Pre-season has either started or is about to begin at Gallagher Premiership clubs up and down the country but there is still plenty of holes in squads getting filled by directors of rugby up and down the country.
Here is a look at all the latest transfer rumours, confirmed moves and contract renewals as excitement head of the 2022/23 season builds.
READ MORE: Bristol Bears to play World champion Springboks at Ashton Gate
Bristol Bears return to pre-season after Las Vegas blowout
Steven Luatua, Max Lahiff and Harry Thacker were amongst the Bristol Bears stars on flanker Dan Thomas’ stag do in Las Vegas last week.
Bristol’s stars are back at the club’s High Performance Training centre this week to start a nine-week pre-season block before the 2022/23 season gets underway but the classic Bronco test was made all the tougher for a few days of hedonism in ‘Sin City’.
The Bears are preparing for their first pre-season game against Brive on August 19.
Bath on the hunt for injury replacement for club captain
One of Johann van Graan's first jobs as the new head of rugby at Bath Rugby will be to find an injury replacement for injured club captain Charlie Ewels according to the latest reports.
South African van Graan officially switched Munster for Bath on July 1, the day after finding out second-row Ewels looks set for a prolonged spell on the sidelines after sustaining an ACL injury in training whilst on international duty.
The 27-year-old damaged his knee ligaments on tour with England as they prepared for their first Test against Australia which the tourists lost 30-28 in Perth without him.
Ewels has won 30 caps for England since making his debut against Fiji at Twickenham in November 2016 and will have his injury further assessed back at the Premiership club before beginning a rehabilitation programme with Bath’s medical team.
His injury leaves van Graan short of a leader and powerful presence in the pack having led the club since the 2019/20 season.
Despite the arrival of former England international Dave Attwood from Bristol Bears this summer, and Josh McNally's return from an ACL knee injury of his own, The Rugby Paper reports van Graan is on the search for an injury replacement for Ewels with no targets currently mentioned in dispatches.
London Irish centre wanted in France and Australia
Both Western Force and French Pro D2 side Vannes are battling for the services of London Irish centre Curtis Rona according to the latest reports.
The Rugby Paper report the 30-year-old centre, who has three caps for Australia having previously played rugby league in the NRL, is a man in demand.
Army 7s star signs for Falcons
Newcastle Falcons have confirmed signing of Fijian back Aloisio Vereimi Namuatabu Qorowale on a two-year deal.
The 27-year-old can play wing or centre and joins from the British Army, where he has been serving as a Rifleman in 2nd Battalion The Rifles (2 RIFLES) in Northern Ireland.
During his time there the Fijian-born flyer has been playing for the Army 7s team and Belfast Harlequins and he is dreaming of following the likes of former Bath star Semesa Rokoduguni and Bristol Bears winger Siva Naulago in making it in professional rugby from an Army background.
“It was my dream to become a professional rugby player, and seeing guys like Roko and Siva has been a real inspiration,” he said.
“I played most of my rugby in the back-row when I was younger, but when I moved over to the UK they asked me to play in the back line,” said the new arrival, who is more commonly known by the shorter name of Vereimi Qorowale.
“I’ve played centre and wing, and hopefully I can bring a bit of Fijian flair to the team. I will be with the Falcons for pre-season next week and can’t wait to get going.”
Wasps winger signs for United Rugby Championship side
Marcus Watson has become the latest member of the seven players released by Wasps this summer to confirm their new club for next season.
Winger/full-back Watson scored 20 tries in 68 appearances across a five-year stay at the Coventry Building Society Arena but his contract was not renewed and this week the 31-year-old revealed he will be playing his rugby for the Italian side Benetton in the United Rugby Championship, signing on a two-year deal.
Exiles sign monster backrow carrier to replace Tuisue
London Irish have announced the signing of So’otala Fa’aso’o for the start of the 2022/23 campaign.
Standing at 6 feet 4 inches and weighing 130kg, Samoan powerhouse Fa’aso’o is comfortable across the back-row and most recently plied his trade with Top14 side Brive.
Having made the move from Racing 92 in 2018, the New Zealand-born forward spent four seasons at the Stade Amédée-Domenech.
After 18 tries and over 80 appearances for Brive, Fa’aso’o is making his first move into English rugby after several years over the English Channel.
Bristol Bears confirm coaching changes
Pat Lam has confirmed his coaching team for the 2022/23 season, with Mark Irish returning as Scrum Coach, Jordan Crane appointed Defence Coach and Dave Alred joining as Kicking Coach.
Homegrown stalwart Irish, who made more than 100 appearances as a player for the club, previously spent five seasons as Scrum Coach from 2015 to 2020, before departing to Worcester Warriors for family reasons.
Former England number eight Crane is appointed Defence Coach after a successful two years with the Academy, replacing Omar Mouneimne in the role who has moved to Exeter Chiefs.
Alred will bring his international experience to the team, arriving as Kicking Coach until September.
Premiership clubs miss out on Rugby League superstar convert
Welsh winger Regan Grace will leave Rugby League side St Helens to join Top 14 side Racing 92 at the end of the current 2022 Betfred Super League season.
The 25-year-old turned down a contract extension from his current club for a move to the glamour boys of French rugby union.
Grace's CV was doing the rounds in the Gallagher Premiership but it seems the salary cap has ruled out any side signing him up.
Australian international joins London Irish
London Irish have signed Australian international scrum-half Joe Powell from Super Rugby Pacific side Melbourne Rebels.
Powell joins the Exiles after two seasons in Victoria with the Rebels, having had a six-year long stint with his hometown side Brumbies which included a spell with the Canberra Vikings in the National Rugby Championship.
Having been promoted to vice-captain at the capital side, Powell led Brumbies to the Super Rugby Australia title in 2020 against Queensland Reds, the side’s first since 2004, and was included in the Super Rugby AU Team of the Season.
A Canberra Marist College graduate, the 28-year-old has been selected for the Wallabies at under-20s level where he played his part in getting Australia to fifth place in the 2014 IRB Junior World Championships.
Powell secured his first Wallaby cap at first team level under Michael Cheika in 2017 and toured with the national side to England that same year, winning four caps for Australia to date.
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