LEICESTER TIGERS 2023/24 - Crocodile McKeller: Men at Work

[Pellsey]

Hanro signed for another 2 years...

Wished they had nailed down on 5 for Hanro.

Agreed (a dream...), but this is still for me the best news of the day! (So far...)

[Rugbygramps]

Hanro signed for another 2 years...

Wished they had nailed down on 5 for Hanro.

Agreed (a dream...), but this is still for me the best news of the day! (So far...)

Realistically he’ll be 30 by then maybe time to move back to South Africa, or a Japanese pay day. Just have to wait and see

[RunTigerRun]

So based off bits of chatter and the guys who have re-signed today I’m guessing the squad will look something like this for next season:

15 - Steward, Brown (+ Gourlay and Daniels)
14 - Watson, Simmons (+ Satala)
13 - Kelly, (New Signing? - Perese), Porter? (+ Cusick and Davies)
12 - Kata, Cokanasiga (+ Woodward and Myall)
11 - Hassell-Collins, Bassett (+ Kinder)
10 - Pollard, Shillcock, Wilkinson (+Meredith)
9 - JVP, Youngs, Whiteley (+ Edwards and Allan)
8 - (New signing? - an other Back row/8) Hatherell (+ Koroiyadi and Williams)
7 - Reffell, Cracknell? (+ Ilione, J Manz and Beddall)
6 - Liebenberg, Rogerson? (+ Carnduff and Perkins)
5 - O Chessum, Henderson (+ Thomas)
4 - Martin, Wells, Carter? (+ L Chessum, T Manz?)
3 - Cole, Heyes, Hurd, Richardson? (+ Hoyt, Crane? and Mountford)
2 - Montoya, Dolly?, Clare?, Theobald-Thomas (+ Vanes, Smith?, and Clarke)
1 - (New signing? - West?), Whitcombe, Cronin, (New Signing? - Eloff?), (+ Van der Flier, Miell)

Largely settled which I think is what the coaches are going for.

New centre/s, Prop/s and No.8/back row and think we’ll be largely there.

Maybe ok for next season if we can start to gel the attack together - then will be interesting when the likes of Pollard, Cole, Youngs, Brown etc come up for renewal the season after and how the squad looks with those guys in/out!

[FrontRowUnionMember]

I’d suspect one of Cracknell or Rogerson could be retained.
Not sure on Carter. I’d be inclined to let him go and give those minutes to L Chessum, but with us now having 3x international second rows it probably does leave us more stretched.
As for prop, with Cronin signing up to stay, I suspect it’ll be either West/WGC or Eloff to replace FVW, unless Eloff is seen as a replacement for Richardson as the prop that covers both sides, albeit that is just a guess, not sure if Richardson is under contract or not.
I also wouldn’t be surprised if Watson moves on, Kata/Porter to cover wing and that’s where the second centre comes in.
11. OHC, Bassett
12. Kelly, new 12, Woodward
13. Perese, Porter/Kata, Cusick
14. Porter/Kata, Simmons

[sk 88]

As a 2nd choice, Cronin is great...

But further limiting Whitcombe’s game time? Tricky one

TBH I think this is a classis one where the young player just has to be better. Cronin isn't a world beater & he's a clear target for Whitcombe to over take. If he'd going to be a test player then he needs to convince the coaches he's better than Cronin.

[Jimmy Skitz]

Hanro signed for another 2 years...

Wished they had nailed down on 5 for Hanro.

by the time that 2 years is up hopefully Finn Carnduff has supplanted him in the side

[TigerFeetSteve]

Are we expecting new signings to be announced today?

[sam16111986]

Are we expecting new signings to be announced today?

Would be good. A loosehead and number 8 incoming would be great.

[Pellsey]

Are we expecting new signings to be announced today?

Would be good. A loosehead and number 8 incoming would be great.

I wouldn't expect it today...

These are certainly the positions we need and at a high standard!

[Granby]

Are we expecting new signings to be announced today?

Would be good. A loosehead and number 8 incoming would be great.

I wouldn't expect it today...

These are certainly the positions we need and at a high standard!

It wont be today - Alldritt and Antonio will want to keep their focus on the game at the weekend.

[Rugbygramps]

Must admit to be being a bit twixt and between over loosehead. A number of posters have said they would like Whitcombe to be given a run which I agree with. If you then have Cronin Richardson and Van de Flier for premiership we are covered fairly well imo. At the end of the day 2 of the leagues best tight heads play for us.
8 for me Hatherall is a decent back up, not sure we needs both Rogerson and Cracknell with some of the youngsters coming through.
Depends what happens with Hanro, imo he lacks a bit of dynamism to play 8 offensively, therefore are we looking for a 6/8 who can interchange.

[Leicestertinytiger]

Next season we’ll have L.Chessum, Illione and Carnduff who will all want minutes on the pitch too. O.Chessum can cover 6, Hatherell 8,6,4,5 so think we can make some savings in the backrow perhaps with Rogerson and Cracknell. I’d rather we use the Wiese, Rogerson and Cracknell money to try and get a big player like CCS, Roos etc.

[Darc Tiger]

Cheeky try from Perese today

https://twitter.com/SuperRugby/status/1 ... 3vdeg&s=19

[sapajo]

Are we expecting new signings to be announced today?

That tends to assume there will be any new signings

[GB72]

Are we expecting new signings to be announced today?

That tends to assume there will be any new signings

I will say that I am not totally convinced about the statements saying we will spend up to the cap. There are so many things that our ability to do that must depend on that we just cannot ascertain. Season ticket sales at the new prices, the new TV deal, the player release deal from England etc. The most recent interview with Andrea sort of suggested that we have maxed out on other revenue sources and hence the high ticket prices and so I am just not sure, with all of the uncertainties mentioned, how we can be so confident that we can spend up to the cap. Just as an example (and this could simply be a choice as to the type of players we want) but when Ford left, we had Pollard signed within a few weeks (at least that is what it seems like), a star player was leaving, we announced another star to replace him. Now Jasper is leaving and it is rumoured that we may not replace etc. All very different.

As I said, time will tell and I very much hope to be proven wrong and will more than happily chow down on some humble pie if I am.