Wants to go to France doesn't he? Just sulking because he got a ban for chewing on someone's arm. Probably thinks he can come back from the dark side & just slot back into the squad for next year's WC or som't.

Jog on, sunshine

Lenagan must be privately fuming. Isn't he basically funding the marquee salary out of his own pocket?

Its not the fact that he'll miss games at the start of the year that's concerning, more the fact that he'll go a second year without a pre-season.

Ashton had so much potential as a kid. I always thought he was a massive loss, but the manner of his departure has been put into clear perspective by the much more honourable way that Josh Charnley did it. Still ... he was a kid, and his head was obviously turned by RU gold.

Would you seriously not consider him?

I think I'd take a look at him first, but I'd hope we wouldn't say 'no, never' just out of spite.

Not out of spite, no. I just think he'd be much more of a liability now. Too much RU to unlearn I would think. And I suspect he might have the same mindset that Dwain (Drug Cheat) Chambers had when he thought he could just slot into Cas' squad - it's an easy game League, after all, innit?
(Along with maybe, a "Big I Am" attitude too).

Back on topic, though: are we nearing an acceptance that ST might well be not the golden boy returnee we all thought he might be? We've done all right without him for 90% of the last year, after all. I'd hate that to be the case, but if he's falling over his own shadow (with or without help from a sherry or three), how long 'til we start thinking about offloading?

I remember when we sold Hanley. At the time it was regarded with horror in certain quarters, but it soon transpired that Leeds had paid big money for a player who was well, well past his prime. I think the same could be said of Andy Farrell. But in those cases, I suppose, their age was against them. Sam is only 27. I'd hope we'd fully and thoroughly assess him before making any such drastic decision.

i heard he has broken his foot in two places - is that official now?

Dunno, but he's properly on crutches ... as in he can't walk.

I think you're right about the lack of a pre season being the main concern to the point where you'd have to think we may be better extending his absence by a month or so and getting a proper one in to him (once fit).

Fingers crossed the injury isn't as bad as it could be and we're talking weeks at the start of the year rather then months.

I think he just wants out of the premiership. Seeing that there's really only two leagues of note in the Northern Hemisphere then he's no other option than looking to France.

IF he's available I'd hope we are looking. The potential to get a decent player whose wages are outside of the cap isn't something to turn your nose up at.

His wages would count on the cap.

Christ could you imagine the uproar if we were allowed to sign somebody and their wages weren't counted on the cap?

Pleeeeeeeease let it happen!

I probably just dreamed it, but was there not a rule where if you signed an RU player then you got special dispensation on the cap?

I'm sure Andy Powell didn't cost us anything.