With Wasps following Worcester Warriors in going into administration and making the entire playing squad redundant there have 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 transfer rumours, contract renewals and confirmed moves from around the Gallagher Premiership....
Exeter Chiefs linked with dynamic Wasps hooker
Wasps hooker Dan Frost is in talks to join Exeter Chiefs reports Coventry Live.
Bath academy product Frost, 25, joined Wasps from Cornish Pirates ahead of the 2020/21 season, scoring seven tries in 25 appearances.
The Taunton-born front rower reportedly attracted the interest of Exeter before he signed a new Wasps deal recently and having now been made redundant at Wasps, Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter is reported to have moved to bring him to Sandy Park with Luke Cowan-Dickie set to be away for the Autumn internationals. Although, Chiefs do have the experienced options of Jack Yeandle and Jack Innard on their books along with the 23-year-old duo of Iestyn Harris and Max Norey.
Bristol Bears looking to bolster backrow options with Wasps stars
Bristol Bears are both looking to bolster their backrow options with at least one out of work Wasps player according to the latest reports.
Bristol Bears are reported to have held talks with both England international Jack Willis and rising star Alfie Barbeary about moving to Ashton Gate after it was announced on Monday that 167 members of staff at Wasps, including all players and coaches, were being made redundant with immediate effect with club going into administration.
Wasps chief executive Stephen Vaughan is hopeful a takeover deal could still be completed so the club can participate in the Championship next season, but with the club’s entire squad now free agents, rival clubs are circling with directors of rugby looking to strengthen their squads.
The Rugby Paper's transfer news specialist Neil Fissler has tweeted, that Bristol Bears are interested in adding either 25-year-old Willis or 22-year-year-old Barbeary.
Barbeary, who can play both hooker and number eight, is reported to be in talks with at least four Premiership clubs, one of which is understood to be Bath.
Bath make double fly-half signing
Bath Rugby have signed former Worcester Warriors fly-half Billy Searle and versatile back Jamie Shillcock on short-term deals.
The duo will provide injury cover while Orlando Bailey (facial injury), Piers Francis (quad) and Tom de Glanville (hamstring) are sidelined.
‘Alo, Alo’
Former Wasps tighthead prop Biyi Alo has been signed by French Top 14 giants Racing 92.
The former Saracens and Worcester Warriors forward had been pictured training with the Top 14 club and on Thursday evening, an image was posted on their social media along with the message 'welcome Biyi'.
England star commits to Bristol Bears
British and Irish Lions tighthead prop Kyle Sinckler has signed a one-year contract extension at Bristol Bears, the club have confirmed today.
The 52-cap English international front row, who joined Bristol from Harlequins in July 2020 and has made 38 appearances for the Bears and will remain at Ashton Gate until the end of the 2023/24 campaign.
The news comes as a big boost to the Bears with reports the powerful forward's CV was doing the rounds around the French Top 14, looking into a lucrative potential move post 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Welsh Premiership side sign Ashley Beck
Merthyr RFC have signed out of work former Welsh international centre Ashley Beck after he was made redundant by Worcester Warriors, but with the promise to release him should a 'better offer' come about.
The former Ospreys back joins the Ironmen until the end of the current playing season.
Club chairman Justin Griffiths said: "We are conscious that offers from fully professional rugby clubs might materialise in the coming days/weeks. Should a more suitable option surface, we have committed to release Ashley at his request."
Joe Launchbury set for capital move
Wasps captain Joe Launchbury has been widely linked with a move to Harlequins having been made redundant.
While the 70-cap lock England international has expressed his emotional distress at the demise of his boyhood club, Launchbury is keen to get back on the field as soon as possible to put himself back in Eddie Jones' plans ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup after missing out on a place in his squad ahead of the Autumn internationals.
Italy and Benetton Treviso linked with explosive Wasps back
Paolo Odogwu could snub England and instead pledge his international allegiance to Italy following Wasps going into administration reports The Mirror.
