here is so overblown it is unreal.

This. Cracknell was one of our best players according to many v Leinster. Rogerson has never let the side down

[fentiger]

I'd sooner have Cracknell and Rogerson than a lot of previous players #nonamesnopackdrill

[trendylfj]

The stick Cracknell and Rogerson get on here is so overblown it is unreal.

This. Cracknell was one of our best players according to many v Leinster. Rogerson has never let the side down

Totally agree - Cracknell was one of our better players v Leinster - carried hard and made some very effective hits. I also like Rogerson and would be disappointed to see either of them leave

[Jimmy Skitz]

they are good players but if keeping them meant losing someone like Carnduff who has the potential to be better I think I'd lean towards letting them go, rather keep them though.

I wonder what's going to happen with Illione too, when he starts his doctor training he's going to be really busy and how that will affect his training and availability for us, at some point we may have to make a hard call with him