Out of work stars from Wasps and Worcester Warriors are still finding new homes after both clubs went into administration and made their entire playing squads redundant meaning there has never been more free agents on the rugby transfer market.
As injuries bite around the Premiership, directors of rugby are moving to fill the holes in their squads with the quality players who find themselves out of work.
Here are all the latest confirmed transfers, rumours and contract renewals from around the Gallagher Premiership....
Former Wasps captain Joe Launchbury to make Japan move
England international second row Joe Launchbury has agreed a stint at Toyota Verblitz this season reports Chris Foy of the Daily Mail.
The former Wasps captain will then join Harlequins in the summer which will make him eligible to play for England at the Rugby World Cup should the 70-cap lock work his way back into Eddie Jones' plans.
Bath Rugby set to land Alfie Barbeary
Rising star of English rugby Alfie Barbeary is set to arrive at Farleigh House this week according to the latest reports as Bath have beaten a number of rivals to the dynamic backrower’s signature.
Barbeary, 22, was among the 167 Wasps players, coaches and staff to be made redundant last month when the club entered into administration following their failure to repay debts.
The number eight had been linked with a move to the French Top 14 for the rest of the season, with Bordeaux Begles a potential destination, but Bath are understood to have landed their man.
Sale Sharks sign young Wasps centre
Sale Sharks are set to land Wasps out of work England U20s international outside centre Rekeiti Ma'asi-White according to the latest reports.
The Rugby Paper reports the 19-year-old Tongan-born centre, who ran out twice in the Premiership Rugby Cup this season, has signed a deal until at least the end of the season with Alex Sanderson's side.
14-cap England international heading to France
Former Wasps scrum half Dan Robson, 30, is reported to be on the verge of signing for French Top 14 side Pau according to The Rugby Paper.
Robson, who has 14 caps for England told Coventry Live about his discussions with his agent.
He said: "I just said I am open, it doesn't have to be in England. Just go out and see what we can do. I spoke to a couple of English clubs, and, as expected, with the salary cap, mid-season, I was just like I can't move my whole life, for that. We'd have to sell the house, rent somewhere that wouldn't be that comfortable, then in six months' time to do it all over again.
"Even the ones that were for a couple of years, still, the money is not there because the salary cap is the same next year then you have that 75 percent dispensation that happened in Covid, that's gone next year, so suddenly the salary cap is even tighter. Then it goes up the year after.
"It's just crazy, it's probably the worst timing ever. You get the odd offer, but it's half, a quarter of what you were on. That's just not sustainable. It might be for a couple of months, fine, but, we do put our bodies through a lot. The older lads have put a lot of work into this game and feel like I've got to a stage in my career where I deserve a lot of things.
Tigers utility back exits
Leicester Tigers have confirmed Bryce Hegarty has departed the club.
As announced in August, the 30-year-old leaves Leicester to join Australian Super Rugby side, the Western Force.
Hegarty has made 15 appearances since his Tigers debut in October 2021 and scored 63 points, including four tries.
Jacob Umaga makes overseas move
Former Wasps fly-half Jacob Umaga has joined United Rugby Championship side Benetton.
The 24-year-old has signed a deal until the end of the 2023/24 season with the Treviso-based outfit.
Injuries to Leonardo Marin and Giacomo Da Re forced Benetton to return to the market to bolster their options in the pivotal position.
The once-capped England international was among the 167 Wasps players, coaches and staff to be made redundant last month when the club entered into administration.
Exeter Chiefs snap up trio of young Wasps stars
Exeter Chiefs have confirmed the signing of three young Wasps stars following the the club going into administration.
Having already secured the services of hooker Dan Frost last month, Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter has swooped to seal the signings of Academy youngsters Alfie Bell, Greg Fisilau and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso.
Lock Bell, who hails from Nuneaton, is an England Under-20s international and stands at a whopping 6ft 8in tall and tips the scales at 118kg.
Back-row forward Fisilau was born in Plymouth and is the son of former Albion and Tonga centre, Keni Fisilau. Like Bell, he too is an England Under-20s international, standing at 6ft 2in tall and 109kg.
