ALL THE INS AND OUTS IN THE URC TO DATE...
THE maiden season of the United Rugby Championship is almost over and, for all but the four teams still in contention to win the title, thoughts are already focused on next season.
Dwayne Peel has had the Scarlets players in doing some end-of-season fitness work before they can go off on their breaks, while it’s likely other clubs and coaches will have their own plans for getting ready for next term. One of the areas that is largely settled ahead of next year is recruitment.
While it’s not been the easiest time for signing players, particularly for the four Welsh sides as uncertainty has reigned over playing budgets for next season, the vast majority of deals have likely already been done. For some, such as the regions, trimming down squads has been the priority.
Few have added more than they’ve released. But some upheavals have been bigger than others. Here’s every deal done so far ahead of the 2022/23 URC season...
BENETTON INS:
Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Exeter Chiefs), Alessandro Garbisi (Mogliano), Giacomo Nicotera (Rovigo Delta), Giacomo Da Re (Rovigo Delta), Filippo Drago (Mogliano), Matteo Drudi (Mogliano), Scott Scrafton (Hurricanes), Onisi Ratave (Fijian Drua)
OUTS:
Callum Braley (Northampton Saints), Hame Faiva (Worcester Warriors), Irne Herbst (Harlequins), Joey Caputo (Mogliano), Yaree Fantini (Mogliano), Tomas Baravalle (released), Tommy Bell (released), Tommaso Benvenuti (released), Luca Petrozzi (released), Luca Sperandio (released)
BULLS INS:
Phumzile Maqondwana (Pumas), Sbu Nkosi (Sharks)
OUTS:
Madosh Tambwe (Bordeaux), Sintu Manjezi (Glasgow Warriors)
CARDIFF INS:
Taulupe Faletau (Bath), Thomas Young (Wasps), Liam Williams (Scarlets), Lopeti Timani (Toulon) OUTS:
Hallam Amos (retired), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Wasps), Iestyn Harris (Exeter Chiefs), Scott Andrews (retired), Rhys Gill (retired), Alun Lawrence (Jersey Reds), Luke Scully (released), Will Boyde (released), Jason Tovey (retired), Garyn Smith (Cornish Pirates), Lewis Jones (Dragons)
CONNACHT INS:
Josh Murphy (Leinster), Peter Dooley (Leinster), Adam Byrne (Leinster), Shamus Hurley-Langton (Manawatu), Byron Ralston (Western Force), David Hawkshaw (Leinster)
OUTS:
Sammy Arnold (Brive), Ultan Dillane (La Rochelle), Abraham Papali’i (Brive), Tietie Tuimauga (Colomiers), Matt Healy (retired), Greg McGrath (released), Jonny Murphy (released), Ben O’Donnell (released), Dominic RobertsonMcCoy (released), Peter Sullivan (released), Peter Robb (released),
Eoghan Masterson (Aurillac)
DRAGONS INS:
Bradley Roberts (Ulster), JJ Hanrahan (Clermont), Rhodri Jones (Ospreys), Sean Lonsdale (Exeter Chiefs), Max Clark (Bath), George
Nott (London Irish), Sio Tomkinson (Highlanders), Angus O’Brien (Scarlets), Lewis Jones (Cardiff), Rob Evans (Scarlets)
OUTS:
Taylor Davies (returned to Scarlets after loan), Dan Babos (released), Mesake Doge (released), Harry Fry (released), Tom Griffiths (released), Jordan Olowofela (returned to Leicester Tigers after loan), Max Williams (released), Josh Lewis (Merthyr), Jonah Holmes (Ealing Trailfinders), Dan Baker (Aberavon), Owen Jenkins (released), Will TalbotDavies (Coventry), Greg Bateman (retired), Joe Maksymiw (Agen),
