Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Jan 26, 2022 5:50 pm  

CM Punk wrote:

Johnathan Ford has left Toulouse for "personal" reasons. Wonder who they'll find at this stage to replace him

I think it’s clearly a vaccine issue but wrapped up under personal reasons.

That’s a huge loss for them. Ok he was untested at SL level but he was their key play maker and also talisman.

It’s a real shame we won’t get to see him play in SL in my opinion.

As for who replaces him, they are going to have to pull a rabbit out of a hat big time. There have been so few playmakers on the market this last year that at this late stage I would say it will no almost impossible for them to get any quality in place for the start of the SL season.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Jan 26, 2022 6:08 pm  

It could turn in to a bit of a farce the Toulouse entrance to Superleague, with the exits not just being any old squad players but their leaders and playmakers. Promoted clubs are on a hiding to nothing anyway and this is going to leave it difficult for them to compete on any level.

I really hope they can sort some replacements and they can compete because I think it’s great to have them in the league and a season of getting battered could really hurt them long term.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Jan 26, 2022 8:51 pm  

I'm not against expansion, but personally, I can't see Toulouse being anything but a flop and I can't believe they ever got the greenlight to move into SL. Or at least under the current climate.

It's not hyperbole to say that the last two seasons have probably been the most difficult for clubs in living memory. Having to manage Cats and the different rules/regulations hampered the integrity of the comp (especially in 2020) & added extra unneeded headaches and costs. I'm a RU fan and trying to get teams over and into France for the European comp has been a mindfield this season. That's talking about games every few weeks and not every other week like we'll see in SL too. It doesn't take hindsight to have seen potential issues regarding international travel, or different approaches to vaccines either.

Add in the extra costs of another long trip for clubs and fans and it just seems like the wrong time.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Jan 26, 2022 9:15 pm  

sergeant pepper wrote:

I'm not against expansion, but personally, I can't see Toulouse being anything but a flop and I can't believe they ever got the greenlight to move into SL. Or at least under the current climate.

It's not hyperbole to say that the last two seasons have probably been the most difficult for clubs in living memory. Having to manage Cats and the different rules/regulations hampered the integrity of the comp (especially in 2020) & added extra unneeded headaches and costs. I'm a RU fan and trying to get teams over and into France for the European comp has been a mindfield this season. That's talking about games every few weeks and not every other week like we'll see in SL too. It doesn't take hindsight to have seen potential issues regarding international travel, or different approaches to vaccines either.

Add in the extra costs of another long trip for clubs and fans and it just seems like the wrong time.

I'm booked on the trip for Toulouse and I can't wait, hope they do well. Will slightly make up for the Toronto trip that unfortunately got cancelled.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Jan 26, 2022 9:24 pm  

MattyB wrote:

I'm booked on the trip for Toulouse and I can't wait, hope they do well. Will slightly make up for the Toronto trip that unfortunately got cancelled.

It's certainly not personal on my part and anti Toulouse or anything like that. Maybe I'm just being overly cautious, or not wanting to see things fall down that could have been avoided.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Jan 27, 2022 8:45 am  

Gutted about Toulouse. What was going to be a very difficult task now seems impossible.

They are a certainty to go down with Leigh or Fev replacing

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Jan 27, 2022 9:42 am  

NSW wrote:

Gutted about Toulouse. What was going to be a very difficult task now seems impossible.

They are a certainty to go down with Leigh or Fev replacing

While it isn't ideal for them to lose Ford so close to the season starting he was unproven at SL level and they do have Gigot and Albert to play in the halves, both of whom have played in SL already, in the case of Gigot to a good standard. Promoted teams are always up against it anyway and I think the impact of Ford leaving may be less than people expect. If they lose more from the squad it will hit them but I don't think Ford going will doom them on its own.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Jan 27, 2022 10:59 am  

I wonder if they'll take a punt on Ryan Hampshire, far too good of a player not to be playing at a pro club.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Jan 27, 2022 12:06 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

I wonder if they'll take a punt on Ryan Hampshire, far too good of a player not to be playing at a pro club.

Good shout that. Either that or maybe they will loan someone in

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Jan 27, 2022 12:26 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

I wonder if they'll take a punt on Ryan Hampshire, far too good of a player not to be playing at a pro club.

It would be the obvious choice however it is rumoured Rocky has an antivax stance which would also rule him out.

I think Giggot will be used at 6 short term.