New Signings !!!! I am totally under whelmed

[sapajo]

Fact is Ben Teo is under contract and unaffordable,that said I am worried about our continuing failure to redress our long standing centre problems. We have lost Owen Williams,Jack Roberts and Betham all of whom played at centre last season. Admittedly we should have Manu and Toomua back for next season but if they get crocked we are yet again in trouble at centre.

[northerntiger]

Betham?

[sam16111986]

How long is Ben Teo under contract at Worcester for? Couldn't we tempt him away? With the amount of players leaving there must be some cash available.

I'm reasonably happy with the forwards now, but centre/fly half is a real concern in terms of strength in depth and our injury record.

Te'o is rumoured to be on £366k a season and has two more seasons to run. So we'd need to drop over a million to secure him for next season (by the time we've paid his current salary off and then paid him). Te'o is also 30 and had two concussion sit downs last season, not ideal for a big money move.

Forget about another flyhalf I doubt very much we're going to get another one. Ford, Toomua and Ford will be in the senior squad will be covered by Hardwick and Worth from the development squad.

[TheRock]

Definitely no more signings at fly half.

As pointed out above signings Teo would cost nearly as much Montpellier paid for Picamoles - upwards of £900,000. So in short no we don't have the money to tempt him away and even if we did it wouldn't be worth it.

Also there is a difference between Betham leaving and attempting to sign someone like Teo. Worcester are currently not looking to release Teo therefore anyone wanting to sign him would have to buy him out of two years remaining on his contract hence the high cost. In contrast Tigers/MOC were attempting to offload/ get rid of Betham meaning we received little or no release fee. As Azema said Clermont only moved for Betham when he became available due to Tigers wanting to offload him. The only extra cash that is available is the wages Betham would have been on.
This will be the same when we release a few more in the coming weeks in order to free up wages for incomers.
Most Tigers signings will be at the end of there contract or from clubs wanting to offload there players as we were with Betham.

[doublecarpet]

I'm genuinely interested as to why some think we don't have room in the cap. With the talent that has left and Ayerza in particular retiring, surely we haven't spent up or even that close to the cap on the replacements or new contracts to aged players like Tait, thus far whom bar Ford must be on less than those departing? If we have, something is wrong with our recruitment and salary offerings in my opinion!

[ellis9]

Betham?

What about him?

I'm genuinely interested as to why some think we don't have room in the cap. With the talent that has left and Ayerza in particular retiring, surely we haven't spent up or even that close to the cap on the replacements or new contracts to aged players like Tait, thus far whom bar Ford must be on less than those departing? If we have, something is wrong with our recruitment and salary offerings in my opinion!

Perhaps we are paying players the "going rate" and are almost up to the cap and other clubs who have higher paid players are actually over the cap but they are paying the wives and girlfriends big wages to be cleaners/cooks etc meaning the players are actually on low wages but pick the rest of their wages up from their partner. No, they wouldn't do that would they?!

[sam16111986]

Betham?

What about him?

I'm genuinely interested as to why some think we don't have room in the cap. With the talent that has left and Ayerza in particular retiring, surely we haven't spent up or even that close to the cap on the replacements or new contracts to aged players like Tait, thus far whom bar Ford must be on less than those departing? If we have, something is wrong with our recruitment and salary offerings in my opinion!

Perhaps we are paying players the "going rate" and are almost up to the cap and other clubs who have higher paid players are actually over the cap but they are paying the wives and girlfriends big wages to be cleaners/cooks etc meaning the players are actually on low wages but pick the rest of their wages up from their partner. No, they wouldn't do that would they?!

I suspect we have funds to spend. Probably not massive funds but I'd expect three to four more signings some of which may well be development level signings but at least one centre, hopefully one of substantial size as Hardwick and Worth can both do the playmaker role at 12 but outside of Manu and Smith we don't have anyone to carry hard and direct in the midfield.

I'm going MOC's Tonga connections will come in useful. Also his Super 15 knowledge as there seems to be a log jam of talent in New Zealand that we may be able to take advantage of, Canterbury and the Canes seem to find great talents that seemlessly replace their big name internationals.

[doublecarpet]

Betham?

What about him?

I'm genuinely interested as to why some think we don't have room in the cap. With the talent that has left and Ayerza in particular retiring, surely we haven't spent up or even that close to the cap on the replacements or new contracts to aged players like Tait, thus far whom bar Ford must be on less than those departing? If we have, something is wrong with our recruitment and salary offerings in my opinion!

Perhaps we are paying players the "going rate" and are almost up to the cap and other clubs who have higher paid players are actually over the cap but they are paying the wives and girlfriends big wages to be cleaners/cooks etc meaning the players are actually on low wages but pick the rest of their wages up from their partner. No, they wouldn't do that would they?!

Indeed, but surely what we've lost from the cap this season hasn't been replaced by Gloucester third choice 8, Leinster 4th or 5th choice back row, two Championship players and George Ford in monetary terms.Plus apparently there was already space in it for an 8 last year, or that was certainly alluded to by Cockers. Also surely we haven't give Tait the same contract? It's a genuine question regarding cap space, I just can't see, if managed correctly, how we can be near it if we weren't over it last season.

[Clowbeck]

It's a little premature to assess closed season personnel changes where the new season is still 2 months away. I'm hopeful that as a result of MOC joining us so late in the season, the recruitment of new talent is late to start but activity is well underway. Important MOC can upgrade quality for those players we have already released before we progress to far into pre-season.

[WiggoTiger]

Betham?

Left the club.....Gutted

[northerntiger]

Thanks, I completely missed that

[JackFlashJonny]

I bet you were also underwhelmed when we signed Telusa Veainu?!

Look how good he is!

No because I for one watch other rugby and saw him in the Rugby world cup

[Iain]

There is no way that they will be the only signings.

JFord and Holmes seem like they add good depth.

Dominic Ryan seems a good find.

Sione Kalamafoni is a good ball carrying 8, which I've been reliably told all season is what we need.

So far so good. More signings to come.

[tigerburnie]

Dominic Ryan is a highly thought of back row player who has played for Leinster and Emerging Ireland at 7, though they think he'd be a better 6/8. A beast in defence and one of their biggest hitters in the tackle, they just happen to have a wealth of players available and he'll get more game time with us. A strong carrier who some likened to a Lewis Moody type of player and a good lineout option, me I'm impressed and looking forward to seeing him and the others in a Tigers shirt. He came on a lot under MOC and their fans wish him a lot of success with us(as long as it's not against them).

[Latecomer]

I think the lack of big signings and the number of players re-signed indicates how good the hierarchy at Tigers think the current squad is and I tend to agree with them providing we can keep them fit. The only caveat is fly half where I'm not convinced Joe is enough while George is away with England, but then there is Matt Toomua once fit.