http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/760351/DAVID-STRETTLE-is-set-to-sign-for-Saracens-after-deciding-he-no-longer-has-a-future-at-Harlequins.html

He'd best buy a good pair of woolly gloves then.

Nothing to do with money then Stretts?

Can't blame him for wanting more money. You think Nick Evans moved here for the fishing?

So he is set to sign then, not actually put pen to paper...as with the Stetts to Tiggers story, I am going to wait until something is confirmed.

For what it is worth, not quite sure how the story can be 'has no future' or 'kick start his England chances' when he is playing every game that he is fit for, and is part of a good backline that makes chances for him most games...smacks of more lazy journalism to me at the moment

If he does go will be a huge loss as He is the best wing at the club and clearly sarries have a lot if intent and ambition to win trophies.
Will it make a difference as far as England? Who knows but there are too many stretts leaving stories around meaning he has no intention of staying.
Gonzo 2 will be back so at least, just hope we show some off sarries ambition in our new signings!?

I would suggest those of you that think he should stay are ? COS already, as im sure he would have input and if he was worth the money he is asking. Anyway, looks like ugo may be on his way back to us.

Erm, Stretts is not our best wing! Ugo is, always has been, Plus he's a wing, if Stretts doesn't run them (which to be fair he has not this season) then we can let tom, camoucho, smith, steggman or Ugo do it or Lyndsey hague,

if we lose Stretts but keep most of the rest and use his cash to sign some quality then fine by me....

This rumour has been around all year.

QP, no I'm bright enough to know why Evans joined us. I'm also bright enough to know that he was offered MORE MONEY to go to Tigers.

Strettle was given his big break at Quins and now he isn't getting the contract that he wants, he's off. No big deal in my opinion, but compare it to Ugo who WAS offered more money to go elsewhere and he chose to stay.

So the question shouldn't be: Who is the club's best winger, but rather if you could only have one of them, which would you pick? My personal opinion is Ugo as he has committed himself to the club rather than to the club with the biggest offer.

Doesn't mean I like Strettle any less. I just think the reasons listed are bull.

Pingu, fair point about Ugo being offered more money, although my comment about Evans wasn't meant to be snide at all. While I'm always delighted that players show loyalty I have no problem with them if they move on for monetary reasons.

As for our best wing - no, it can't be Strets. A winger's primary job is to score tries and he just doesn't get enough. Its been said before but his try scoring record is around the same as Tom Williams'. But I don't want to get on a downer at Strets - I think he's a terrific player and I'll be sorry if he leaves us.

Heya guys, with regards to Mr Strettle, how's he been playing this season? Just curious to his form with us snooping around his signature.

Thankyou

just my opinion on DS and i would hardly compare OLH or smith, Stegman or Williams with Stretts.
Just think it will be a big loss of a top class wing who would have been an England fixture apart from injury and yes ahead of Ugo, sarries look like they have another very good signing.
This coupled with the almost certain departure of Gonzo to france is a blow

Potentailly a great player but very injury prone.

He's been injury free this season so far but has not been at his best.

To be fair though, for various reasons its not been a good season at Quins anyway!

I would have liked to have seen him here with CoS as his vision seems to have been
the main reason we have kept the likes of Robshaw, Browny, JTH and Ugo.

I'd hate to lose him but wish him luck if it is true.

Who is Gonzo?

The one with the funny nose on the Muppet Show?

presumably all of these sarries signings keep them within their salary cap...

Saracens are fine for the salary cap for next season....

Wikus Van Heerden, Glen Jackson, Justin Marshall, Mosese Rauluni are all leaving (as are Richard Haughton and Tom Mercey) giving us scope to buy some quality players like Kelly Brown and Soane Tonga'uiha.

And Matt Stevens is coming in January so he's only getting paid for half a season.

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Everybody in rugby can see there is something special happening at Saracens...

Where are they off to then?

Marshall is retiring I believe and isn't Jacko becoming a ref?

Justin Marshall: retiring
Glen Jackson: retiring
Mosese Rauluni: retiring
Wikus Van Heerden: Lions (SA)
Tom Mercey: Northampton Saints
Richard Haughton: Rumoured to be going to Toulon or Racing Metro

That's why we've signed Tonga'uiha, Kelly Brown, Matt Stevens, Richard Wigglesworth and hopefully David Strettle

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Everybody in rugby can see there is something special happening at Saracens...

I have no idea how Stretts will play for all of the clubs he's rumoured to be signing for.

By the way Pingu, some would argue that Stretts' big break was with England 7s, before he joined us. I saw him playing in Hong Kong just before it was announced we'd signed him. He certainly did look a special talent.

oh dear me keeping my typing fingers quite on this one you lot do make me laugh and some just make me sick sorry
Best Quins winger = Strets

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What?

