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Re: Squad 19/20

PostPosted: Sun Feb 10, 2019 2:58 pm
by New Gunner
Wottie wrote:See Vellacott has made the move from from Glaws to Wasps. Don't think he was ever really spoken about as an option for us and seems to be sticking with trying to break into the England squad. Would have been a good option alongside a two year deal to keep Henry at ER. Joe Simpson going the other way as part of the deal.


Interesting to see Vellacott’s tweet pointedly thanking Gloucester who gave him a pro contract when no one else would...

In any case, looks like we may be sorted for next season as reports suggest Nic Groom (Lions, former Northampton) scrum half is joining Edinburgh next season. Pyrgos, Groom, Shiel...

Re: Squad 19/20

PostPosted: Sun Feb 10, 2019 5:27 pm
by BigD163
New Gunner wrote:
Wottie wrote:See Vellacott has made the move from from Glaws to Wasps. Don't think he was ever really spoken about as an option for us and seems to be sticking with trying to break into the England squad. Would have been a good option alongside a two year deal to keep Henry at ER. Joe Simpson going the other way as part of the deal.


Interesting to see Vellacott’s tweet pointedly thanking Gloucester who gave him a pro contract when no one else would...

In any case, looks like we may be sorted for next season as reports suggest Nic Groom (Lions, former Northampton) scrum half is joining Edinburgh next season. Pyrgos, Groom, Shiel...


He's said before. Weeg only offered an academy deal.

Re: Squad 19/20

PostPosted: Mon Feb 11, 2019 11:52 am
by Wottie
New Gunner wrote:Interesting to see Vellacott’s tweet pointedly thanking Gloucester who gave him a pro contract when no one else would...

In any case, looks like we may be sorted for next season as reports suggest Nic Groom (Lions, former Northampton) scrum half is joining Edinburgh next season. Pyrgos, Groom, Shiel...


Not sure I have ever seen Nic Groom play, but an experienced non SQ scrum half would be a great addition to the squad given the amount of games impacted by International windows (and the RWC) these days. YouTube session required!!

Re: Squad 19/20

PostPosted: Mon Feb 11, 2019 12:08 pm
by The Feral Goat
Wottie wrote:
New Gunner wrote:Interesting to see Vellacott’s tweet pointedly thanking Gloucester who gave him a pro contract when no one else would...

In any case, looks like we may be sorted for next season as reports suggest Nic Groom (Lions, former Northampton) scrum half is joining Edinburgh next season. Pyrgos, Groom, Shiel...


Not sure I have ever seen Nic Groom play, but an experienced non SQ scrum half would be a great addition to the squad given the amount of games impacted by International windows (and the RWC) these days. YouTube session required!!


Was he not linked to us earlier in the season or maybe last season before moving back to SA?

EDIT: saw him a few times for Saints solid player certainly think he would be an upgrade on Fowles/Kennedy

Re: Squad 19/20

PostPosted: Mon Feb 11, 2019 6:16 pm
by dolf_lundgren
Not seen him, but to be fair being an upgrade on Fowles and Kennedy woudl not be hard on the evidence of the past couple of seasons. Hugely disapointing.

Re: Squad 19/20

PostPosted: Mon Feb 11, 2019 10:23 pm
by New Gunner
The Feral Goat wrote:
Wottie wrote:
New Gunner wrote:Interesting to see Vellacott’s tweet pointedly thanking Gloucester who gave him a pro contract when no one else would...

In any case, looks like we may be sorted for next season as reports suggest Nic Groom (Lions, former Northampton) scrum half is joining Edinburgh next season. Pyrgos, Groom, Shiel...


Not sure I have ever seen Nic Groom play, but an experienced non SQ scrum half would be a great addition to the squad given the amount of games impacted by International windows (and the RWC) these days. YouTube session required!!


Was he not linked to us earlier in the season or maybe last season before moving back to SA?

EDIT: saw him a few times for Saints solid player certainly think he would be an upgrade on Fowles/Kennedy


Yes he was, at the same time we were linked with Augustin Pulu, before Cockers went fishing for Pyrgos...

Re: Squad 19/20

PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 12:30 pm
by The Feral Goat
Been a bit quiet on the re-signing front I think 16 remain OOC at present (plus asst forward coach and MD to fill)

Signings/departures announced

Graham - Signed
Sutherland - Signed
McCallum - Signed
McKenzie - Signed
Gilchrist – Signed
Dell – Leaving London Irish

OOC backs:
Brown
Hoyland
Taylor
Baggott
Pyrgos
Kennedy
Fowles

OOC forwards:
Ford
Cherry
Fenton
Berghan
Ceccarelli
Hunter-Hill
Watson
Hamilton
Miller – Contracted to 7s this year

Backs
- Reported to have offered Chris Harris a deal but he is staying at Newcastle assume perhaps looking for a similar experienced 13/wing.
- If Nic Groom is coming in as rumoured I think both Fowles and Kennedy will be off, hope that is the case rather than Groom being seen as a replacement for Pyrgos!
- At start of the season I thought Hoyland would probably earn a new deal but injury has meant he has not played so maybe struggling although we are still light in the back 3?
- Taylor I would imagine earns a new deal
- Baggott – possibly stays as emergency cover
- Brown – not been used much, think he may be struggling to get a new deal, although as with Hoyland we are light in the back 3 it is perhaps one of Hoyland or Brown


Forwards
Would expect Cherry to get a new deal and given link to Kings hooker I imagine only one of Fenton and Ford gets a deal with Fenton the more likely.
Berghan – would not really want to lose him but maybe need to free up salary to strengthen other areas
Ceccarelli – Good solid squad player but it is perhaps dependent on Berghans future
CHH – Surely done enough to earn a new deal
Watson - believed to be staying (expect announcement in run up to QF maybe?)
Hamilton – Not sure, he has played well mostly when given a chance and has been important to us given the injuries but maybe a luxury
Miller – Wonder if he has done enough to get back into the ER squad certainly taken his chance when given the opportunity, him returning may see Hamilton move on

Re: Squad 19/20

PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 3:31 pm
by joe soap
BigD163 wrote:
He's said before. Weeg only offered an academy deal.