Evan Lloyd (Ebbw Vale), Carrick McDonough (Ebbw Vale), Adam Warren (Llandovery)
EDINBURGH INS:
Sam Skinner (Exeter Chiefs),
Jamie Jack (Ampthill), Wes Goosen (Hurricanes)
OUTS:
Ben Toolis (released), Magnus Bradbury (Bristol Bears), Nathan Chamberlain (released), Sam Grahamslaw (released), James Johnstone (released), Ramiro
Moyano (released)
GLASGOW WARRIORS INS:
JP du Preez (Sale Sharks), Sione Vailanu (Worcester Warriors), Huw Jones (Harlequins), Sintu Manjezi (Bulls)
OUTS:
Kiran McDonald (Wasps), Hamish Bain (released), Robbie Fergusson (released), Rob Harley (released), Tom Lambert (released), Ewan McQuillin (released), Grant Stewart (released), Ratu Tagive (released)
LEINSTER INS:
Jason Jenkins (Munster)
OUTS:
Josh Murphy (Connacht), Peter Dooley (Connacht), Jack Dunne (Exeter Chiefs), Rory O’Loughlin (Exeter Chiefs), Adam Byrne (Connacht), David Hawkshaw (Connacht), Devin Toner (retiring), Sean Cronin (retiring)
LIONS INS:
Marius Louw (Sharks)
OUTS:
Burger Odendaal (Wasps), Vincent Tshituka (Sharks), Carlu Sadie (Sharks), MJ Pelser (Zebre Parma) MUNSTER INS:
Malakai Fekitoa (Wasps), Chris Moore (University of Exeter), Antoine Frisch (Bristol Bears)
OUTS:
Declan Moore (Ulster), Jason Jenkins (Leinster), Matt Gallagher (Bath), Jake Flannery (Ulster), Chris Cloete (Bath), John Ryan (Wasps), Kevin O’Byrne (Ealing Trailfinders) OSPREYS INS:
Jack Walsh (Exeter Chiefs)
OUTS:
Rhodri Jones (Dragons), Lloyd Ashley (released), Josh Thomas (Newcastle Falcons), Ma?afu Fia (released), Callum Carson (released), Dewi Cross (released)
SCARLETS INS:
Vaea Fifita (Wasps)
OUTS:
Liam Williams (Cardiff), Angus O’Brien (Dragons), Steffan Hughes (released), Marc Jones (released),
Tomi Lewis (released), Tom Phillips (released), Tyler Morgan (released), Rob Evans (Dragons)
SHARKS INS:
Eben Etzebeth (Toulon), Rohan Janse van Rensburg (Sale Sharks), Nevaldo Fleurs (Maties), Vincent Tshituka (Lions), Carlu Sadie (Lions), Lionel Cronje (Toyota Verblitz)
OUTS:
Sbu Nkosi (Bulls), Marius Louw (Lions)
STORMERS INS:
Clayton Blommetjies (Free State Cheetahs), Joseph Dweba (Bordeaux) OUTS:
Warrick Gelant (Racing 92)
ULSTER INS:
Sean Reffell (Saracens), Declan Moore (Munster), Frank Bradshaw Ryan (Nevers), Shea O’Brien (Armagh), Jake Flannery (Munster), Jeffrey Toomaga-Allen (Wasps) OUTS:
Bradley Roberts (Dragons), Ross Kane (Ealing Trailfinders), Jack McGrath (released), Sean Reidy (released), Mick Kearney (retiring), David O’Connor (Ealing Trailfinders) ZEBRE INS:
Giampietro Ribaldi (Viadana),
Juan Pitinari (Noceto), Simone Gesi (Colorno), Guido Volpi (Doncaster Knights), Dennis Visser (Narbonne), Damiano Mazza (Calvisano), Ratko Jelic (Viadana), Jacques du Toit
(Bath), Alessio Sanavia (Valorugby Emilia), Muhamed Hasa (Petrarca), MJ Pelser (Lions), Davide Ruggeri (Rovigo Delta)
OUTS:
Oliviero Fabiani (Colorno), Asaeli Tuivuaka (Racing 92), Andrea Lovotti (Colorno), Giulio Bisegni (Colorno), Massimo Ceciliani (released), Gabriele Di Giulio (released), Guglielmo Palazzani (released), Jimmy Tuivaiti (released), Renato Giammarioli (Worcester Warriors), Maxime Mbanda (Colorno), Danilo Fischetti (London Irish), Eduardo Bello (Saracens)