ESPN on player transferrs to Pro12

[BlueBlue]

From ESPN Scrum

The new season of RaboDirect PRO12 rugby is nearly upon us and despite seeing several top players leave the league and opt to take up a contract in the Top 14, the 12 sides in the Celtic competition have had a busy summer as they look to bolster their resources. Several top internationals have decided to give the PRO12 a shot and we have picked out a selection of eye-catching transfers in the latest Scrum Sevens.

Craig Clarke Chiefs to Connacht

For us, this is the best piece of recruitment by any club in the PRO12. Any player who has managed to win back-to-back Super Rugby titles must be worth their weight in gold, and in Clarke's case, he captained the Waikato franchise to their memorable feats. You would have thought he could have had the pick of Europe's best sides, but Connacht flew under the radar to secure their man.

With Connacht now under the tutelage of Pat Lam, Ireland's ugly duckling of a side may cause a few surprises this year. They are still a team who seem to be doing their best off the scraps dropped from Leinster, Ulster and Munster, but Connacht are going about their business in an impressive fashion. We think Clarke's recruitment is inspired and could be the catalyst needed in Galway.

Matthew Rees Scarlets to Cardiff Blues

He was in danger of becoming one of the forgotten men of Welsh rugby with Richard Hibbard, complete with his long flowing blonde locks, the number one No.2 for those to the west of the Severn. While Hibbard and co. flourished in Australia turning out for the British & Irish Lions, Rees would have watched on from his sofa reminiscing about his experiences from 2009 when he started the second and third Tests against the Boks.

Rees clearly felt his career needed a new spark and he has swapped Llanelli for Cardiff. He will line-up alongside fellow Lion Gethin Jenkins at the artificially turfed Arms Park this term and will give them a considerable physical presence in their front-row. That familiarity may also aid his international prospects as he looks to add to his 57 Test caps.

Zane Kirchner Bulls to Leinster

How do you go about replacing Isa Nacewa? That must have been a constant conundrum for then Leinster boss Joe Schmidt last season. In the end, he opted for 24-cap Springbok fullback Kirchner. The Sideshow Bob-lookalike has the ability to tear up the PRO12 but Leinster, now under Matt O'Connor's tutelage, will have to work out the best way to utilise his talents.

Similar to James O'Connor, Kirchner's versatility sometimes works against him and with Willie le Roux the current darling of South Africa at No.15, Kirchner will just have Leinster to focus on this term rather than international honours. He should flourish at the Dublin side and if they continue in the same silverware-laden manner under O'Connor as they did Schmidt, then he will need to get an extra suitcase to carry all the pots, pans and gongs back to South Africa when he eventually returns.

Kris Burton Treviso to Dragons

Fly-half Burton has 21 caps for Italy and a wealth of experience at Test level. He is unlikely to do a lot of attacking with ball in hand, but on a wet and windy night at Rodney Parade, he will put the Dragons in the right areas of the field and will provide a level head at No.10.

He will vie with Jason Tovey for the fly-half shirt and for once, Lyn Jones and his Dragons side have real depth at No.10. They are unlikely to light up the Welsh regional scene in the same manner as Rhys Patchell, Dan Biggar or Rhys Priestland but they have plenty of big game battle scars to show and between them, the Dragons are in safe hands.

Jimmy Gopperth Newcastle Falcons to Leinster

It would have been an unfamiliar feeling for Leinster fans when Jonathan Sexton announced his move to Racing Metro last season. They seldom see their best players leaving the club, let along Ireland's first choice fly-half. But even Ireland's premier charges are having their head turned by the huge piles of Euros on offer over the Channel.

Leinster have gone for the pragmatic approach in choosing their replacement for Sexton. Gopperth was superb for Newcastle Falcons during his four years at the club, but you cannot deny the No.10 wanting to have a shot at winning some serious trophies at Leinster. He should prosper at the RDS and alongside Ian Madigan, the Dublin side should have enough strength in depth to cover the sizeable void left by Sexton.
Gerhard van der Heever Stormers to Munster

Big name and lucrative transfers sometimes fall flat on their face - think Stephen Donald's time at Bath, Gethin Jenkins' sojourn to Toulon or Chris Jack's move to Saracens. But if a Munster fan sat down and momentarily day-dreamed of how they hoped Doug Howlett's switch to Thomond Park would work out, they would have been deeply satisfied with how the try-scoring record holder for the All Blacks did for the Irish giants.

