Exodus
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Sort of.
Traditionally they are not one of the richer clubs and have had the smallest playing budget (well below the salary cap the big boys are spending to) when they've ended up relegated on their last two seasons in the premiership after previously being in the top flight for 20 odd years.
They are currently highly likely to be promoted back into the top flight and recruiting for that season. All Premiership shareholders (12 GP clubs + London Irish) received a big windfall recently following the sale of a share of the league to a private equity firm. LI are also rumoured to have received additional private investment recently so are as flush as they probably ever have been cash wise for the moment.
The prem salary cap isn't moving for the moment (and hopefully won't in the medium term), so they have a huge amount of cap space to play with in addition to two marquee player slots. Looks like they are going all out to build a far more competitive squad than they have had on the last two occasions to avoid a third successive relegation at all costs. There's growing talk of ringfencing the league, but obviously nothing is being left to chance.
Signing wise already, Rona, O'Brien, and Phipps have been confirmed, with Naholo, Paddy Jackson and Adam Coleman also strongly rumoured. LI traditionally produce a lot of talent, but tend to lose it to bigger fish so talent retention is a constant struggle. Joe Cokanasiga and Johnny Williams both left last season when they went down.
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In other news, Owen Franks to Northampton confirmed today
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@Margin_Walker said in Exodus 2019:
In other news, Owen Franks to Northampton confirmed today
The good old 'hang around in Europe on business after the EOYT' eh?
(He was the only one of the ABs in Rome I spotted flying to London)
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@Crucial said in Exodus 2019:
@Margin_Walker said in Exodus 2019:
In other news, Owen Franks to Northampton confirmed today
The good old 'hang around in Europe on business after the EOYT' eh?
(He was the only one of the ABs in Rome I spotted flying to London)
Yep. And Northampton were obviously playing the long game signing Ben last summer, who struggles to hold his own these days.
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Time to invest in shares in companies that export weights to the Northampton area:
Double World Cup winner Owen Franks to join Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints can today announce that New Zealand’s Owen Franks will join the Club from the Canterbury-based Crusaders.
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@MajorRage Imagine him doing a Tony Woodcock in the 2019 World Cup final and scoring with his last touch of the ball.
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@Canes4life said in Exodus 2019:
@MajorRage Imagine him doing a Tony Woodcock in the 2019 World Cup final and scoring with his last touch of the ball.
I'd fear he'd chuck it in the air so as to not ruin his record.
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Razor's not joining the Exodus:
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Now it's official: Squire is going to NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes. He has signed with the club for 2 seasons.
http://www.allblacks.com/News/33727/squire-to-depart-new-zealand-at-end-of-2019
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Are they gonna treat him like Piutau?
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@African-Monkey They wouldn't be able to pick a lot of players for the RWC, if they refused to select any All Black going overseas, including Read, Franks and BFA. From what I've read, even Taufua is still in the picture.
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@Bones said in Exodus 2019:
Yeah the selectors seem to like him but to most on the outside he doesn't really seem to have pressed his case. Could be a big year for Hemopo and Frizzell. Wonder who the reserve is after them that is already ahead of Akira?
old mate Vaea Fifita
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