Feyi-Waboso, meanwhile, was born in Cardiff and came through Cardiff’s Academy before he transferred to Aston University in Birmingham and was then picked up by Wasps. A lightning-quick back, who can play in the centre or on the wing, he has previously featured for Wales at Under-18 level, as well as being part of their Under-20s squad.
Gloucester sign England U20s prop
Gloucester Rugby have confirmed the signing of England U20s international loosehead prop Archie McArthur.
McArthur was on the lengthy free agents list having been made redundant by Wasps earlier this season when the club went into administration.
Like with the trio of Worcester Warriors players also picked up by the Cherry and Whites following their fall into administration, Gloucester head coach George Skivington has added McArthur to his squad looking at the long term picture as well as the immediate with Argentinian international loosehead Mayco Vivas yet to arrive from his homeland despite having signed for the Premiership club more than a month ago.
Vivas suffered an injury during Argentina's Rugby Championship campaign and is recovering at home before heading to England.
Exeter Chiefs and Saracens target Northampton emerging star
Exeter Chiefs and Saracens are set to go to battle once again, but not on the rugby pitch but in the transfer market as the two great rivals go head-to-head to sign Northampton Saints emerging star Ollie Sleightholme.
Sleightholme, 22, is out of contract at his hometown club Northampton at the end of the season having started the campaign in impressive form with five tries already as his star continues to rise.
The Rugby Paper reports Exeter Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter has put former England U20s star Sleightholme's name on their list as a possible replacement for Jack Nowell should the 29-year-old British and Irish Lion and England international leave the club at the end of his current contract at Sandy Park which also expires in June.
Bath set to beat Lyon to Springboks prop
Johann van Graan has been in talks with 13-cap Springbok prop Thomas du Toit about adding the giant front rower to his squad next season according to the latest reports.
Du Toit, 27, is understood to be out of contract with United Rugby Championship side the Cell C Sharks at the end of the season and The Rugby Paper reports van Graan has been in talks over the last fortnight looking to convince the prop, nicknamed ‘The Tank’ to pick a move to Bath Rugby over French Top 14 side Lyon.
Joe Marchant heading to Paris
Harlequins have confirmed that Joe Marchant will leave the club at the end of the season.
Marchant will depart the club following nine years at The Stoop, after joining the Senior Academy set-up in 2014 and making his senior debut the following year.
The 26-year-old back soon became a regular feature within the starting XV, earning over 130 appearances in the Famous Quarters to date and being an integral part of the 2020/21 Gallagher Premiership winning side.
Marchant went on to achieve international recognition with England as well as working with Harlequins to develop a short-term loan spell with Super Rugby outfit the Auckland Blues in 2020 to develop his experience and skills.
He is expected to sign for French Top 14 side Stade Francais.
Bristol Bears, Leicester Tigers and Northampton set to miss out on Jack Willis
England star Jack Willis looks set to spend the rest of the season playing in the French Top 14 despite three of the biggest clubs in the Premiership, Bristol Bears, Leicester Tigers and Northampton Saints, keen to sign the flanker.
Willis, who came off the bench for his sixth international cap on Sunday in England’s 29-30 defeat to Argentina in the Autumn Nations Series, is currently a free agent after Wasps went into administration last month, making 167 members of staff redundant.
The Telegraph report Toulouse now look the most likely club to land the forward, with his brother Tom Willis linked with a move to fellow Top 14 side Bordeaux Begles.
London Irish chase Bath star
London Irish are primed to try and lure their former academy product Joe Cokanasiga back from Bath Rugby according to the latest reports.
Cokanasiga, 24, is understood to be out of contract at Bath this summer having moved to the Rec in 2018 after coming through the Exiles’ academy to play first team rugby for the now Brentford-based side in the Championship and then Premiership following their promotion.
The Times report Cokanasiga is wanted back at London Irish with the club set to lose rising star Ollie Hassell-Collins to Leicester Tigers when his current contract expires in June. The publication reports that part of the deal is done.
Hassell-Collins is set to arrive at Welford Road with Fijian star Nemani Nadolo leaving in midseason to join Super Rugby side the Waratahs for the 2023 Super Rugby season while former Bath man Anthony Watson is reported to be on a one-year deal at Steve Borthwick’s side and former England star Chris Ashton is now 35-years-old.