He was superb, but all good things have to come to an end and Van der Heever is the man chosen by the Munster hierarchy to replace the now retired Howlett. He has bags of ability and aged just 24, he has that youthful exuberance which could help him become a crowd favourite on that famous Cork turf.

John Barclay Glasgow Warriors to Scarlets

For us, John Barclay's decision to swap Scotland for Wales was a slightly bizarre move. Barclay, you would expect, would have had a couple of options open to him in the Top 14 as he is one of the PRO12's most consistent back-rowers. But he chose to move south to the Scarlets.

For the Llanelli region, it is a brilliant signing while Barclay clearly hopes the move will reinvigorate his Test prospects with a number of players ahead of him in the Scotland pecking order. The days of the 'Killers Bs' - Kelly Brown, Johnnie Beattie and Barclay - from the 2010 Six Nations are now a distant memory but Barclay, aged just 26, still has a number of years left him at the highest level. He's a great signing for Scarlets and should complement captain Rob McCusker nicely in their back-row.


Tom Hamilton is the Assistant Editor of ESPNscrum.

[blockhead]

He was superb, but all good things have to come to an end and Van der Heever is the man chosen by the Munster hierarchy to replace the now retired Howlett. He has bags of ability and aged just 24, he has that youthful exuberance which could help him become a crowd favourite on that famous Cork turf

Oooh! That's gonna p1$$ off someone.

[BlueBlue]

He was superb, but all good things have to come to an end and Van der Heever is the man chosen by the Munster hierarchy to replace the now retired Howlett. He has bags of ability and aged just 24, he has that youthful exuberance which could help him become a crowd favourite on that famous Cork turf

Oooh! That's gonna p1$$ off someone.

Wars have been started for less..

[TerenureJim]

He was superb, but all good things have to come to an end and Van der Heever is the man chosen by the Munster hierarchy to replace the now retired Howlett. He has bags of ability and aged just 24, he has that youthful exuberance which could help him become a crowd favourite on that famous Cork turf

Oooh! That's gonna p1$$ off someone.

Wars have been started for less..

A very English/British view of the Pro12 seeing as France is apparently only "over the channel" for Leinster players, last time I looked there was a sight more water than a channel between us and France. Lets not get started on Leinster being "the Dublin team" and Connacht being "the Galway side". It never ceases to amaze me how poor knowledge/research is by journos when writing about Irish rugby. It's not like there's a huge number of teams to research now is it and it's your bloody job.

[deco]

A very English/British view of the Pro12 seeing as France is apparently only "over the channel" for Leinster players, last time I looked there was a sight more water than a channel between us and France. Lets not get started on Leinster being "the Dublin team" and Connacht being "the Galway side". It never ceases to amaze me how poor knowledge/research is by journos when writing about Irish rugby. It's not like there's a huge number of teams to research now is it and it's your bloody job.

In fairness the Irish papers are guilty of the city stereotype as well.

[Alternative Ulster]

But Connacht's ground IS in Galway. And Leinster's IS in Dublin?

They call Leicester "the welford rd side" I'm sure their fans live beyond welford rd.

[deco]

But Connacht's ground IS in Galway. And Leinster's IS in Dublin?

They call Leicester "the welford rd side" I'm sure their fans live beyond welford rd.

'xactly.

[TerenureJim]

But Connacht's ground IS in Galway. And Leinster's IS in Dublin?

They call Leicester "the welford rd side" I'm sure their fans live beyond welford rd.

I probably am splitting heirs and yes Leinster are based in Dublin as an organisation but they are not a Dublin team same as Ulster aren't a Belfast team. I like that we have four provinces rather than four clubs and it's a bug-bear of mine that the provinces are being refferred to as clubs more and more.

