From the Touchlines: Transfer gossip
Stade Francais are insisting Leicester provide a player plus cash deal for playmaker Juan Martin Hernandez.
The Argentinian, who starred at the World Cup, looks a certainty to join the Tigers next season but Stade want either prop Martin Castrogiovanni or wing Tom Varndell plus a sizeable fee for any deal to go ahead.
The signs are that Hernandez has already agreed to sign, with fly-half Andy Goode on the verge of quitting the club and joining French side Brive for next season despite having a year left on his current contract.
Saracens are the other Premiership side making big moves in the transfer market this week, with the Londoners linked to Australia scrum-half Matt Henjak and Fiji full-back Iliese Keresoni.
However, Gloucester's audacious bid to sign Ireland lock Donncha O'Callaghan looks to have faltered with the Munster star looking to agree a new deal to stay in Ireland next season.
Do you have any transfer gossip of your own? If so we want to hear it or else let us know which players your club should sign over the summer...
Not heard of most of these players and I call myself a rugby fan
Posted by: IAIN | 02 April 2008 at 16:14
Sorry Doug but comparing Andy Goode to Hernandez is like comparing Francis Benali to Matt Le Tissier. Hernandez was the player of the World Cup, absolute unadulterated world class. The sooner he's in the Premiership the better. I wouldn't feel too sorry for Goode. He'll get to learn French, earn some big bucks and eat enough French food to get even fatter!
Posted by: IAIN | 02 April 2008 at 15:37
Rugby players in pink shirts? I'VE NOW SEEN IT ALL!!!!!
Posted by: Rory Crampton | 02 April 2008 at 12:37
Read at the weekend it's going up but that teams are planning on cutting down their squads next season because the A league looks set to be axed.
That'll mean bigger names on bigger salaries in smaller squads.
Should make things exciting although possibly at the expense of young talent coming up through the ranks.
We'll have to wait to see.
Posted by: Sean | 02 April 2008 at 11:20
Anyone know if the wage cap is different for next season. Never quite understand how clubs afford all these players. Do they really keep within the wage cap or are there loopholes?
Posted by: JonnyFan | 02 April 2008 at 10:20
I'm a Tigers fan and been watching them week in, week out this season and Andy Goode's been absolutely superb. To my mind, I can't think of a time he put a foot wrong all campaign, well so far anyway.
So why they feel they have to splash the cash for Hernandez I just don't know. It's harsh on Goode who's showed great loyalty to the club, worked his socks of all season and probably got little praise for it.
I hope he gets a big pay-out when he goes to Brive. He certainly deserves it and he'll be sorely missed by me at least.
Posted by: Doug | 01 April 2008 at 19:13
sarries ought to be awesome next season. they've got eddie jones in charge, the real mastermind of south africa's world cup win, and some cracking players even before he has a fiddle in the transfer market. they might finally do something then!
Posted by: Jimmy Stevens | 01 April 2008 at 17:52
The only side I can really make any real signings at the moment are Northampton after winning promotion to the Premiership.
They look a formidable team for next season.
Reckon they're worth a punt.
Posted by: Ellie | 01 April 2008 at 15:05
Can't see the sense in Stade swapping their playmaker for a prop, the fools!!!!!
Posted by: James Standley | 01 April 2008 at 12:52
I read here last week that Nicky Evans was going to sign for Quins this summer but I've been hearing reports that the club's big summer signing is going to be James Alridge. Never heard of him? Me neither! He's Japan's second-choice fly-half but, come to think of it, doesn't sound massively Japanese...!?!
Posted by: Twicko | 01 April 2008 at 10:44