There have never been more players on the move during the off-season as rugby's financial crisis sees clubs trimming their squads and even forcing historic clubs to go under.
England Premiership side and the Welsh regions find themselves struggling to compete financially with the might of the French teams and Super Rugby which is causing a lot of movement.
Here is a look at all the latest comings and goings, contract renewals and biggest rumours....
Leicester Tigers ace and Wales prop to join ProD2 side
French ProD2 side Provence Rugby are set to land a pair of star names to bolster their squad ahead of the 2023/24 season.
Departing Leicester Tigers fly-half/centre Jimmy Gopperth has signed up for one season report French newspaper L'Equipe and he is set to be joined by Welsh international tighthead prop Tomas Francis. The 31-year-old former Exeter Chiefs player has reportedly signed a three-season contract with the club.
Bath Rugby poised to compete for two of London Irish’s best players
Johann van Graan is trying to pull off the same recruitment trick twice according to the latest reports with Bath Rugby linked with another stunning swoop for two of London Irish’s best players should the club be suspended from the Gallagher Premiership.
Bath are reported to have made approaches for both star backrower Tom Pearson and England international full-back Henry Arundell.
Pearson, still just 23, was named with the Breakthrough Player of the Season at the Premiership Rugby Awards just a couple of weeks ago and is expected to be named in Steve Borthwick’s England training squad ahead of the Rugby World Cup along with Arundell.
Meanwhile, Ben Loader, Will Joseph and Ollie Hoskins appear to have options at other clubs in the Premiership according to the latest reports.
Luke Cowan-Dickie has medical at Premiership club amid fresh French interest
Sale Sharks are in pole position to sign Exeter Chiefs hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie according to the latest reports despite another unexpected twist with hooker now linked with fresh interest from France.
This weekend The Rugby Paper report that Stade Francais, who have already landed Harlequins centre Joe Marchant, are interested in signing the powerful 29-year-old. Cowan-Dickie’s former England coach Paul Gustard is currently in charge of the defence at the Parisian club.
But is looks increasingly likely the former British and Irish Lion will join Saturday’s beaten Premiership finalists Sale Sharks who are parting company with Akker van der Merwe and Ewan Ashman.
The Daily Mail report Cowan-Dickie has already passed one medical at Sale with a second scheduled before signing off the move North.
Racing 92 set to break the bank to land Marcus Smith early
Top 14 heavyweights Racing 92 are attempting to bring Marcus Smith to Paris as soon as after the Rugby World Cup report The Daily Mail.
England international fly-half Smith still has a year left on his contract at Harlequins but Racing are exploring the option of a buy-out to land him next season as a replacement for out-going Scotland star Finn Russell who is joining Bath.
Ex-Bath and Bristol Bears players to join Doncaster
Departing Bath Rugby forward Tom Doughty is set to join Championship side Doncaster Knights ahead of the 2023/24 season according to the latest reports.
The Rugby Paper report Doughty will be joined at Doncaster next season by former Bath scrum-half Fox and former Bristol Bears tighthead prop Lewis Thiede who both spent last season playing for Ealing Trailfinders.
Former Bath flanker opts for France after Newcastle exit
former Lyon and Bath star Carl Fearns is set to return to France to ply his trade next season after the 34-year-old was released by Newcastle.
Fearns, 34, was made an offer to stay in England at National One side Chinnor but has instead signed a contract to play n the third tier of French rugby, the Federale 1, reports The Rugby Paper.
Former Exeter Chiefs captain confirms new French club
Joe Simmonds says he is focusing on bringing his leadership skills to his new club Pau after the former Exeter Chiefs captain confirmed he has signed for the French Top 14 side on a two-year deal.
Simmonds leaves the club having scored 1114 points in 170 games with the best kicing accuracy in the Champions Cup this season having helped Chiefs reach the semi-finals of the competition.
Sharks confirm the signing of Tongan star Telusa Veainu
Former Leicester Tigers full-back Telusa Veainu will join Sale ahead of the 23/24 season his new club have confirmed
The 32-year-old Tonga international has signed a one-year deal. The versatile back represented the All Blacks at U20s level and played domestic rugby in Australia, before he starred in the Premiership during five five stellar seasons at Leicester Tigers.
