London Irish players are being snapped up left, right and centre as directors of rugby around the Premiership and across Europe look to strengthen their squads heading back into pre-season.
There are plenty of other players on the move or looking for jobs as well with clubs having to trim their belts so here are all rugby transfer rumours and gossip, confirmed moves, retirements and contract renewals....
Bristol Bears linked target signs for Quins
Harlequins have confirmed the signing of London Irish prop Lovejoy Chawatama despite reported interest in his services from Bristol Bears
The 30-year-old has joined the Quins following London Irish's administration and suspension from the Gallagher Premiership.
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The tight-head prop played 18 times for London Irish in the Gallagher Premiership last season, achieving 15 appearances in 2020/21 and 13 in 2019/20. He made his 50th appearance for the Exiles during the 2020/21 season.
Born in Zimbabwe, Chawatama started his rugby career as a back-row before switching to prop. The former University of West of England student represented England Students and enjoyed stints with Clifton RFC, London Scottish and London Welsh before joining the Exiles.
Harlequins beat Exeter Chiefs to sign Chandler Cunningham-South
Harlequins have confirmed the signing of London Irish and England U20 back-row Chandler Cunningham-South.
The versatile forward, who is comfortable across flanker and number eight, joins Quins following the Exiles’ suspension from the Gallagher Premiership.
The 20-year-old, who grew up in New Zealand playing for North Harbour, Canterbury and Lincoln University, joined the London Irish Academy last year, before making his Premiership debut against Bath Rugby in May 2022. Last season Cunningham-South made 19 Premiership appearances, proving a handful in attack and defence, with 73 carries, 91 tackles and three tries. He also played a key role for the Exiles in their Champions Cup campaign, playing all four pool matches against Montpellier and DHL Stormers.
His prolific form saw Cunningham-South called up to the England U20 squad for the 2022 and 2023 Six Nations, before earning selection in England's squad for the upcoming U20 World Championship.
Paddy Jackson set for Lyon move
Former Ireland fly-half Paddy Jackson is set to return to France next season after agreeing a one-year deal with Top 14 side Lyon after the 25-cap international found himself out of work following London Irish’s financial collapse.
Jackson finished last season as the Premiership’s top-points scorer.
The Telegraph report the former Ulster star has signed a one-year deal, with an option for a second year, at Lyon as a replacement for former All Black Lima Sopoaga.
Saracens snap up out of work tighthead
Saracens have confirmed the signing of Australian international prop Ollie Hoskins on a two-year deal.
The tighthead prop joins after a seven-year spell at London Irish, and the 30-year-old will begin pre-season with the Men in Black in the coming weeks.
The Australian international had been with the Exiles since 2016 and made 164 appearances for them, meaning he brings plenty of experience to StoneX.
The 128kg prop started his career in Super Rugby with Western Force before moving to England, and he now adds further depth to the tighthead department with the likes of Marco Riccioni, Alec Clarey and Christian Judge.
Falcons swoop for London Irish playmaker
Rory Jennings has become Newcastle Falcons’ latest signing, joining the Kingston Park club on a two-year deal.
The 27-year-old plays fly-half or centre and has spent the past two seasons with London Irish, having arrived in 2021 from French giants Clermont.
Englishman Jennings is a product of the Bath academy who played five Premiership games for the West Country outfit before joining Coventry, where he was joint top-scorer during the 2020-21 campaign.
Playing for England Under-20s in the 2015 Junior World Championship final against New Zealand, he stands at 176cm (5 foot 9) and 84kg (13 stone 3).
Jennings made 19 appearances for London Irish last season, 11 of them in the Gallagher Premiership and four in the Heineken Champions Cup.
London Irish playmaker set for French move
Toulon are set to win the race to sign London Irish scrum half Ben White according to reports across The Channel.
Both Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors had been linked with an interest in the Scotland international number night but according to Midi Olympique 25-year-old White is due to sign for the European Challenge Cup winners in the next few days.
Harlequins set to win the race for Joseph
Harlequins have beaten Saracens to the signature of England international centre Will Joseph report The Rugby Paper.
Joseph has been left out of work following London Irish's suspension but has not been short of suitors and he looks set to make the short journey from Brentford to the Twickenham Stoop.
Ealing snap up Gloucester hooker
Championship club Ealing Trailfinders have confirmed the signing of Gloucester hooker Henry Walker ahead of the 2023/24 season.
Walker, who was released by Gloucester at the conclusion of last season having come through the Cherry and Whites' academy to make 63 competitive appearances for the Premiership club following his debut against Barbarians in 2015. The 25-year-old frontrower will join Gloucester pair Billy Twelvetrees and Jordy Reid at Vallis Way.
Former Wasps hooker commits to Exeter Chiefs
Rob Baxter believes the best is still to come from Dan Frost having handed the former Wasps hooker a new two-year contract at Exeter Chiefs.
