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

[Stephen18]

https://twitter.com/Saracens/status/176 ... FgElw&s=19

Saracens announce their 2nd Loosehead signing in a couple of days plus also announced Mawi a contract extension...

Surely that means West (and Vunipola) is up for grabs?

I would take West if we had the opportunity...

I'm massively sold on this if I'm honest. West, Whitcombe and Ellof would be a pretty solid trio of LH's with Van Der Flier and Miell in the background coming through.

Is West a premiership starter? I remember him when he was here and he was a great addition to the squad and did well when he played, but he was a back up to Cronin. I get there’s talk of adding more ball carriers throughout the pack rather than just a number 8, but if he’s not an out and out 1st choice and we need to bring in another starting loose head, I was hoping whitcombe would become the 2nd choice.

[AViewFromLe2]

https://twitter.com/Saracens/status/176 ... FgElw&s=19

Saracens announce their 2nd Loosehead signing in a couple of days plus also announced Mawi a contract extension...

Surely that means West (and Vunipola) is up for grabs?

I would take West if we had the opportunity...

I'm massively sold on this if I'm honest. West, Whitcombe and Ellof would be a pretty solid trio of LH's with Van Der Flier and Miell in the background coming through.

With potential replacements already announced by Saracens, it could also fall under the sort of announcement that could be made 'Soon'

Massively agree.

Possibly wildly off the mark but maybe Ellof, West and Perese are three names that would be new signings. Been linked with 2 in the media, West is more speculative but feels a realistic name to come in.

[AViewFromLe2]

https://twitter.com/Saracens/status/176 ... FgElw&s=19

Saracens announce their 2nd Loosehead signing in a couple of days plus also announced Mawi a contract extension...

Surely that means West (and Vunipola) is up for grabs?

I would take West if we had the opportunity...

I'm massively sold on this if I'm honest. West, Whitcombe and Ellof would be a pretty solid trio of LH's with Van Der Flier and Miell in the background coming through.

Is West a premiership starter? I remember him when he was here and he was a great addition to the squad and did well when he played, but he was a back up to Cronin. I get there’s talk of adding more ball carriers throughout the pack rather than just a number 8, but if he’s not an out and out 1st choice and we need to bring in another starting loose head, I was hoping whitcombe would become the 2nd choice.

Memory may be playing tricks on me, but i thought West started nearly all of his games with us. Cronin was injured for a fair chunk of it, but when he came back West still kept the shirt. Personally i'd be comfortable starting West in the league and Champions Cup.

[TigerFeetSteve]

I'm massively sold on this if I'm honest. West, Whitcombe and Ellof would be a pretty solid trio of LH's with Van Der Flier and Miell in the background coming through.

Is West a premiership starter? I remember him when he was here and he was a great addition to the squad and did well when he played, but he was a back up to Cronin. I get there’s talk of adding more ball carriers throughout the pack rather than just a number 8, but if he’s not an out and out 1st choice and we need to bring in another starting loose head, I was hoping whitcombe would become the 2nd choice.

Memory may be playing tricks on me, but i thought West started nearly all of his games with us. Cronin was injured for a fair chunk of it, but when he came back West still kept the shirt. Personally i'd be comfortable starting West in the league and Champions Cup.

Agreed, for me West was slightly ahead of Cronin last season by the end of the year. He was the season before Wasps first choice Loosehead and he had an international call up in 2021 (though wasn't capped).

I expect if he rejoined to be our primary starting Loosehead.

EDIT: based on All Rugby stats after he joined us, he started in all but 3 of our prem games (including the semifinal) one of those he didn't start was his debut, the other two were rounds 22 & 23 when we had qualified (or all but for the semifinals and were rotating players a bit)

[Stephen18]

I'm massively sold on this if I'm honest. West, Whitcombe and Ellof would be a pretty solid trio of LH's with Van Der Flier and Miell in the background coming through.

Is West a premiership starter? I remember him when he was here and he was a great addition to the squad and did well when he played, but he was a back up to Cronin. I get there’s talk of adding more ball carriers throughout the pack rather than just a number 8, but if he’s not an out and out 1st choice and we need to bring in another starting loose head, I was hoping whitcombe would become the 2nd choice.

