SBW and Toronto

[taste2taste]

not so sure on why they'd go after those other names...Ben Teo is hardly a big name.
I think theyd be better off throwing money at Cronk or Smith.

SBW puts the bums on seats and gets the press.
Cronk or Smith wins them the games.

Te'o is not a big name in Australia but he is definitely a big name in England.

He was signed by Leinster to fill the shoes of the legendary Brian O'Driscoll.
He has been a regular in international Union playing for England in the centers and If it wasn't for a falling out with a team mate he would have been playing in this years World Cup.
He is currently playing for Toulon and they don't sign chumps.
Its fair to say his name carries a lot more weight in the UK than anyone you could name from the NRL.

If Toronto could get Te'o it would be a great signing.

 

[Dark Corner]

not so sure on why they'd go after those other names...Ben Teo is hardly a big name.
I think theyd be better off throwing money at Cronk or Smith.

SBW puts the bums on seats and gets the press.
Cronk or Smith wins them the games.

Bums on seats for the Roosters like Folau did for the Waratahs ?

 

[Foreign Legion]

Manu Tuilagi is the next high-profile rugby union star to be targeted by Toronto Wolfpack as they prepare for life in Super League with cross-code star Sonny Bill Williams.

Toronto, who were promoted last month, are close to confirming the signing of Williams on a lucrative two-year contract

The Telegraph, London revealed that Brian McDermott, Toronto's head coach, watched the 34-year-old play for the All Blacks in their World Cup semi-final defeat by England in Yokohama, in which Tuilagi played.

They later held face-to-face talks and Williams has been offered a deal that includes a minority stake in the Canadian club.

Now the club wants to sign Tuilagi to further bolster their ambition to become a global sporting brand.

The 28-year-old Leicester centre turned down a big-money move to French club Racing 92 this year and signed a contract extension to keep him at Welford Road until June 2021. Ben Te'o, the Toulon centre, who won 18 England caps under Eddie Jones, also remains on Toronto's radar. It is believed Toronto have had contact with representatives of both players.

The Wolfpack would be required to pay a sizeable fee to sign Tuilagi, but the acquisition of Williams in a sports-mad city has set the pulses racing on both sides of the world.

One source told the Telegraph, London: "A lot of NRL players are now cold-calling Brian Noble, Toronto's director of rugby, about joining.


"The signing of Sonny Bill shows how serious the Wolfpack are in trying to crack the North American market. They want to sign players who are considered 'rock stars' in order to change the face of Super League. Manu Tuilagi is definitely next on their list."

RELATED ARTICLE
SUPER LEAGUE
Sonny Bill Williams set to sign $10 million contract with Toronto Wolfpack
Significantly, new rules were introduced two years ago to allow Super League clubs with sufficient funds to bring in players from outside rugby league without it affecting the wage cap.

The Wolfpack are unable to play at the Lamport Stadium until April because of the harsh Canadian winter and the unavailability of their local authority-owned stadium, so have switched their first three home fixtures.

They open against Castleford in a double-header at Headingley on February 2 and play champions St Helens at Allianz Park, home of Saracens, on February 29.


The Telegraph, London
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/to...cqBy4FoMmJJpvhX4dvLsQ45Bg5bNQfCAGrU52cvMqp5JE

 

[RL The greatest game]

Manu Tuilagi is the next high-profile rugby union star to be targeted by Toronto Wolfpack as they prepare for life in Super League with cross-code star Sonny Bill Williams.

Toronto, who were promoted last month, are close to confirming the signing of Williams on a lucrative two-year contract

The Telegraph, London revealed that Brian McDermott, Toronto's head coach, watched the 34-year-old play for the All Blacks in their World Cup semi-final defeat by England in Yokohama, in which Tuilagi played.

They later held face-to-face talks and Williams has been offered a deal that includes a minority stake in the Canadian club.

Now the club wants to sign Tuilagi to further bolster their ambition to become a global sporting brand.

The 28-year-old Leicester centre turned down a big-money move to French club Racing 92 this year and signed a contract extension to keep him at Welford Road until June 2021. Ben Te'o, the Toulon centre, who won 18 England caps under Eddie Jones, also remains on Toronto's radar. It is believed Toronto have had contact with representatives of both players.

The Wolfpack would be required to pay a sizeable fee to sign Tuilagi, but the acquisition of Williams in a sports-mad city has set the pulses racing on both sides of the world.

One source told the Telegraph, London: "A lot of NRL players are now cold-calling Brian Noble, Toronto's director of rugby, about joining.


"The signing of Sonny Bill shows how serious the Wolfpack are in trying to crack the North American market. They want to sign players who are considered 'rock stars' in order to change the face of Super League. Manu Tuilagi is definitely next on their list."

RELATED ARTICLE
SUPER LEAGUE
Sonny Bill Williams set to sign $10 million contract with Toronto Wolfpack
Significantly, new rules were introduced two years ago to allow Super League clubs with sufficient funds to bring in players from outside rugby league without it affecting the wage cap.

The Wolfpack are unable to play at the Lamport Stadium until April because of the harsh Canadian winter and the unavailability of their local authority-owned stadium, so have switched their first three home fixtures.