The 26-year-old hooker arrived at Sandy Park in October of last year following the collapse of former club Wasps out of the Gallagher Premiership. And he was immediately thrust into the fray, playing 13 times and scoring four tries. Despite having the likes of Jack Yeandle and Jack Innard already on the books ahead of the 2023/24 season, with British and Irish Lions hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie moving on this summer, Exeter director of rugby Baxter has moved to tie down the skillful 26-year-old frontrower from just up the road in Taunton.
Bristol Bears snap up London Irish ace Benhard Janse van Rensburg
Pat Lam has moved to strengthen a key area in his squad that needed addressing by signing former London Irish centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg.
The 26-year-old versatile South African midfielder, who can operate at inside and outside centre and also cover fly-half, will join up with Pat Lam’s squad when they return for pre-season training this week.
Released Gloucester Rugby forward snapped up by Scarlets
Departing Gloucester Rugby lock Alex Craig has signed for United Rugby Championship side the Scarlets his new club have officially confirmed.
Craig, still just 26, made 49 appearances for the Cherry and Whites having come through the Gallagher Premiership club's academy to sign a senior in 2019 after impressing for Hartpury in the Championship. A standout season at Kingsholm saw the Dumfries-born forward feature for Gregor Townsend’s Scotland during the 2021 Six Nations, where he came off the bench in the wins over Italy and France.
Craig has also represented Scotland at the U20s Six Nations and Junior World Championships but a torrid run of injuries saw the powerful forward, who can play both in the second row and on the blindside flank, rarely get out on the pitch in the last couple of years in club or country colours.
Exeter Chiefs agree dual-registered loan deals for a dozen players ahead of 2023/24 season
Exeter Chiefs have agreed to send a remarkable 12 players out on loan to Championship club Cornish Pirates next season on dual registered deals.
Returning to Pirates in 2023/24 having already represented the club are Chiefs backrow Ben Grubb, props Matt Johnson, James Kenny and Jacob Morris, hooker/backrow Max Norey, winger Arthur Relton and lock Cory Teague.
Linking up with the club for the first time will be hooker Harry Hocking, fly-half Iwan Jenkins, centre and winger Dan John, winger Frankie Nowell and prop Fin Richardson.
Former England head coach joins Bath Rugby in shock double coaching signing
Club legend and former England head coach Andy Robinson has returned to Bath Rugby to join head of rugby Johann van Graan's coaching team the club have today confirmed.
With 249 Bath Rugby appearances to his name, and returning to the club 25 years after leading Bath to European victory, Robinson has been appointed the club's new head academy coach and the former Bath head coach will also play a part in van Graan's senior coaching team as contact coach.
Former Scotland international Stevie Scottt has also arrived to lead the scrum going into the 2023/24 season.
Perpignan sign London Irish flanker
Samoan So'otala Fa'aso'o has returned to France following the demise of London Irish to join Perpignan.
The New-Zealand-born loose forward joined the Exiles in the summer of 2022 after three seasons at Top 14 side Brive.
Fa’aso’o also spent two years with Racing 92.
'An agreement has been reached' - England star Henry Arundell's future club decided
Henry Arundell has agreed to sign for Racing 92 according to the latest reports coming out of France.
The seven-cap rising star of English rugby was initially linked with a move to Bath Rugby after news broke that London Irish had been suspended from the Gallagher Premiership and then subsequently filed for administration, sparking a fire sale of their impressive squad.
Arundell is understood to have spoken with Blue, Black and White head of rugby Johann van Graan about a move to The Rec having been in the club’s academy as a teenager before leaving the area due to his father's work commitments, however leading French newspaper L’Equipe today report that Racing 92’s superior budget has helped land the 20-year-old on a deal starting after the Rugby World Cup.
Saints prop signed by Bedford Blues
Bedford Blues have confirmed that released Northampton Saints prop Oisin Heffernan has signed permanently with the club ahead of the 2023/24 Championship season.
The 28-year-old tighthead has been a familiar face at Goldington Road across the past few years on dual registration from Northampton Saints, making ten appearances and adding two tries but now moves to the Championship club full time.
Former Welsh international joins Newcastle coaching team
Wales hooker Scott Baldwin will complete Newcastle Falcons’ staff for the new season after signing up as defence coach.
The 34-year-old has retired from playing to focus on his new role having starred for Ospreys, Harlequins, Worcester and Wales in a professional playing career spanning more than a decade.
The most recent of Baldwin’s 37 Wales caps came during this year’s Six Nations, with the Bridgend-born front-rower packing down against Ireland, Scotland and Italy.
His club career saw him playing more than 100 times in the United Rugby Championship and 43 in Europe as well as starting for Harlequins in their victorious 2021 Gallagher Premiership final.
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