I am sure he cannot resist the stunning ground at Vicarage Road - he only started to play in Feb when contracts started to be an issue. Sad but if he does not want to stay no point keeping him

On the subject of who is Quins best winger the current GP stats make interesting reading when comparing Strets to rookie George Lowe -

DS                                      GL

15  	      Matches  	                13
1 	      Tries 	                4
5 	      Points 	                20
1 	      Try assist 	        1
29 	      Kicks From Hand 	        5
29 	      Passes 	                41
0 	      Yellow cards 	        0
0 	      Red cards 	        0
94 	      Carries 	                87
640 	      Metres carried 	        689
12 	      Clean breaks 	        12
0 	      Offloads 	                0
29 	      Defenders beaten 	        19
54 	      Tackles 	                53
13 	      Missed tackles 	        7
10 	      Penalties conceded        4
24 	      Turnovers conceded 	14
1 	      Line outs won own throw 	1
0 	      Lineout steals 	        0

Plus certain stats favour wingers, and Lowe has played a good number of games at centre - even more impressive.

The Volcano has signed his new contract at Glaws. So that looks to have closed the door on Stretts joining them (by the way, he is playing very well in the centre at the moment....another england call up in the summer possibly?).

Saracens seems most likely destination for Stretts at this point.

Quinky, playing for England 7's doesn't always give somebody their big break and just so you get where I am coming from, I'll state my piece slightly differently. Ready?
I don't mind if Strettle leaves. If he feels he can get a better deal elsewhere, then good luck to him. I think he is a GREAT player. However, if I had a choice between a player like Ugo who stayed depsite better offers elsewhere and Strettle who claims he "DOESN'T HAVE A FUTURE AT QUINS" then I'll pick Ugo.

Some people on here (she knows who she is) seem to have missed that little headline. Strettle has always been a starter when fit, so how he feels he doesn't have a future here is beyond me. Unless he has upset COS with his attitude?

Volcano is back on the wing, and yes he's playing well, but I don't want to see him in an England shirt again!

Dunno the real facts - no one here does - but I'd heard that Stretts wanted to leave to go to a club that had a real chance of winning something.

He's been injury prone and not much of a performer recently so I don't thinks it's a huge loss, but that's just me. Regardless of the reason, good luck to him.

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Stick to the plan. Not just obey orders.

Quote:

Quinten Poulsen
Volcano is back on the wing, and yes he's playing well, but I don't want to see him in an England shirt again!

If he'd had that workrate for England it could've been good. Shame really.

Guys, do you know whether Leicester are still interested or in fact any club for that matter??

Thanks

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Everybody in rugby can see there is something special happening at Saracens...

According to Rugby Times Strets wanted twice what Tigers were willing to offer, plus Tigers were turned down by Maddock having offered him around £150k per year. Glos would reportedly be able to afford him if Big Les took a pay cut, but I've no idea if he has.

I'm still hopeful he'll remain at Quins but as reported he has probably priced himself out of things.

Quote:

McSaracens
Guys, do you know whether Leicester are still interested or in fact any club for that matter??
Thanks

McS
Basically nobody has any real idea about what is really going on (except perhaps DS himself). We just seem to amuse ourselves by reacting to every rumour that apears in any publication concerning any player. If all of the players that were "rumoured" to be leaving Quins at the end of this season were actually leaving we really would have a problem next season. I would like him to stay but no point at all in hanging on to anybody who wants to leave (for whatever reason).

All I can recall of DS this season is gifting tries to the opposition through poor position, passing and tackling. He's a good attacker on form - but he's not been on form for some time and accordingly we shouldn't increase his salary.

I imagine he's probably asking for more than Tom Williams gets...

But TW is probably our highest paid player, ;-)

There's the rub...

Wasn't Williams's deal an extra 100k over 4 years? That's not exactly a huge amount, more so considering that he would probably have had at least one more wage increase within that period had he signed for the usual 2 years, had he not had his bloodgate bonus.

25K pa in a time of recession in the leisure industry and low inflation...

Yes Sam, I know you can't stand Tom.

Quote:

sam123
25K pa in a time of recession in the leisure industry and low inflation...

... is small beans compared to the threat of a lawsuit. Guess we shouldn't have screwed him over, eh?

confirmed as joining Saracens

Sad times !

Quote:

PinguThePenQuin
Strettle has always been a starter when fit, so how he feels he doesn't have a future here is beyond me.

I'm a bit confused over your gripe on this one Pingu. Why do you equate him saying he has no future at Quins with how much game time he is getting? Surely it could just mean Quins have decided he is surplus to requirements given other players at the club and how much he would cost versus them? The article doesn't mention what potential he thinks there is on the pitch, only that he couldn't agree a contract.

QLF, what I know, I can't say (whether it's true or not is another matter). But my gripe is based on what I was told.

I rate Strettle as one of England's best wingers and he remains my son's favourite player.

Fine, but your first comment was "nothing to do with money then Stretts?". I'm just pointing out that he hasn't said it was nothing to do with money. He said he couldn't agree a contract. Which is about money.

Nope, you've lost me.

Stretts? Why them? Yes they'll pay you well but you won't see the ball. I wouldn't have minded leicester as that's a step up but this is a step sidewards.

If we put the money he was on into a top class lock or tighthead prop then this is smart business.

Sorry to see you go Strets but best wishes and good luck!

Maybe I've got it wrong but I thought you were having a go at him for moving for more money, but putting it down to other factors?