rossie wrote: I've been following the recruitment closely and 3 of the 4 teams that finished below Connacht last year have recruited a lot of players.dragons and Edinburgh coaching also . Cardiff have Rees and Jenkins coming into their front row but nothing else so far. Going by their forum though they have been promised more and expect the owners to deliver although time is running out. A lot of their fans are happy with the youth being promoted esp a centre called Corey Allen. Cardiff's new 4g pitch will be as good as a signing in itself though.
Of course connacht have recruited well also so the battle for 8th will be interesting. Up the table the scarlets have lost a lot of players so may drop back a bit. Could be the most competitive season yet

Agree with these points. Edinburgh and Dragons will be much tougher opponents. Dragons will be looking for HC place if qualification rules are unchanged. Cardiff and Scarlets both have money to spend (both looking for a no. 8 ) but are unlikely top have anyone in place before end of ITM and Currie cups. Sprays kitty is empty. All other teams seem to have completed their signings. Zebre will have greater depth but will miss Sinoti badly. I think Treviso will be "weaker" in that they will not improve as much as other teams. Same applies to Ulster and Munster and to a lesser extent Leinster. Interesting season ahead.

The one thing that surprises me about Zebre is that they haven't signed at least a few guys who could become Italain qualified. If I was Zebre I'd sign some up and coming Kiwi Out-half or centre and in 3 years he'd be raking in the senior caps. It would also increase the player pool for them. Strikes me as odd.

I've been following the recruitment closely and 3 of the 4 teams that finished below Connacht last year have recruited a lot of players.dragons and Edinburgh coaching also . Cardiff have Rees and Jenkins coming into their front row but nothing else so far. Going by their forum though they have been promised more and expect the owners to deliver although time is running out. A lot of their fans are happy with the youth being promoted esp a centre called Corey Allen. Cardiff's new 4g pitch will be as good as a signing in itself though.
Of course connacht have recruited well also so the battle for 8th will be interesting. Up the table the scarlets have lost a lot of players so may drop back a bit. Could be the most competitive season yet.
Its a pity that he qualification for 14/15 hasn't been sorted so that every teams knows what's required. At least the French and English know that.

I see Tom Farrell ended up staying at the Leinster Academy for this next season. must keep an eye out for him in the Celtic Cup games for Leinster.

rossie wrote: Zebre finally complete the Brendan Leonard signing.

Very good acquisition, will give them some quality at half-back and in decision making....

Zebre finally complete the Brendan Leonard signing.

Craic Head wrote:

sea_point wrote:

Craic Head wrote: Scottish rugby going down the route of casting their net far and wide for talent.

Nomore than ourselves, the lads mum is Scottish so it's not quite Grannygate of the 80's...

Thats true and it is a good thing to bring in home qualified players. The bigger the pool of talent availible the better.

For the Scots even more than ourselves, their adult playing pool is tiny by comparison. Only half of ours... :blink:

sea_point wrote:

Craic Head wrote: Scottish rugby going down the route of casting their net far and wide for talent.

Nomore than ourselves, the lads mum is Scottish so it's not quite Grannygate of the 80's...

Thats true and it is a good thing to bring in home qualified players. The bigger the pool of talent availible the better.

Craic Head wrote: Scottish rugby going down the route of casting their net far and wide for talent.

Nomore than ourselves, the lads mum is Scottish so it's not quite Grannygate of the 80's...

Scottish rugby going down the route of casting their net far and wide for talent.

Edinburgh sign Aussie twins Ben and Alex toolis. Both Scots qualified 2nd rows. Age 21, 6'7" and 115 kg.

It must be Edinburgh's week.
They announce the signing of waratahs duo Grayson hart at scrum half and Ollie Atkins 2nd row. Both Scottish qualified.

Edinburgh announce Omar mouneiemne as new defence, kicking and breakdown coach.asst head coach at southern kings in super15 just finished aparantly and former Italy defence coach.

Toby falateau has signed on for 2 more yrs at dragons announced by wru and Lynn jones did ask for wru assistance in negotiations so I wonder is there an unofficial change of policy at the wru towards their star players..

Additions/Corrections from original post. Changes in bold. Blues/Ospreys/Scarlets still shopping.

