Mills will be a boon for us, vows Sharks boss
RYAN Mills has become the latest former Wasps player to secure a new club.
The inside centre has put pen to paper on a short-term contract at Sale Sharks until the end of the 2022/23 season.
The versatile 30-year-old former Gloucester and Worcester Warriors back, who can also play at fly-half, joins Alex Sanderson’s squad immediately following his release from Wasps.
“Ryan has proven Premiership quality but injuries have held him back in the last couple of years,” said director of rugby Sanderson.
“He offers cover in an area where we are a bit short and we’re really looking forward to seeing what he can add to the squad for the rest of the season.
“Ryan’s looked sharp in training and he’s really impressed us with his leadership skills so far too, so I’m sure he’ll be a fantastic influence on some of the younger players we have at the club on and off the pitch.”
South African centre Burger Odendaal, who impressed in his first four games before Wasps’ demise, has also attracted the interest of Sale but is understood to be close to sealing a deal with a Japanese club.
Mills’ move follows ex-wasps team-mate Charlie Atkinson signing a long-term deal with Leicester Tigers while South African Nizaam Carr (Bulls) and Italian Matteo Minozzi (Benetton) headed back to their homelands for a return to rugby.
Earlier this week, second row Theo Vukasinovic joined Championship side Doncaster Knights for the rest of the 2022/23 season while yesterday the Wasps academy trio of James Tunney, Rob Hardwick and Tom Bacon committed their futures to second-tier side Ampthill. Reports also suggest fellow former academy stars back three livewire Immanuel Feyi-waboso and towering lock Alfie Bell are heading to Exeter Chiefs, who have added back row Greg Fisilau to their ranks. Academy graduate Alfie Barbeary is one of the biggest names yet to find a club after Wasps’ demise but reports claim Bath have won the race for his signature ahead of the 2022/23 season.
Jack Willis, who is away with England to prepare for the autumn internatinals, despite being ‘unattached,’ has been linked with moves to Leicester Tigers, Bristol Bears and more recently, Toulouse and Northampton Saints.
Northampton yesterday allowed fly-half Dan Biggar to leave with immediate effect. However, the Welshman’s departure will not free up money to potentially sign Willis as he was a marquee player whose wages fell outside of the salary cap.
The Coventry Telegraph understands rumours that Joe Launchbury had been offered a low-price deal at Leicester Tigers are not correct and the former captain is understood to be pondering a lucrative short-term move abroad.
Paolo Odogwu and Vincent Koch (both Stade Francais), Biyi Alo (Racing 92) and Cameron Dodson (Stade Aurillacois Cantal Auvergne) have all found homes in France, and the Coventry Telegraph understands that Gabriel Oghre could end up in the Top 14 too.
Ryan’s looked sharp in training and he’s really impressed us with his leadership skills so far too. Alex Sanderson