Transfers & Rumours Non-Tigers 2022

[speedski]

Ted Hill signed to Bath on a long term deal....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/63380115

[Tigers86asw]

Excellent signing. Bath must have money to burn- How many Worcester players now? Hill and Lawrence are excellent pick ups.

Times reported that many of these player without clubs have been ‘exploited’ by being offered lower contracts. With clubs like Bath working up to the cap where will clubs get the money from? I know we have some players leaving mid season but it surely begs the question how they can afford it.

[Tigerbeat]

Wasps and Worcester players are being offered contracts at a fraction of what they were earning. Wages set to dive in contract negotiations.

[tigerburnie]

I can see current international players going to France or Japan earlier to top up their earnings, can't say as I would blame them, but the knock on effect for the home nations could be quite dramatic.

[sam16111986]

Excellent signing. Bath must have money to burn- How many Worcester players now? Hill and Lawrence are excellent pick ups.

Times reported that many of these player without clubs have been ‘exploited’ by being offered lower contracts. With clubs like Bath working up to the cap where will clubs get the money from? I know we have some players leaving mid season but it surely begs the question how they can afford it.

Bath have lots of injuries so are presumably using the injury dispensation to the limit. They are undergoing a big rebuild phase so adding EQ, young, physical and mobile options like Lawrence and Hill makes all the sense in the world. Bath have an SA number that's spent large portion of his time there injured, I imagine he'll not be renewed next summer and Hill shuffled into his cap space.

[FrontRowUnionMember]

I can see current international players going to France or Japan earlier to top up their earnings, can't say as I would blame them, but the knock on effect for the home nations could be quite dramatic.

I’m not sure how likely this is. Haven’t France added a limit to overseas players to protect their own domestic team?
I think it’s more likely we see less overseas players come across to the English game in future, which means the domestic game will need to focus on a developing academy players.
For example, for Van Wyk and Leatigaga, we develop Whitcombe, Hurd, Hoyt. Henderson and Chessum replace Snyman etc etc

As an aside, looking at how much space squads have to move, I looked at Bath’s first team squad, they actually have more players than us. Their website lists 80 players, albeit a mix of Senior and development all in once place. By contrast Tigers have 66, 45 senior players and 21 senior academy. For context, Saints 61, Quins 65 (41 & 24), Exeter 70, Gloucester 61 (37 & 24) , Sarries 61 (42 &19) , Bristol 72 (50 & 22)etc etc so it makes you wonder what value Bath have placed in going for more quantity and perhaps less quality.

[Jimmy Skitz]

Wasps and Worcester players are being offered contracts at a fraction of what they were earning. Wages set to dive in contract negotiations.

Well they would be, teams don’t have the cap space

[tigerburnie]

I can see less players coming into the game if the money tails off, better career prospects elsewhere? I had a workmate who was a Scottish International footballer back in the days when players received the average of a working mans wages, he won FA cup medals, the lot and ended up in a factory after his playing career was over, I don't see that ever happening again in soccer, so why do we expect rugby players to play for poor wages?

[johnthegriff]

Soccer players I knew that played 1960's to the turn of the century after their sports career was over became newsagents, post office managers or pub landlords. One became a prison officer and another went to work for British Gas (Centrica). For every Keegan or Lineker there were many that were lucky to retire mortgage free. The ones I mention were pre Premier League 1st Division players. Most rugby players are the equivalent of lower league soccer on salary expectation, they will earn more than the average worker but not necessarily more than a doctor, lawyer or accountant, maybe better than a teacher but not necessarily more than a headteacher.

[GB72]

I can see less players coming into the game if the money tails off, better career prospects elsewhere? I had a workmate who was a Scottish International footballer back in the days when players received the average of a working mans wages, he won FA cup medals, the lot and ended up in a factory after his playing career was over, I don't see that ever happening again in soccer, so why do we expect rugby players to play for poor wages?

Sadly it is one of the great conundrums that we have at the moment. Players deserve to be paid so much more for what they put themselves through and squads should be so much bigger to allow ample rest and rotation. Unfortunately, clubs can afford neither of these and the irony is that the more that players get paid, the smaller the squads get and the risk of long term damage or health issues for the players increases. Sadly, without more money in the game, the situation does not change.

[Scott1]

Geordie on the BaaBaas coaching team v Saints

[Smudge]

According to a report I saw yesterday, Itoji is earning £800,000 a year!
Are they taking the pi**?
The sanctions against them were pathetic and weighed against their tiny support, these salaries are going to screw
the game well and truly.

[Rugbygramps]

According to a report I saw yesterday, Itoji is earning £800,000 a year!
Are they taking the pi**?
The sanctions against them were pathetic and weighed against their tiny support, these salaries are going to screw
the game well and truly.

Isn’t he their Marquee player.

[longlivethecrumbie]

According to a report I saw yesterday, Itoji is earning £800,000 a year!
Are they taking the pi**?
The sanctions against them were pathetic and weighed against their tiny support, these salaries are going to screw
the game well and truly.

Isn’t he their Marquee player.

Take your pick between him and Farrell

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

For a bit of perspective, Itoje gets as much a year as Haaland & DeBruyne get a week at Man City.