They open against Castleford in a double-header at Headingley on February 2 and play champions St Helens at Allianz Park, home of Saracens, on February 29.


The Telegraph, London
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/to...cqBy4FoMmJJpvhX4dvLsQ45Bg5bNQfCAGrU52cvMqp5JE

Its being reported today that Tuilag wants to stay at Leicester, but that will probably mean that Leicester will have to give him a pay rise to keep him, as he will point to the offer that the Wolfpack offered him

 

[Foreign Legion]

https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/11/08/sbw-signs-with-toronto-wolfpack-with-other-stars-set-to-follow/

 

[adamkungl]

Who in the game (or out of the game) has a profile anywhere close to SBW right now?

Holmes?
Latrell?

 

[RL The greatest game]

Toronto are now after Semi Radradra
Sonny Bill Williams' Toronto deal done - now Wolfpack target Semi Radradra

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Eric Perez promised that there were big things to come when he was still with the Wolfpack. I love what this will do for RL. This could be just the tip of the iceberg too.

 

[juro]

Who in the game (or out of the game) has a profile anywhere close to SBW right now?

Holmes?
Latrell?

Sonny Bill Williams has 880k followers on twitter.

NRL has 546k followers.
The biggest NRL club (Broncos) has 139k followers.
Cameron Smith has 97k followers.

 

[Pommy]

Sonny Bill Williams has 880k followers on twitter.

NRL has 546k followers.
The biggest NRL club (Broncos) has 139k followers.
Cameron Smith has 97k followers.

Obviously he’s retired now but Sam has 221k

 

[Rocket's tache]

TWP really need a class half-back to replace Josh McCrone - could they possibly tempt Cooper Cronk to have a finale in SL ? Or bring Thurston out of retirement ? They'd kill it in SL.

 

[Pommy]

TWP really need a class half-back to replace Josh McCrone - could they possibly tempt Cooper Cronk to have a finale in SL ? Or bring Thurston out of retirement ? They'd kill it in SL.

replace him where’s he’s gone? Cooper Cronk moved from Melbourne to Sydney to be with his mrs it doesn’t look like loving to the north of England is going to be top on his to do list.

 

[Rocket's tache]

replace him where’s he’s gone? Cooper Cronk moved from Melbourne to Sydney to be with his mrs it doesn’t look like loving to the north of England is going to be top on his to do list.

He's not gone anywhere but McCrone was ordinary in the Championship in 2019. They need an upgrade for Super League.

 

[jim_57]

Toronto are now after Semi Radradra
Sonny Bill Williams' Toronto deal done - now Wolfpack target Semi Radradra

Makes me wonder why no club has strongly targeted Koroibete for a comeback. Can't imagine he's on unmatchable money playing for the Rebels.

 

[Perth Red]

Its ok signing players with "profile" but they need some players with talent as well! Their squad at the moment looks very thin. Whilst $BW might give them the warm and fuzzies and the "look at me" everyone seems to crave these days, they'd have been better spending a fraction of the money on Maloney and Barba! A 34 year old $BW whose been out of RL for years isnt going to help if they are in a relegation dog fight.

 

[deluded pom?]

Its ok signing players with "profile" but they need some players with talent as well! Their squad at the moment looks very thin. Whilst $BW might give them the warm and fuzzies and the "look at me" everyone seems to crave these days, they'd have been better spending a fraction of the money on Maloney and Barba! A 34 year old $BW whose been out of RL for years isnt going to help if they are in a relegation dog fight.

So you wouldn't have him at Rovers then?

 

[Pommy]

Its ok signing players with "profile" but they need some players with talent as well! Their squad at the moment looks very thin. Whilst $BW might give them the warm and fuzzies and the "look at me" everyone seems to crave these days, they'd have been better spending a fraction of the money on Maloney and Barba! A 34 year old $BW whose been out of RL for years isnt going to help if they are in a relegation dog fight.

Isn’t Ben Barba banned from the sport, didn’t the RFL say they wouldn’t register him?

 

[Dakink]

Its ok signing players with "profile" but they need some players with talent as well! Their squad at the moment looks very thin. Whilst $BW might give them the warm and fuzzies and the "look at me" everyone seems to crave these days, they'd have been better spending a fraction of the money on Maloney and Barba! A 34 year old $BW whose been out of RL for years isnt going to help if they are in a relegation dog fight.

I think SBW will make a hell of a difference in a relegation fight. He will still dominate in the superleague not too mention the financial benefit.

 

[Perth Red]

So you wouldn't have him at Rovers then?

Not at that price! I'd rather have 3-4 real quality players to build our future on. I get that they are getting a lot of short term media exposure out of it but that wont do them any good come September if they are in a relegation battle.

I think SBW will make a hell of a difference in a relegation fight. He will still dominate in the superleague not too mention the financial benefit.

A 34 year old forward who hasnt played RL for years? You may be right but its a heck of a gamble, unless they have some other decent signings coming in which case he is mainly for publicity value then it is up to them if they want to spend their marketing money in that way.

 

[Perth Red]

Isn’t Ben Barba banned from the sport, didn’t the RFL say they wouldn’t register him?

He's de-registered, not banned. I reckon he would have a good case if, after a year, he took the NRL/RFL to court for restraint of trade given we have equal scum bags running around in first grade.