Cardiff:
In: 1. Gethin Jenkins (LH) from Toulon. 2. Matthew Rees (2) from Scarlets 3.Miles Normandale (lock) from Cardiff University RFC

Out: 1. Ceri Sweeney (OH) to Exeter Chiefs 2. Jamie Roberts to Racing Métro 3.Campese Ma'afu (prop) to Nottingham 4. Tom James (wing) to Exeter Chiefs 5. Richard Mustoe (Retired) 6. Michael Paterson (lock) to Sale Sharks. 7. Corry Hill to Cornish Pirates 8. Andy Kyriacou (2)(retires) 9. Jake Cooper-Wooley to Wasps 10. Jason Tovey (FB/OH) to Dragons 11. Nathan Trevett to London Welsh

Scarlets:
In: 1.Steven Shingler (utility back) from London Irish 2.John Barclay from Glasgow Warriors 3.Darran Harris (hooker) from Pontypridd 4.Jamie Davies (back row, wales 7’s) from Carmarthen Athletic 5. Josh Lewis from Ebbw Vale

Rumours: Climo Frazier (wing/OH) from Taranaki

Out: 1. Matthew Rees to Cardiff Blues 2. Owen Williams (OH) to Leicester 3. Andy Fenby (wing) to London Irish 4.George North (wing) to Northampton Saints 5. Dan Newton (OH) to London Scottish 6. Kieron Murphy (flanker) to Brive 7. Tavis Knoyle (SH) to Gloucester Rugby 8. Jonathon Edwards to Cardiff RFC
9.Peter Edwards (prop) to London Welsh 10. Dan Newton to London Scottish 11. Rheon James (centre) to Cornish Pirates 12. Rhys Jones released 13. Dale Ford (wing) released 14. Richie Pugh (back row) released 15. Tomas Vallejos Cinalli to Pampas XV

Dragons
New coach Lyn Jones
In 1.Richie Rees (SH) from Edinburgh 2. Kris Burton (OH) from Treviso 3.Jason Tovey (FB/OH) from Cardiff Blues 4. Netani Talei (back row age 30 21 caps for Fiji) from Edinburgh 5. Francisco Tetaz Chaparro (prop age 23 4 caps for Argentina) from Stade Français 6. T. Rhys Thomas (hooker) from Wasps 7. Ross Wardle (wing age 22) from Bedwas 8.Matthew Screech (lock age 20) from Cardiff RFC
Out 1. Dan Lydiate to Racing Métro 2. Tom Brown (no.2) to Jersey 3.Dan Watchurst (prop) retired 4. Tonderai Chavhanga (wing) released 5. Hywel Stoddart (flanker) released 6. Josh Tyler (lock) released 7. Jamie Smith released 8. Andy Tuilagi (centre) released

Ospreys:
In: 1. Tyler Ardron (lock) from Ontario Blues 2. Jeff Hassler (wing) from Prairie Wolf Pack 3.Tito Tebaldi (SH) from Zebre 4. Jamie Murphy (full back) from Bridgend 5. Mathew Dwyer from Bridgend 6. Sam Williams from Aberavon 7.Aisea Natoga (age 22 , wing/FB 5 caps FIJI) from Nadroga 8. Assistant Coach Chris Gibbes from Waikato

Out: 1. Kahn Fotuali'i (OH) to Northampton 2. Campbell Johnstone (prop) to Krasny Yar 3. George Stowers (backrow) to Tasman 4.Jonathan Thomas (backrow/lock) to Worcester 5. Cai Griffiths to London Welsh

Edinburgh
New Head Coach Alan Solomons from Southern Kings
In 1.Nikki Walker (wing age 31) from Worcester Warriors 2. Aleki Lutui (Tongan prop age 35) from Worcester Warriors 3. Alasdair Dickinson (prop) from Sale Sharks 4. Jack Cuthbert (fb/wing) from Bath
Rumours: Ollie Atkins (lock) from Waratahs – 1 cap, John Hardie (flanker) from Highlanders, Grayson Hart (SH) from Waratahs

Out 1. Richie Rees to Newport Gwent Dragons 2.Netani Talei to Newport Gwent Dragons 3. Sep Visser released 4. Mike Penn to Moseley RFC 5. Andy Titterrell to London Welsh 6. Allan Jacobsen retired 7. James King retired 8, Steve Turnbull retired

