Neil Fissler @neilfissler 1h
Wasps have signed Australian superstar Kurtley Beale on a two year contract worth £1.5m. A real statement of intent signing.
#rugbyunited
Plenty on here would be glad to see the back of KB (Kurtley Beale), based on the tone of their posts from The Beale/Patston "incident" Thread.
I'm baffled as to what the ARU are spending their new broadcast right windfall on.
Folau and Foley are on fools-gold flexi contracts. To'omua, Quade, Harris and now Kurtley will all be overseas. We've lost the countries 2 best THP's in Kepu and Holmes; but the ARU did re-sign 3 LHP's in Slipper, Sio and Alaatoa.
They don't offer Gill a top-up but then the following week It's leaked that Pocock probably won't be in the country in 2017 either. Luke Jones is gone as well, but that's ok because the ARU helped in bringing Mumm home :/
In struggling to understand how the ARU are managing their negotiations and identifying which players need retention.
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The ARU can't win, "if" the numbers are right and Beale will get $1,432,327 AUD per year then to get close to matching that would lead to just as many complaints of Tahs bias in paying that much for a test bench option
Flexi contracts are a compromise to keep players
The reality is the only players I have major concerns over them leaving are\were To'omua, Kepu and Holmes (and To'omua appears to be more about relationships than $$$)
Quade? watched the highlights of the 7s, best of luck in France, Foley, Lilo & Debracini look far better options
Gill? 3rd choice 7s don't get offered big contracts
Jones, best of luck, but he ain't a test lock, solid S15 unit, so as concerned about his leaving as much as I am Dave Dennis.
Pocock? If he leaves for the reasons stated, money and the ARU isn't the issue
Mumm? wanted to come back, when some of these do the same, if they do, then the ARU will provide the support.
Plenty on here would be glad to see the back of KB (Kurtley Beale), based on the tone of their posts from The Beale/Patston "incident" Thread.
How are our halfback stocks?
Nic White. Gone
Will Genia.. Gone
2 of our franchises have foreign halfbacks who are ineligible for the Wallabies, which leaves Stirzaker, Frisby and Phipps. So the Wallabies are one injury away from having two halfbacks on debut for the rugby championship. Even then Frisby is playing like shit and Stirzaker is yet to play in 2016.
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The cupboard looks a bit bare right now, but it'll quickly fill up.
I'm honestly really excited to see how this year plays out in terms of the national squad. A lot of the younger guys are likely to cut their teeth in the June Test Series and then some of the big players from overseas will join the squad for the Rugby Championship.
It's actually a great model for us moving forward. It really allows you to build a bit of depth in the June Test Series, where previously you would have simply played your most experienced.
If Genia was still in the country, I doubt Stirzacker would get a run in the June Test Series. With Cooper gone someone like JD is more likely to join the squad. No Kepu means an up and coming THP gets to cut his teeth, etc. This creates opportunities to create depth that might not have otherwise existed.
Come Rugby Championship time, Cheika will presumably bolster our squad with the likes of Kepu, Genia, Giteau, etc. We saw at the world cup the positive influence it has on a squad to bring in experience from outside the squad to help young players mature and create serious competition for spots. I love it.
Kepu and Giteau won't play in the Rugby Championship, Cheika has already said that due to the long season they have had rolling from the RWC to European Rugby with little break.