I know it's silly but I think the more they are referred to as clubs and the more they are identified as one city teams the less special they are. Leinster and the other provinces thrive on identifying themselves with the whole of their province and as being provincial sides rather than clubs.

[johng]

Only point I am making is that we are waaay to sensitive over these things. If someone calls us "the D4 club Leinster" so what? Big swingen mickeys. We are a club/region/province whose home ground is in D4. we don't have to correct every little thing. If people are happy with their little stereotypes let them at it. They are either unaware or just winding us up.

Human Nature. We all like to put things in little boxes so we can get our heads around them.

[Donny B.]

John Barclay went to the Scarlets? Heard he was leaving Glasgae alright but just assumed he was going to France or England. Weird!

[Keith]

John Barclay went to the Scarlets? Heard he was leaving Glasgae alright but just assumed he was going to France or England. Weird!

Has to be the strangest move ive ever seen in rugby.

[TerenureJim]

John Barclay went to the Scarlets? Heard he was leaving Glasgae alright but just assumed he was going to France or England. Weird!

Has to be the strangest move ive ever seen in rugby.

Conway to Munster?

[simonokeeffe]

John Barclay went to the Scarlets? Heard he was leaving Glasgae alright but just assumed he was going to France or England. Weird!

Has to be the strangest move ive ever seen in rugby.

Sean Lamont did same thing

[blockhead]

John Barclay went to the Scarlets? Heard he was leaving Glasgae alright but just assumed he was going to France or England. Weird!

Has to be the strangest move ive ever seen in rugby.

Conway to Munster?

Sexton to Racing?
Take the money out of the equation and its like leaving Barcelona and moving to Stoke City.

[nc6000]

"Take the money out of the equation and its like leaving Barcelona and moving to Stoke City.

Not really. Paris would be an amazing place to live for a couple of years plus Racing have the makings of a pretty good team with good coaches and could do quite well over the next couple of years.

Conor George has them as favourites for the Heineken Cup and who are we to argue with such a sage as he.

[blockhead]

"Take the money out of the equation and its like leaving Barcelona and moving to Stoke City.

Not really. Paris would be an amazing place to live for a couple of years plus Racing have the makings of a pretty good team with good coaches and could do quite well over the next couple of years.

Conor George has them as favourites for the Heineken Cup and who are we to argue with such a sage as he.

B*llix! He has left the best team in Europe and joined a rabble who, only a few months ago got demolished by a mid table Rabo team.

[blockhead]

"Take the money out of the equation and its like leaving Barcelona and moving to Stoke City.

Not really. Paris would be an amazing place to live for a couple of years plus Racing have the makings of a pretty good team with good coaches and could do quite well over the next couple of years.

Conor George has them as favourites for the Heineken Cup and who are we to argue with such a sage as he.

Ok so, its like leaving Barcelona and moving to West Ham! Hows that for ya? Bright lights, big city....sh!t team.

[Dave Cahill]

Ok so, its like leaving Barcelona and moving to West Ham! Hows that for ya? Bright lights, big city....sh!t team.

More like leaving Man U or Arsenal and moving to Chelsea or Man City in 04 or 10 respectively. Racing have huge money and are going to spend it on winning the HEC and the Top 14, and they're going to be even more dangerous than prior attempts to do so were because they've bought very cleverly. Lydiate, Kruger, Sexton and all the props are the signings of a club that wants to make back page news, not front page headlines. If their coaches show the same kind of tactical acumen that whoever is in charge of their acquisitions did (if they aren't one and the same) they are going to be very serious challengers

[JB1973]

John Barclay went to the Scarlets? Heard he was leaving Glasgae alright but just assumed he was going to France or England. Weird!

Has to be the strangest move ive ever seen in rugby.

Sean Lamont did same thing

when the scarlets had a few quid and were doing better than Glasgow,

last year Glasgow did better in the pro 12 and in Europe and they would appear to have more cash than the scarlets, seems a real strane choice.

He is a good player and I would have thought he had more lucrative offers from stronger sides.

[simonokeeffe]

Barclay is still only 26 which is a surprise

maybe he broke up with his childhood sweetheart and Glasgow reminded him of her everywhere he went but he didn't want to learn French and he hates the English