Memory may be playing tricks on me, but i thought West started nearly all of his games with us. Cronin was injured for a fair chunk of it, but when he came back West still kept the shirt. Personally i'd be comfortable starting West in the league and Champions Cup.

You absolutely right I just had a quick look and he started 7 of his 11 games for us including the semi final which I hadn’t realised, I thought Cronin was out main prop last season.

[AViewFromLe2]

Is West a premiership starter? I remember him when he was here and he was a great addition to the squad and did well when he played, but he was a back up to Cronin. I get there’s talk of adding more ball carriers throughout the pack rather than just a number 8, but if he’s not an out and out 1st choice and we need to bring in another starting loose head, I was hoping whitcombe would become the 2nd choice.

Memory may be playing tricks on me, but i thought West started nearly all of his games with us. Cronin was injured for a fair chunk of it, but when he came back West still kept the shirt. Personally i'd be comfortable starting West in the league and Champions Cup.

You absolutely right I just had a quick look and he started 7 of his 11 games for us including the semi final which I hadn’t realised, I thought Cronin was out main prop last season.

Cronin did actually start the season as first choice, but breaking his arm at Clermont has done him no favours. Not really been the same player for me ever since.

[Rugbygramps]

West was very good for us but doesn’t seem to have kicked on at Sarries though I think he’d been injured. Very much speculation at the moment

[TigerFeetSteve]

West was very good for us but doesn’t seem to have kicked on at Sarries though I think he’d been injured. Very much speculation at the moment

Different clubs put different requirements out on their props.

West is also up against 2 international Looseheads there (he was rumoured to have signed to go there this season prior to his Tigers contract) at the time he was signed to cover Vunipola and Mawi being away. Different clubs put different emphasis on their props so not too concerned that his gametime has been a bit limited at Sarries.

[sk 88]

Some players don't settle in certain clubs for loads of reasons, see Charlie Atkinson for us. West's got a body of work to look at so I wouldn't over focus on just the most recent season at Saracens. You want a stable of props ideally & he'd be a fine option.

[sam16111986]

If Tom West was available for a return I'd take him back in a heartbeat. He seemed to fit in well here, is only 28 and won't be particularly expensive in prop terms. He certainly played well for us.

[Jimmy Skitz]

following on from the Rolling Maul boys becoming proper podcasters by interviewing Andrea Pinchen which was a great listen, Andy Goode has interviewed Dan McKeller on this weeks Rugby Pod, not gotten to it yet but Goode doesn't normally pull his punches so should be interesting.

[longlivethecrumbie]

following on from the Rolling Maul boys becoming proper podcasters by interviewing Andrea Pinchen which was a great listen, Andy Goode has interviewed Dan McKeller on this weeks Rugby Pod, not gotten to it yet but Goode doesn't normally pull his punches so should be interesting.

McKellar is also on the BBC Radio Leicester rugby show tonight

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

If Tom West was available for a return I'd take him back in a heartbeat. He seemed to fit in well here, is only 28 and won't be particularly expensive in prop terms. He certainly played well for us.

For me I think it's time to give Whitcombe a run as the starting LH.

[sam16111986]

If Tom West was available for a return I'd take him back in a heartbeat. He seemed to fit in well here, is only 28 and won't be particularly expensive in prop terms. He certainly played well for us.

For me I think it's time to give Whitcombe a run as the starting LH.

With van Wyk and Cronin. Both rumoured to be off we will be very short at loosehead. We aren't exactly well stocked at loosehead as it stands. If we could acquire one or both of Will Goodrick-Clarke and Tom West to provide competition for Whitcombe that would be good for the squad overall.

I think Whitcombe is a good player but with props you can't put all your eggs in one or even two baskets.

[Tiglon]

Tom West was very consistent for us, I'd be more than happy to have him back as 1st choice.

I do wonder if McKellar likes players with a more all round game though, hence the reappearance of Van Wyk after a while out in the cold, despite his scrummaging limitations.