I think you mean the SRU offered an academy deal with them. Which begs the question WTF there and not Edinburgh?

Not convinced he is all that anyway

Re: Squad 19/20

PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 4:07 pm
by BigD163
joe soap wrote:
BigD163 wrote:
He's said before. Weeg only offered an academy deal.


I think you mean the SRU offered an academy deal with them. Which begs the question WTF there and not Edinburgh?

Not convinced he is all that anyway


Weather he is all that, or it was the SRU or Glasgow, both he and Townsend have said he was up at Glasgow for signing talks with Glasgow and Vellacott has said in an interview it was an academy deal he was offered. That may have been a decision made by the SRU to push him that way or after Glasgow spoke with Scott Johnson. Either way, he wasn't offered a pro deal which likely is what will be required to bring the likes of a Redpath or a Dingwall north (although the ship has sailed with those guys).

Scrum half is a position that needs to be recruited better moving on from Fowles and Kennedy.

Re: Squad 19/20

PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 7:19 pm
by Wottie
Good summary TFG. Not going to comment on those that may not get a new deal but if we are to get to where we need to be as a team, there is no way we should be contemplating losing Berghan. With a game plan built around a dominant pack we need two quality tightheads (great if they are SQ'd), and we have them. Hamilton has been far from a luxury, he has been absolutely essential for us this season. I would definitely keep him. Furthermore, I would expect the squad to be flexed up a bit with a few more one year deals generally, but specifically in the back row, to cover the RWC season.

Re: Squad 19/20

PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 4:42 pm
by Weegie
The Feral Goat wrote:Miller – Wonder if he has done enough to get back into the ER squad certainly taken his chance when given the opportunity, him returning may see Hamilton move on


I liked Miller in the U20s as a player, and he happens to be a chum of one of my sons.

He grabbed his chance with both hands in the first match he played, but in too many matches this season he has been swanning around in the backs, and not spending enough time imho doing the grunt work expected of a forward. The try where he carried and gave a perfect pass to Shiel (then onto Fenton to score) showed what he can do on attack, but I felt he drifted out of games too much over the piece.

Hope I am wrong though.

Re: Squad 19/20

PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 5:28 pm
by joe soap
BigD163 wrote:
joe soap wrote:
BigD163 wrote:
He's said before. Weeg only offered an academy deal.


I think you mean the SRU offered an academy deal with them. Which begs the question WTF there and not Edinburgh?

Not convinced he is all that anyway


Weather he is all that, or it was the SRU or Glasgow, both he and Townsend have said he was up at Glasgow for signing talks with Glasgow and Vellacott has said in an interview it was an academy deal he was offered. That may have been a decision made by the SRU to push him that way or after Glasgow spoke with Scott Johnson. Either way, he wasn't offered a pro deal which likely is what will be required to bring the likes of a Redpath or a Dingwall north (although the ship has sailed with those guys).

Scrum half is a position that needs to be recruited better moving on from Fowles and Kennedy.


Glasgow had Pyrgos, Price and Horne (might still have been academy then). Compared to Edinburgh no real need of a 9. Edinburgh on the other hand had SHC and the same 2 as now. If he was to be offered a full contract then, should have been Edinburgh.

So either he wasn't that good or was an SRU/Edinburgh WayneBarnes up

Re: Squad 19/20

PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 5:59 pm
by Friday Knight Lights
Great summary TFG.

It's worth considering the academy guys too:

Stage three (full-time) players: Jack Blain (Heriot's), Connor Boyle (Watsonians), Rufus McLean (Watsonians) Shaun Gunn (Edinburgh Accies), Dan Winning (Boroughmuir), Duncan Ferguson (Watsonians), Ross Dunbar (Boroughmuir), Callum Atkinson (Boroughmuir), Cameron Hutchison (Stade Nicoise), Hamish Bain (Stade Nicoise).

Dunbar, Bain, Hutchison, Atkinson, Hodgson, Winning, Gunn must be a bit now or never.

Re: Squad 19/20

PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 6:05 pm
by dolf_lundgren
Hodgson and Atkinson probably showed enough to make them worth a year at least. Given it is quite likley that both Gilcho and Toolis will be away for the RWC, we will need more cover in the second row.

Blain I havent seen but seems to get good report.

I really dont know enough about the others to be honest. We really could do with unearthing some young midfield backs, it has been a weak point for a long time.

Re: Squad 19/20

PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 6:32 pm
by The Chiel
Weegie wrote:
I liked Miller in the U20s as a player, and he happens to be a chum of one of my sons.

He grabbed his chance with both hands in the first match he played, but in too many matches this season he has been swanning around in the backs, and not spending enough time imho doing the grunt work expected of a forward. The try where he carried and gave a perfect pass to Shiel (then onto Fenton to score) showed what he can do on attack, but I felt he drifted out of games too much over the piece.

Hope I am wrong though.


I suspect the 7s definitely, and also LS probably, account for some of that. Running rugby and a bit of a lack of grunt are a consistent feature at the RAG. However he has good skills and his pace at the 7s surprised me ( but tbf not others on this Forum ). He can learn quickly.

I also doubt anyone will get away with not putting in the grunt under Cockers ( for long :) ).