The Force have signed former junior All-Black Ben Castle to their ranks in an effort to bolster the franchise’s meagre propping stocks. Considering the Force were chasing the likes of Tim Fairbrother and the du Plessis brothers, this can only be seen as a fairly desperate attempt to cobble together some sort of front-row and a massive vote of no confidence in the existing props at the Force.
Castle, who only joined Toulon at the start of the current Northern season, was unable to secure a regular first team spot, even though the team is rocketing toward relegation to semi-pro league below them. He was released by Toulon in the same week the French side named Philippe Saint-Andre as their coach for next season.
Not the sort of form you are looking for in your ‘marquee signing’, indeed, the mere fact he is being touted as the Force’s marquee signing makes a complete mockery of the whole idea behind the initiative.
It is a wonder how John Mitchell managed to keep a straight face when he was quoted as saying “He will add experience and depth to our ranks. He’s a renowned strong scrummager and will have benefited from his season in France”. Astounding!!!
Maybe Mitch was keen to sign a fellow Kiwi so at least he would have someone to talk with considering the vast majority of the Force’s playing squad and staff seems inclined not to.
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I think you underrate him a fair bit Juan. I don’t know what you team you support but are the other Australian Super 14 teams’ tightheads any better than Castle?
Is Al Baxter better than Ben Castle? I wouldn’t bet on it.
Here’s another view from over at TWF. The source is a Waikato fan
“Ben Castle is the goods.
Ultra reliable, hes no Carl Hayman but he will easily be the best tighthead in Australia upon his arrival…..and he can play loosehead just as well.
He played some awesome ANZC rugby for the Bay and is only underated in NZ due to the quality of the other props we’ve had during his time.
Not only that, hes only 29. Thats at the start of the prime period for most props.
Hes also had the better of Tony Woodcock more than once, and thats no mean feat.
Good pick up for the Force”
Doesn’t explain the lay-up at Toulon, but maybe the Force have snagged themselves an unwanted bargain?
Two weeks before the season kicks off and they sign a player who couldn’t get a run in the Top 14 – which is a far lower standard than Super 14 – and was sacked mid-season by a club coming second last. He is then proclaimed as a marquee signing, doesn’t that sound a bit strange?
James, on recent form I would bet heaps on the fact that Baxter is better than Castle, one returned triumphant from Europe while the other has come back with his tail between his legs.
Fact is Juan that the Force have the weakest scrum if the Super 14. It isn’t even arguable. So how is it not a good thing for them to pick up a former prop (who I am certain Waikato would’ve retained if they could match Toulon’s $$$) from a team with a better scrum? It wouldn’t make huge difference but it might stop us from being obliterated some of the time. The fact that he comes in 2 weeks before the competition isn’t great but it’s sure as hell better than nothing.
Plus none of us actually know why he was dropped from Toulon. I am not naive enough to think that it isn’t likely related to a few bad games but it could be anything from being injured to Mourad wanting more French players and seeing that as an area he can do it.
Who wouldn’t want an improvement in their team’s weakest area?
Agreed James, he is better than the other props at the Force which is a separate issue to the point I was trying to make.
It’s not so much the Force have signed him – that’s their business – but calling him a marquee signing? With that title is the connotation the ARU has stepped in and sweetened up his deal, that is what I find mystifying particularly when last season the ARU wouldn’t come to the party and top up Rodzilla’s contract.
When I think marquee prop, the name Ben Castle doesn’t spring to mind, well, not until yesterday it didn’t
Fair enough.
I’m pretty sure the ARU has no involvement in the marquee signing process other than approving or disapproving of it. Pretty sure the main part is that there is no salary cap the club needs to pay. He’s pretty far from a marquee signing and certainly isn’t of the same calibre of Daniel Braid. Marquee is a bit of an funny term especially with the Tahs considering Anton van Zyl from the Lions and the Reds Ben Gollings from the UK.
I agree with the Cote. Castle is a journeyman who has never looked anything special. I think he came from Bay of Plenty and was a Chief for only a couple of years. He was never talked about as an All Black contender, that’s for sure….and I’d imagine he went overseas because he would’ve known that. As for comparisons with Le Fuse (Baxter)….can’t imagine Castle ever getting on top of Sheridan and his like. Surely he couldn’t be their Marquee signing!!! More like a humpy….
By the way JC…are you any relation to Mahatma?
when I read Force and Castle I thought of Tim Johnson’s RWC07 retreat.. me bad
Moses @ Beerandsport’s last blog post..What would Darrell Say?
I couldn’t help but put those two words in the same sentence, my other option was ‘Force get some much needed Firepower’ but thought that might have been too obvious