The 25-year-old, from Coventry, was made redundant by Wasps last week and teams from across Europe, including Benetton Treviso, are now interested in signing him. The outside centre who can also play on the wing qualifies to play for Italy through his father.
He was approached by the Italians ahead of last year's Six Nations but chose to join England and spent eight weeks training with Eddie Jones ' side. However, he was left out of their matchday squads meaning he could still change allegiances ahead of next year's World Cup in France.
Bristol Bears flanker joins United Rugby Championship side on short-term loan
Bristol Bears backrower Dan Thomas has joined United Rugby Championship side Scarlets on a two-week loan deal with immediate effect, the club have confirmed.
The openside flanker joined up with the Welsh region on Tuesday ahead of the club's fixtures against Connacht and Leinster on October 21 st and October 28 th .
Worcester Warriors hooker picked up by Montpellier
Curtis Langdon has become the latest Englishman to join Montpellier having been made redundant at Worcester Warriors when the club went into administration.
The Weston-super-Mare-born hooker only joined Warriors this summer after moving from Sale Sharks to link up with his form boss Steve Diamond.
The forward has joined the Montpellier squad with immediate effect until the end of the season.
Leicester Tigers and Saracens in battle to pick up red hot Wasps back
Leicester Tigers have opened talks with Charlie Atkinson to bring the former Wasps fly-half to Mattioli Woods Welford Road this season the Telegraph reports.
Atkinson, still just 21, started the 2022/23 season in red hot form for Wasps before the club when into administration and the players were made redundant. With Handre Pollard injured, Freddie Burns out of contract at the end of the season and the versatile Jimmy Gopperth now 39, it is clear to see why the defending Premiership champions are in the market to talented young 10.
Having been selected in training squads by England head coach Eddie Jones he has been tipped as one to watch in the future. The Telegraph also report Saracens are interested in the fly-half.
Worcester number eight joins Coventry Rugby
Coventry Rugby have confirmed the signing of 24-year-old former Scotland U20s international back row Tom Dodd from Worcester Warriors.
Coventry Rugby head coach, Alex Rae said: “It will be fantastic to welcome Tom to the club, he’s been starting in the premiership and everyone I have spoken to has said what a fantastic bloke he is and how hard he works for the team. He’s the exact kind of player we want to come in. He’s a big, physical, hardworking, ball carrying player who’s really going to add to competition in the back row.”
Dodd joins former Worcester team mate Will Chudley at Butts Park.
Josh Basset swaps Wasps for Quins
Harlequins have confirmed the signing of former Wasps winger Josh Bassett with immediate effect until the end of the season as further cover for Quins’ backline.
Bassett, 30, has been one of the most consistent performers in the Gallagher Premiership since making his debut for Wasps in 2013.
Representing Wasps over 180 times and claiming 65 tries along the way, the 6ft3in winger achieved the feat of representing England U20 whilst playing for original club Bedford in the Championship and was picked by England Head Coach Eddie Jones in June 2021 ahead of the team’s Summer Series Internationals.
A regular feature for Wasps in the league, Bassett played more minutes than any other outside back during the 2021/22 season, second only to Andre Esterhuizen.
Boasting impressive defensive stats to add to his strike rate, Bassett is a strong presence under the high ball and has claimed a turnover every second game, as well as being in the top eight tackling wingers in the Premiership for the last two seasons.
Cherry and Whites snap up trio of Warriors
Gloucester Rugby have added three former Worcester Warriors players to their ranks with one eye on the future.
George Skivington has brought 20-year-old centre Seb Atkinson, 23-year-old left winger Alex Searle and 19-year-old hooker Finn Theobald-Thomas to his squad with immediate effect.
Both Atkinson and Theobald-Thomas were in the Worcester Academy before the club were suspended from the Premiership and put into administration after a financial collapse. The pair are are currently in the England Under-20s set-up.
“The opportunity arose to explore bringing in further additions to our squad and we are really pleased to welcome Alex, Seb and Finn,” Gloucester Chief Operating Officer Alex Brown said. “They are three young players who have a very bright future in the game and we’re confident that they will add another layer of depth to our squad."
