It is announcement season around the Gallagher Premiership as players finalise their futures and directors of rugby build their squads ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.
Here are all the latest transfer rumours, contract renewals and confirmed moves.
Three under-the-radar Bristol Bears signings
Bristol Bears have officially added three players who have appeared for the club in various competitions while on loan from Championship sides, to their squad full time.
Scrum-half Oscar Lennon, 21, who made his Gallagher Premiership debut for Bristol against Bath at The Rec back in March, joins the club having impressed on his loan spell from Hartpury.
In the front row, twins Jono and Toti Benz-Salomon have both signed full-time deals at the Bears offering the intriguing prospect of having a pair of brothers propping up both sides of the Bristol scrum in the future
Tighthead Jono has already made several appearances for the Bears this season in both the Premiership and Europe while on loan from Hartpury where the pair are studying.
Meanwhile, hooker Fred Davies, who will join Bristol Bears this summer from Durham University, has been named BUCS Super Rugby Player of the Season in 2021/22, as voted for by the league's coaches.
Christian Wade considering rugby comeback with trio of Premiership clubs alerted
Exeter Chiefs have been linked with a potentially sensational move to sign former Englan international Christian Wade.
Wade, 31, is considering a return to rugby union after three years out of the sport having moved to America in 2018 to sign for NFL side the Buffalo Bills.
Before his departure Wade was on course to become the Premiership's all-time leading tryscorer, having scored 98 tries in 165 appearances in all competitions for his former club Wasps, who along with Leicester Tigers have also been linked with signing him again with the winger back in England and considering his next career move.
Wade was cut from the Bills' practice squad earlier in the season.
On Sunday The Rugby Paper reported Chiefs are interested in the explosive, quick-footed winger with Rob Baxter yet to sign a replacement for departing winger Tom O'Flaherty who will join Sale Sharks next season.
Bath Rugby announce another backroom shake-up
Bath Rugby have confirmed the shock depart of chairman Ed Griffiths who has been wielding significant power behind the scenes at the Premiership club since his arrival in January.
The Blue, Black and White have today confirmed it's new rugby coaching structure for the 2022/23 season following an in-season review and subsequent reset which sees Stuart Hooper lose his title of director of rugby and new report into new arriving head of rugby Johann van Graan.
South African van Graan, who arrives from being head coach at Munster, will take on the role of head of rugby at Bath from July 1, leading the club’s rugby programme.
He assumes complete responsibility for rugby matters. Van Graan will concentrate on the coaching and performances of the team and will oversee all coaching and performance staff.
Wales international signs new deal at Warriors
Centre Ashley Beck has extended his stay at Sixways by signing a new contract with Warriors.
Beck joined Warriors from Ospreys in the summer of 2018 and after his first season was cut short by a broken ankle, he has become a rock in the midfield over the past three seasons.
The 32-year-old made his 50th appearance against Northampton Saints at Sixways in January and has now played 59 games and scored eight tries.
London Irish to snap up Championship lock
London Irish have beaten Bath to the signing of young Cornish Pirates second-row Ben Scragg according to the Daily Telegraph.
Despite signing veteran second row Dave Attwood ahead of the 2022/23 campaign Hooper confirmed to Somerset Live he was looking to add an up and coming lock to the Bath squad and Scragg looks to have been that man.
He was initially offered a two-year contract at the club but upon arrival at Farleigh House to have a look around and meet with the coaches he was informed the offer was now for one year. Scragg is now understood to be signing for London Irish.
Ambitious Ealing snap up players from Leicester Tigers, Northampton Saints, Dragons, Ulster and Munster
Ealing Trailfinders have confirmed the signing of Welsh international and Dragons wing Jonah Holmes as one of a number of eye-catching additions.
The 29-year-old, who can play on the wing or fullback, moves to Trailfinders following three seasons at the Dragons, where he scored 14 tries in 31 matches. Prior to his move to Rodney Parade, Holmes enjoyed a highly successful stint at Leicester Tigers touching down for 24 tries over three seasons, including 10 tries in his first 11 matches for the club.
His international call-up came in November 2018, making his Wales debut at fullback in the 74-24 win over Tonga. The flying winger made his Six Nations debut in 2019, helping Wales to a 26-15 victory over Italy. Jonah arrives in West London with seven Welsh caps under his belt and two international tries.
Ealing have also signed former Leicester Tigers fly-half Dan Lancaster, Saints backrow Ollie Newman, Ulster prop Ross Kane and Munster hooker Kevin O’Byrne.
Perhaps most excitingly Trailfinders have snapped up exciting young Australian flanker Carlo Tizzano.
Saracens stalwart on the move
Richard Barrington will leave Saracens at the end of the season.
The loosehead, who has made 220 appearances for the Men in Black in his nine-year spell in North London has been a huge part of the success both domestically and on the European front.
The 31-year-old played in all four of the successful Premiership finals at Twickenham, and also won three European Cups to add to his incredible record at Saracens.
His character has played a huge part both on and off the pitch, and his victory songs in the changing room have become legendary, being viewed all around the world.
He will head to South-Western France next season to join Agen in an exciting move for the front-rower.
London Irish lockdown forward gaining Eddie Jones' attention
London Irish can today confirm that Tom Pearson has signed a senior professional contract with the Club.
The young back-row forward has made a stark impression with the London Irish first team this year, making 18 appearances in his first season with the Club.
A Cardiff Metropolitan University graduate, Pearson joined the Senior Academy at London Irish last June following his time with the BUCS side, making 28 appearances in the university Super Rugby league.
Pearson also appeared 14 times in the Welsh Championship during his time in Cardiff and was awarded a place in the BUCS Super Rugby Team of the Season 2019/20.
He made his debut appearance in green in Irish’s first win of the 2021/22 season away to Exeter Chiefs, making the most tackles of the round with 25 in total and picking up the ‘Player of the Match’ award.
Off the back off his work as an Exile, Pearson was welcomed into Eddie Jones’ England training squad during the 2022 Six Nations period alongside fellow Exiles Ollie Hassell-Collins and Will Goodrick-Clarke.
Falcons add former lock
Sebastian de Chaves will return for a second spell at Newcastle Falcons, with the experienced lock-forward signing a two-year deal.
The 31-year-old was part of the Falcons squad which won the 2019-20 Championship title, making 15 appearances in a season which was cut short due to the pandemic.
The former Mont de Marsan and Leicester Tigers player has had two spells at London Irish and enjoyed a short stint with Wasps this season, with De Chaves currently in the USA playing for Austin Gilgronis.
Austin are top of Major League Rugby with ten wins from their 13 games - the Texas-based franchise aiming to win the competition’s final on the weekend of June 25-26.
