With the rugby transfer market flooded with Worcester Warriors players, and potentially soon Wasps players, the rugby transfer market has never been busier with clubs also locking down their key stars and targets ahead of the 2023/24 season.
Here are all the latest transfer rumours, contract renewals and confirmed moves from around the Gallagher Premiership....
Leicester Tigers lining up Worcester ace Shillcock
Defending Premiership champions Leicester Tigers are reported to be keen on signing Worcester Warriors back Jamie Shillcock according to the latest reports.
The 25-year-old can play both full-back and fly-half and has caught the eye of Tigers head coach Steve Borthwick according to The Rugby Paper.
French linked Jack Nowell has 'every chance' of stay at Exeter Chiefs
Exeter Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter said he is still very hopeful British and Irish Lions winger Jack Nowell will sign a new contract at the club despite the England international recently expressing his interest at moving abroad.
Speaking on Wednesday, Baxter said: "Conversations have been ongoing with Jack for a while and they're heading in a direction they're heading in. I think there's every chance that he will stay, but I'm not making decisions for him right now.
"Timescales are going to become pressing for decisions to get made for both parties, for him and for us, but they're not going to happen in the next 24 hours.
"Those discussions are ongoing and as far as I'm concerned they're heading along OK."
Nowell, who has won two Premiership titles and the 2020 European Champions Cup with the Chiefs, made his senior debut in an LV= Cup match in October 2012 as a 19-year-old and made his first league appearance a month later.
Nowell, 29 has scored 42 tries in 151 games for the Chiefs on the way to winning two Premiership title and the European Heineken Champions Cup and has won 42 caps for England since graduating out of the Exeter academy.
"Jack and I have known each other for a long time, we've done a lot of contract discussions in the past - we can have three discussions about it in a day, it's not a big deal," added Baxter.
"It's not like we sit in a room and I push a piece of paper in front of him and say 'you sign that now or else you walk away'. Contract discussions are never like that and I don't expect they ever will be.
He added: "I'm not sitting here for one second saying Jack Nowell's definitely staying and I'm certainly not sitting here saying he's definitely going, it's just an ongoing situation."
Joe Marchant linked with reuniting with Paul Gustard in France
Harlequins utility back Joe Marchant is a wanted man across the Channel according to the latest reports coming out of France.
Website rugbyrama.fr reported Stade Francais, who currently have Marchant's former Quins boss Paul Gustard as defence coach, have switched their attention to the England international centre having missed out on Ollie Lawrence after he signed a long-term deal at Bath Rugby this week.
The publication report the Parisian club are in 'advanced talks' with the 26-year-old 13 cap England international.
Ben Earl breaks Bristol hearts with new Saracens deal
England international flanker Ben Earl has signed a new contract at Saracens to end any hopes Bristol Bears fans harboured that he may follow Max Malins in returning to the club he spent a highly successful year on loan at in 2020/21.
The back-rower, who was the Gallagher Premiership Player of the Season and has 13 England caps is closing in on a century for Saracens after cementing himself as one of the first names on the team sheet alongside the likes of Billy Vunipola and Theo McFarland in the back-row.
Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall said: “Ben is an important and popular member of our squad who is well respected by everyone at the training ground. His performances over the last few seasons have been consistently strong but his game has gone to a different level at the start of this campaign. We are obviously delighted that he will be extending his time at the club.”
Former Exeter Chiefs and Bath Rugby scrum half makes Championship move
Championship side Coventry Rugby have confirmed the signing of 33-year-old scrum Will Chudley.
Chudley was one of the nearly 50 players at Worcester Warrior left jobless when the club's players had their contracts terminated as various companies running the Premiership side went into administration.
The highly experienced Chudley joined Warriors ahead of the 2021/22 Gallagher Premiership season from league rivals Bath Rugby.
Before joining Warriors, Chudley had made more than 130 Premiership matches in an illustrious ten-year spell at the top level in England having first been recruited by Newcastle Falcons.
Chudley then made more than 100 appearances for Exeter Chiefs in six years at Sandy Park and was a key member of the side that won the Premiership for the first time in 2017.
Bath Rugby secure deals for two of loan quartet
Centre Ollie Lawrence has signed a long-term deal at Bath Rugby while backrower Fergus Lee-Warner has also committed to the club for the remainder of the 2022/23 campaign.