During his spell at Welford Road he scored 32 tries in 79 appearances before joining French Top 14 side Stade Francais in 2020.
Italian international re-signs for Sarries
Saracens have confirmed that international prop Marco Riccioni has signed a new two-year contract extension at the Premiership finalists.
The Italian, who was included in the BT Sport Gallagher Premiership Dream Team for this season, has been one of the outstanding players in the league since bursting on to the scene in North London.
Riccioni missed the majority of the 2021/22 campaign with a long-term knee injury, but has come back in fine form with a string of impressive displays alongside the likes of Mako Vunipola and Jamie George in the front-row.
Ulster lock makes Tigers switch
Leicester Tigers have confirmed the signing of Australian lock Sam Carter ahead of the 2023/24 season.
The 33-year-old forward who can also play in the back-row, will join Tigers from Ulster Rugby.
Carter was born in Tamworth, Australia, and represented Sydney University before signing his first professional rugby contract with the ACT Brumbies in 2010.
He made his Super Rugby debut in 2011 and went on to make more than 120 appearances for the Canberra-based side during the next nine seasons, including the last two as captain.
In 2014, Carter made his Test debut for the Wallabies. He moved to Ulster ahead of the 2019/20 northern hemisphere season and, has since, made 58 appearances for the Irish club including captaining the Belfast-based side.
Springbok prop swaps Sharks for Sharks
Sale Sharks have confirmed that Springbok prop Coenie Oosthuizen will leave the club to return to South African to join Cell C Sharks.
The 34-year-old South African international, who can play on either side of the scrum, arrived in Manchester in May 2019 from the Durban-based Super Rugby side.
He’s gone on to make 94 appearances for Sale, including 16 this season as Alex Sanderson’s men reached their first Premiership final in 17 years.
Oosthuizen made his debut for the Springboks in 2012 and has since won 30 international caps.
Tongan international sends heartfelt message to Exeter Chiefs fans as he reunites with new Leicester coach
Tongan international centre Solomone Kata will swap Exeter Chiefs for Leicester Tigers next season his new club have officially confirmed.
Kata said: “Just want to take this time to say thanks to the Exeter Chiefs for giving me the opportunity to experience my first Premiership Rugby season. I have enjoyed a lot playing for this amazing team and I am grateful to have come across some amazing coaches, staff and the lads.
“I also cannot forget the fans and appreciate all the support you have given me and my family, it’s been an experience I will never forget.”
He added: “With Dan joining, it is very exciting to work with him again. I started my rugby career under him at the Brumbies and can’t wait to be coached by him again.
“I love the Premiership and the physicality of this competition. It is the kind of games I want to be involved in; taking on your opposition, man to man, and the way the crowds love that physicality.”
Northampton Saints looking to replace late-leaving Wallabies lock
Northampton Saints have Wallabies confirmed lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto will depart the club with immediate effect to return to Australia.
The 26-year-old second row joined the men in Black, Green and Gold ahead of the 2022/23 season from Queensland Reds.
Salakaia-Loto made 24 appearances in total for Saints, scoring twice against Bristol Bears and Harlequins, both at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens.
Discussing whether the club is now in the market for a replacement, Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson said: "Yeah. You look at the timing of it and it's not been a long term thing we've been aware of.
"We've been digging around and looking at different options, and of course it's a difficult time of year to do that.
"But no doubt we'll get somebody into the squad that we think is capable of making us a real force."
Saracens lock makes Coventry switch
Second-row forward Obinna Nkwocha will join Coventry Rugby from Premiership finalists Saracens ahead of the 2023/24 season his new club have confirmed.
The 20-year-old Saracens Academy product appeared in the Premiership Rugby Cup in addition to making loan appearances at Bedford and Ampthill during the course of last season but will now move to the Coventry club looking for more regular first team rugby.
Northampton add pair of tighthead props
Northampton Saints have confirmed the signings of props Elliot Millar Mills and Beltus Nonleh ahead of the 2023/24 season.
