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#Post#: 147368--------------------------------------------------
Re: Realistic transfer targets
DIR By: Quinston Churchill
Date: January 5, 2026, 3:37 pm
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No idea on who is potentially available, but as @Kent Quin
already said, I think we need to prioritise hooker, 12 and
tighthead.
Menoncello would have been a dream signing but he’s recently
signed for Toulouse (or Toulon?). Butt is a realistic target but
more of a squad player than a starter. He’d be an alternative to
Waghorn but I’m not sure how much better he’d actually be? I
rate Stafford McDowall and he could be an interesting choice but
I’m not sure why anyone would swap a starting spot for Glasgow
Warriors for us right now?
Hooker and tighthead, I honestly have no idea. I quite like Dan
Frost but I don’t think he’s enough of an upgrade on who we have
right now and there’s probably a reason he hasn’t nailed down a
starting spot anywhere else. Staples is very highly rated so I
don’t mind the idea of someone slightly older to hold the
fort/help him achieve his potential. A couple of gnarly,
no-nonsense South Africans would probably be what we need. Not
sure who though?
--- Quote from: Rugbycat link ---
>
> I would look at some of the foreign D2 players like,
>
> Ioane Iashagashvili (Mont-de-Marsan), really good number 8,
big carrier.
>
> Rudi Brown (Vannes) flanker
>
> Ofa Manuofetoa (Aurillac) inside centre
>
> Mayco Vivas (Oyonnax) prop
>
> Danny Toala (Oyonnax) centre
>
--- End Quote ---
I can’t say I know any of these but foreign players in D2 sounds
like a much more realistic option.
#Post#: 147373--------------------------------------------------
Re: Realistic transfer targets
DIR By: euroquin
Date: January 5, 2026, 4:10 pm
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Laurie in his podcast interview seemed to suggest that we needed
to bolster the pack, hinting at the front 5 in particular.
#Post#: 147379--------------------------------------------------
Re: Realistic transfer targets
DIR By: AAjnr
Date: January 5, 2026, 5:40 pm
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--- Quote from: euroquin link ---
>
> Laurie in his podcast interview seemed to suggest that we
needed to bolster the pack, hinting at the front 5 in
particular.
>
--- End Quote ---
Good to hear. More go forward from our non-Baxter front five is
a non-negotiable for getting the attack going.
#Post#: 147383--------------------------------------------------
Re: Realistic transfer targets
DIR By: Quinky
Date: January 6, 2026, 1:15 am
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I think Hobson has shown he's a more than capable replacement
for Baxter, plus we have an Argentinian international.
At hooker, I wonder if Bongi Mbonambi may be the type of player
we need. Ticks all of the boxes mentioned, and probably won't be
a Bik for the next RWC. The type of player who would value and
warrant a decent payday.
It's all well and good looking at bringing players in, but
here's the conundrum: when they're all fit and firing, who do
you rest and how do you give them game time? Not for the first
time, one if our biggest issues right now is the extensive
injury list IMO.
#Post#: 147385--------------------------------------------------
Re: Realistic transfer targets
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: January 6, 2026, 1:37 am
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I imagine the Quins Inbox is bursting with Highlight Reels of
players wanting the next step up.
#Post#: 147389--------------------------------------------------
Re: Realistic transfer targets
DIR By: MaidstoneQuin
Date: January 6, 2026, 2:05 am
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I think the front 5 is a good platform to build on. Backrow we
are fine. With our forwards being soft and rarely getting over
the gain line its not surprising our back play has fallen off.
Walker would be the sacrificial lamb for me, he's long been the
first choice but never really "felt it"with him in say the way I
did with Baldwin etc. Turner I think is a good operator and for
me should be a bench option behind someone brought in as a
starter, but right now I'd start him. Riley has dropped off a
cliff face for one reason or the other and would be happy to
still retain him as third choice.
to free up some prop cash I'd probably call it a day on Titi and
Williams. Maybe Sinkler could be tempted back ahead of RWC? I
think it would be worth it. Streeter is coming through, although
Kerrod and Els are also done, so realistically could need to
recruit 2/3 in "propped up" by the academy, but I think its a
route worth taking to help with a re-set.
#Post#: 147400--------------------------------------------------
Re: Realistic transfer targets
DIR By: Quinspur
Date: January 6, 2026, 3:24 am
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Marnus van der Merwe from Scarlets would be a great signing if
he hasn’t definitely signed up for Munster. We’ve been lacking
a top rated hooker for years.
#Post#: 147403--------------------------------------------------
Re: Realistic transfer targets
DIR By: Quinston Churchill
Date: January 6, 2026, 4:09 am
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Agreed. Taking the best players from the Welsh clubs would be a
good option. I’m not necessarily talking about Welsh players
here - Marnus vdM is a good example.
Actually - scratch that, I just looked at their squads and they
are considerably worse than ours. Some of the players I thought
of are much older than I thought (Sam Lousi) for example.
#Post#: 147423--------------------------------------------------
Re: Realistic transfer targets
DIR By: KentQuin
Date: January 6, 2026, 10:28 am
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--- Quote from: MaidstoneQuin link ---
>
> I think the front 5 is a good platform to build on. Backrow we
are fine. With our forwards being soft and rarely getting over
the gain line its not surprising our back play has fallen off.
