Russian prop, 33, to make move to Cherry & Whites
» GLOUCESTER Rugby have confirmed the signing of Russian international prop Kirill Gotovtsev.
The tighthead prop will join the Cherry and Whites for the 2021-22 season from Russian club Krasny Yar Krasnoyarsk.
He will bring international experience with him after representing his country at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan and again in the recent Rugby Europe Championship.
Before taking up rugby, the 33-year-old was a talented freestyle wrestler, winning a bronze medal at the 2010 Russian Championships.
Cherry and Whites chief operating officer, Alex Brown said: “Kirill has been a consistent performer for Russia over the last few years.
“He’s an extremely powerful scrummager, and dominant ball carrier and he will add to our resources in the front row.
“We’re really excited to see Kirill in Cherry and White next season, and we’re confident that he will be a great fit at Kingsholm.”
Krill looks to be the first of a couple new additions expected at Kingsholm ahead of the 2021/22 season.
A couple of weeks ago, Brown said: “We have still got a bit more to do in terms of recruitment.
“We are looking for a squad of 40 plus players.
“We will be adding a few more. “We are just at the negotiations stage and finding out exactly who is available but it is coming to that stage of the season where these decisions are made and hopefully we will have some announcements to make fairly shortly.”