Millar Mills, 30, arrives at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens after spells with United Rugby Championship side Edinburgh Rugby and Gallagher Premiership rivals Bath Rugby last season, having started the campaign with Wasps before the club went into administration.
The 121kg tighthead joined Wasps in the summer of 2021 and made 21 appearances in all competitions, having previously turned out 44 times for Ealing Trailfinders in three seasons in the Championship – winning the Championship Cup with the West London outfit in 2019.
Meanwhile, Nonleh joins Saints from Sedgley Park having been one of the standout performers this term as the Tigers romped to the National League Two North title.
The 22-year-old tighthead – who moved to the UK from Cameroon in 2008 – begun his rugby career at Rochdale and represented both Lancashire and North of England at age group level before stepping up the ladder to Sedgley Park, and Nonleh was named National League Two North tighthead of the season for the 2022/23 campaign.
15 players depart Falcons
Newcastle Falcons have confirmed the players who are leaving this summer as the club looks ahead to the 2023-24 season.
A total of 15 first-team squad members depart with the thanks and best wishes of the club, with ten new signings already announced.
The players leaving Kingston Park this summer are Conrad Cade, Connor Collett, Matthew Dalton, Carl Fearns, Gary Graham, Conor Kenny, Pete Lucock, Tom Marshall, Logovi’i Mulipola, Cameron Nordli-Kelemeti, Greg Peterson, Sean Robinson, Alex Tait, Will Welch and Michael Young.
Double centurions Tait and Welch have already announced their intention to pursue a career in finance after retiring from the game.
Saints part company with former Exeter Chiefs prop
Alfie Petch has left Northampton after one season at Franklin’s Gardens in which he made 21 appearances, the club have confirmed.
The 22-year-old previously represented England Under-20s during the 2018/19 season while in Exeter’s academy, and played 23 times on-loan for Cornish Pirates in 2021/22.
Leicester Tigers winger departs for Australia
Leicester Tigers have confirmed that Harry Potter will leave the club in the summer.
The 25-year-old will leave after mutual agreement between the player and club for an early release from his contract to return to Australia.
Potter played for Sydney University, the NSW Country Eagles and Melbourne Rising in Australia’s National Rugby Championship before joining the Melbourne Rebels in 2019.
The outside back joined Tigers in the summer of 2020 and made 67 appearances after debuting in August 2020.
Potter started the 2022/23 Gallagher Premiership Final victory over Saracens.
Springbok scrum half re-signs for Saracens
Saracens have confirmed that Ivan van Zyl has signed a new two-year deal with the club.
The scrum-half has taken the Gallagher Premiership by storm this season and has made himself a crucial part of the backline in the number nine shirt.
The South African, who has six caps for his country won the prestigious Players’ Player of the Season Award this year after a string of electric performances which have had a huge impact on the attacking brand of rugby.
His quick tap try in the semi-final against Northampton Saints showed his quality, and he recently brought up a half century of appearances for the club in the Heineken Champions Cup Quarter Final against La Rochelle.
Sale Sharks sign South African forward on three-year deal
Former junior Springbok captain Ernst van Rhyn will join Sale Sharks for the 2023/24 season on a three-year deal the club have confirmed.
The 25-year-old, who can play in the second-row or back-row. He stands at 6’3” and weighs more than 18 stone, plays for the Cape Town-based Stormers and Western Province.
Irish prop leaves Franklin's Gardens
Prop Oisin Heffernan has left Northampton Saints the club have confirmed
Heffernan initially joined Saints in February 2021 from Championship outfit Nottingham Rugby, and made seven first-team appearances in Black, Green and Gold.
The English-qualified prop came through the Leinster Rugby Schools setup, making three appearances in the Pro14 for the senior side and 20 appearances for Ireland’s Under-20s across the Six Nations and Junior World Championship competitions.
A long-term hamstring injury limited his appearances for Saints during the 2021/22 season, but he did come off the bench in the Gallagher Premiership semi-final defeat to Leicester Tigers, and he played three matches last term in the Premiership Rugby Cup competition before a loan move to Newcastle Falcons towards the end of the campaign.