Bath have confirmed talks with loosehead prop Valeriy Morozov and flanker Ted Hill are ongoing with regards to their long-term future at the club.
Former Wallabies centre exits London Irish immediately
Centre Curtis Rona has left London Irish with immediate effect to pursue a playing opportunity in Japan the club have confirmed.
The announcement came shortly after the Telegraph exclusively revealed the 30-year-old was leaving the club having gone AWOL from training.
Rona, made 77 appearances and scored 16 tries for the Exiles since arriving ahead of the 2019/20 campaign.
Exiles director of rugby Declan Kidney said: “We are disappointed to see Curtis go. We wish him and his family well on their next adventure and thank him for his efforts in the London Irish shirt.”
Bath Rugby miss out on reported forward targets at brother commit to Sale
Jean-Luc and Daniel du Preez have signed new deals keeping them at Sale until the end of the 2025/26 season the club have confirmed this weeked.
The powerful 27-year-old twins, who signed for the club on permanent deals in 2019, have put pen to paper on deals taking them up to the end of the 2025/26 season.
The twins arrived in Manchester from Durban-based Super Rugby side Cell C Sharks, where they had played alongside older brother – and now Sale teammate – Rob.
Since then both players have become key parts of the Sharks side, with versatile Jean-Luc, who initially joined on loan, racking up 83 appearances for the club, and number eight Dan featuring 73 times.
Former Bristol Bears hooker signs by Leinster
Leinster have confirmed the signing of hooker Tadgh McElroy on a short-term contract.
The former Ireland Under-20 international and has played for Saracens, Bristol Bears, Ealing Trailfinders, and most recently London Irish, over the last few seasons and has impressed Leinster head coach Leo Cullen with a string of strong performances for the United Rugby Championship side's 'A' team, including a hat-trick of tries against Connacht Eagles at Energia Park.
Cullen said: “He’s a good addition to the squad over the next few months and has taken his chance well over the last few games and we wish him well.”
Saracens pick up pair of out of work Warriors
Saracens have signed winger Tom Howe and lock Andrew Kitchener on short-term deals the club have confirmed.
The pair join the club from Worcester Warriors on three-month deals and add cover to the squad for the upcoming Gallagher Premiership fixtures with a number of star players expected to be away on international duty.
Howe is an experienced winger who had been at Sixways since 2017, becoming a proven try-scorer in the top-flight of English rugby.
Kitchener, who came through the academy at Worcester eight years ago also has plenty of Premiership experience and will add further depth to the second-row department.
Saints sign Dan Biggar replacement
Northampton Saints have confirmed the signing of former Worcester Warriors fly-half Fin Smith on a multi-year deal with immediate effect just a week after confirming Welsh star Dan Biggar will leave the club at the end of the current campaign.
Smith, 20, arrives at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens from Worcester Warriors where he has progressed through the Academy set-up.
He made 31 senior appearances for Worcester, and his form at Sixways earned him a selection for England Under-20s for the 2021 Six Nations in Cardiff.
Smith was named again in England Under-20s EPS for 2022, but did not feature during the Six Nations as he instead held down the No.10 jersey for Warriors in the Gallagher Premiership, during a campaign which also saw him lift the Premiership Rugby Cup with Worcester.
Doncaster Knights pick up Warriors prop
Championship outfit Doncaster Knights have confirmed the signing of prop Kai Owen for the 2022/23 season.
Owen arrives in Doncaster from Premiership side Worcester Warriors, whose recent struggles have been well documented.
Knights head coach Steve Boden said: “Kai is someone we’ve worked with a little bit in the past when he came for a couple of days on loan. We know he’s a good guy and that he’ll fit into the environment.
“He’s young and ambitious – which we know fits our mould. He’s got a long way to go in his development but we’re happy to have him on board and help him on that path."
READ MORE:
Unstoppable Gloucester star, Bristol Bears' Gray day: West Country Premiership Team of the Week
Bristol Bears boss calls for Premiership Rugby to appoint a commissioner to sort out the chaos
-
Wasps Rugby pull the plug on Saturday's scheduled Premiership trip to Exeter Chiefs
Bristol Bears ‘icon’ Ellis Genge joins Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Sports agency