>
> Walker would be the sacrificial lamb for me, he's long been
the first choice but never really "felt it"with him in say the
way I did with Baldwin etc. Turner I think is a good operator
and for me should be a bench option behind someone brought in as
a starter, but right now I'd start him. Riley has dropped off a
cliff face for one reason or the other and would be happy to
still retain him as third choice.
>
> to free up some prop cash I'd probably call it a day on Titi
and Williams. Maybe Sinkler could be tempted back ahead of RWC?
I think it would be worth it. Streeter is coming through,
although Kerrod and Els are also done, so realistically could
need to recruit 2/3 in "propped up" by the academy, but I think
its a route worth taking to help with a re-set.
>
--- End Quote ---
Baldwin was ace. As well as the basics he was an absolute menace
at the breakdown, which really suited our style at the time of
thriving off turnover ball.
I want to see Delgado and Wenger getting more minutes. It's
difficult to accurately judge our prop roster for next season
otherwise. Delgado has looked good during his cameos,
particularly at scrum time, but perplexingly I don't think he's
started a league game for us yet. And Wenger has hardly played.
#Post#: 147428--------------------------------------------------
Re: Realistic transfer targets
DIR By: The Kid
Date: January 6, 2026, 11:31 am
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Playmaking is not talked about a lot but is the biggest change
the playing side has in front of it. Whilst the departure of
Esterhuizen is more maligned, the impact of not having Danny
Care at 9 is large if not larger and far more keenly felt. It
also directly affects how we use our centres.
In the modern game you need two playmakers in a back line. At
Quins, this has been a 9 managing the game and 10 managing the
attack for 20 years from Gommers coming in to DC + Nev / Marcus.
It has consistently been this way basically since promotion back
to the prem. most top French sides also play like this. Think
Dupont / Ntamack and Lucu / Jalibert.
For the first time in decades this isn't the case anymore, as DC
has gone and we haven't replaced him in kind (hard to do when he
is year to year, retires in March, and with only the top French
9s such as Lucu, Le Garrec etc being comparable). This has left
us with one true out and out playmaker on the pitch in Marcus,
making us predictable and one dimensional.
We have tried to get around this by playing benson and Jev at
12. However this comes at a direct cost of a more a ball
carrying 12. We could move Marcus to 15 and play benson there
but then our marquee player is out of position.
Signing furbank to me implies we are making a change here and
committing to going to two playmakers at 10 and 15 rather than 9
and 10. In essence, Furbank replaces Care.
The role of the 9 changes to focus on quickness of ball and
kicking to compete, with any two of Marcus, Furbank, Benson, and
Jarrod on the pitch at all times. This is a sensible decision as
it works with the depth players we have (and is "easier" for the
likes of Friday to adjust to) and what England are asking Marcus
to do as a hybrid 10 and 15 but is a huge change for the team to
manage in one season.
This also opens up the option to play a ball carrier at 12, as
we won't be trying to house a second playmaker there just to
make things work at all. The person best suited to playing 12 in
this Quins team is not on the payroll currently, as we all know,
but having to play two tens at once removes this as an option
completely. It wouldn't surprise me if we brought in another
player who can play 10 and 15 for depth, especially if J Evans
leaves in summer.
We won't find another Andre but am certain we can find a player
who can carry the ball, and the team forward if we rebalance the
play making elements in a way that makes everyone more
effective, rather than relying on one unique talent to make it
all work.
I also think our approach to balancing the back five of the pack
is not compatible with how the backs are set up I think this is
what Laurie is referring to more than it is the front 5. The
scrum is the one thing on the men's playing side that still
works, so don't think front row - or at least prop - is seen as
an issue.
For example, playing two sevens (kenners and WEV) is fun but
decadent. Neither is true gain line threat and this is
especially punitive when there are fewer big ball carriers in
the backs.
This directly costs us another carrier in the pack meaning we
get a lot of turnover ball (and territory) but have no punch to
finish things. We could get away with this with Andre at 12 to
replace the carrying and dynamism of not playing a 6 but he was
a unique player and isn't replicable. A lot of our ills come
from a past reliance on our 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 to do something
magical rather than by design, and this is one of those things.
Not a sustainable approach.
A better back 5 balance will be Dun, Petti, CCS, Kenningham,
Dombrandt with Wev, Treadwell, Carr and another large lock in
reserve. KT and Petti are not a pairing and should compete for
one shirt much like wev and kenners, so think we need one more
tight side lock at least. Launch and Lewies' race is run, so
some younger players here might be good. One of the Kpokus, or
Sodeke / Cuckson from the 20s perhaps?
Of the players from Wales, Dewi Lake would be perfect at Hooker
(we can get far more out of this position than we currently do)
and Mason Grady as a crash centre / more physical winger if the
ospreys get killed off. Lake is a superb carrier and would allow
us to play two sevens on occasion. Grady is a physical specimen
whose offers the directness we lack, albeit from 13. Both would
upgrade us instantly.
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