Glasgow
In: 1. Richie Vernon (backrow) from Sale Sharks 2. Kevin Bryce (hooker) from Heriots 3. Gabriel Ascarate (centre/FB) from Carcasonne 4. Tyrone Holmes, (Flanker) from Petrarca Italy. Previously 1 superXV cap with Stormers 5. Jerry Yanuyanutawa (prop) from London Irish

Out: 1. John Barclay (flanker) to Scarlets 2. Nick Campbell (lock) to Jersey 3. Ofa Fainga'anuku (prop) to Worcester Warriors 4. Taylor Paris (wing) to Agen 5. Rory Lamont retired

Treviso
In: 1. Joe Van Niekerk age 23 centre from Rovigo 2. Marco Barbini age 22 Flanker from Mogliano 3. Edoardo Padovani age 20 utility back from Mogliano 4. Denis Majstorovic age 24 utility back from Cavalieri Prato 5. Andrea Lovotti age 24 LH from Calvisano 6. Matteo Ferro age 20 lock from Rovigo 7. Jean-François Montauriol age 30 lock from Rovigo 8. Ornel Gega Age 22 prop from Petrarca Rugby 9. Mantvygas Tveraga age 26 lock from Petrarca Rugby 10. Tommasso Boni age 20 centre from Mogliani 11. Matt Berquist (OH) from Biarritz[/b]
Out: 1. Tommaso Iannone (wing/OH) to Zebre 2. Giulio Toniolatti (SH/wing) to Zebre 3. Tommaso Benvenuti (utility back) to Perpignan 4. Kris Burton (OH) to Newport Gwent Dragons 5. Jacobus Roux (prop)Released

Zebre
In: 1. Tommaso Iannone (wing/OH) from Treviso 2. Giulio Toniolatti (wing) from Treviso 3. Dario Chistolini (prop age 24) from Gloucester Rugby 4. ??Brendon Leonard (SH age 28 former all black) from Chiefs 5. Giulio Toniolatti (wing) fro Treviso 5. George Biagi (lock) from Bristol 6. Dion Berryman (FB) from Cavalieri Prato 7. Samuela Vunisa (Fijian back row-previously Taranaki)from Rugby Calvisano 8. Guglielmo Palazzani (SH) from Calvisano

Out: 1. Daniel Halangahu (centre) to Narbonne 2.Tito Tebaldi (SH) to Ospreys 3.Sinoti Sinoti to Wellington 4. Josh Sole to Bay of Plenty

Leinster
In 1.Mike McCarthy from Connacht 2. Jimmy Gopperth (OH) from Newcastle Falcons 3.Zane Kirchner (FB) from Bulls From academy: 4.Darren Hudson (wing) 5. Ben Marshall (lock) 6.Martin Moore (prop) 7.Jordi Murphy (flanker) 8.Jack O'Connell (prop) 9.Noel Reid (OH/centre)

Out: 1. Fionn Carr to Connacht 2.Tom Sexton to Melbourne Rebels 3. Jonathan Sexton to Racing Metro 4. Andrew Conway to Munster 5. Heinke van der Merwe to Stade Français 6. Isa Nacewa retiring 7. Jamie Hagan to London Irish 8. Damian Browne to Oyonnax 8. Mark Flanagan-to-Mont de Marsan

Munster
In: 1. Andrew Conway from Leinster From Academy: 2. Niall Scannell (hooker) 3. Duncan Casey (hooker) 4.James Cronin (prop) 5.Cian Bohane (centre) 6. Ronan O'Mahony (wing/FB) 7.Gerhard van der Heever (wing) from Stormers

Out: 1.Sean Henry to Connacht 2.Marcus Horan Retiring 3.Wian du Preez to Free State Cheetahs 4.Christy Condon released 5. Peter Stringer to Bath 6.Scott Deasy 7.Ronan O'Gara Retiring 8. Danny Barnes to Newcastle Falcons 9.Doug Howlett Retiring 10. Sean Scanlon to Rotherham 11. Brian Hayes (Lock) Aurillac. 12. James Rael (hooker) to Connacht

Ulster
In. 1.James McKinney (OH) from Rotherham R.U.F.C. 2. David McIlwaine (FB) from Bristol Rugby 3.Bronson Ross (TH) from Coventry R.F.C. Academy promotions not announced Stuart Olding a given

Out: 1.Niall O'Connor (OH) to Jersey R.F.C. 2.Nigel Brady (hooker) to Stade Aurillacois 3. Ali Birch to Rotherham

Alan Solomon's appointed head coach at Edinburgh