Rugby Transfers ahead of 2018/19 season of Gallagher Premiership

As the 2018/19 season of Gallagher Premiership kicks-off on 31st August, we take a look at the transfers made by clubs.

Bath Rugby

Last Premiership Title victory:

They are second in the list of most Premiership title wins but their last triumph came way back in 1995/96 season.

Performance in previous season:

Todd Blackadder's men managed a sixth-place finish in the 2017/18 season with 11 apiece of wins and defeats from 22 games.

Players signed in:

Bath have managed to draft in Wales international Jamie Roberts from rivals Harlequins while David Attwood has returned back to the Recreation Ground after a loan stint with Toulon. The other players to join the club ahead of the new season are Jackson Willison (Worcester Warriors), Lucas Noguera Paz (Argentina Jaguares), Victor Delmas (Colomiers), Ruaridh McConnochie (England Sevens), Will Chudley (Exeter Chiefs), Guy Mercer (Ospreys loan return), Joe Cokanasiga (London Irish), Alex Davies Yorkshire Carnegie)

Players leaving the club:

The biggest setback has been the departure of England international Matt Banahan to Gloucester after spending 12 years with the club. The other departures include Josh Lewis (Dragons), Ben Tapuai, Nic Auterac (Harlequins), Nathan Charles (Melbourne Rebels), Rory Jennings (London Scottish), Will Homer (Jersey Reds), Kane Palma-Newport (Colomiers), Shaun Knight (Rouen), Jeff Williams (released)

Bristol Bears:

Last Premiership Title victory:

None. They have been in the Premiership 21 seasons and have relegated four times. However, they will be delighted to return back to the top tier for the 2018/19 season and hope for a change of fortune.

Performance in previous season:

The Ashton Gate outfit had a successful 2017/18 season of RFU Championship where they topped the league and earned a promotion after winning 21 out of the 22 games played.

Players signed in:

Their biggest signing for the new season has to be undoubtedly Charles Piutau from Ulster. Other signings include John Afoa (Gloucester), Shaun Malton (Exeter Chiefs), Nic Stirzaker (Melbourne Rebels), Yann Thomas (Rouen), Aly Muldowney (Grenoble), Tiff Eden (Nottingham), Harry Thacker (Leicester Tigers), Jake Heenen (Connacht), Jordan Lay (Edinburgh), Ollie Dawe (Academy), Tom Lindsay (Bedford Blues), Jake Armstrong, Tom Pinchs, Jake Woolmore (all Jersey Reds), Lewis Thiede, Piers O'Connor, Luke Daniels (all Ealing Trailfinders), Harry Randall (Gloucester), Ed Holmes (Exeter Chiefs), James Lay (Bay of Plenty), George Smith (Queensland Reds)

Players leaving the club:

Jordan Williams, Ryan Bevington and Rhodri Williams (all Dragons), Olly Robinson (Cardiff Blues), Max Crumpton (Harlequins), Jack O'Connell (Ealing Trailfinders), Tyler Gendall (Cornish Pirates), Billy Searle (Wasps), Soane Tonga'uiha (Ampthill), Giorgi Nemsadze (Ospreys), Gaston Cortes (Leicester Tigers), Jack Wallace (Richmond), Dan Tuohy (Vannes), Ross McMillan, David Lemi, Jason Harris-Wright, Thretton Palamo, Alex Giltrow, Ryan Glynn, Ben Gompels, Jordan Liney, James Newey (all released)

Exeter Chiefs:

Last Premiership Title victory:

The last three seasons have been very productive for Exeter Chiefs as they reached the finals on all the three occasions but the decisive moment came in the 2016/17 season where they defeated Wasps to clinch their maiden Aviva Premiership title.

Performance in previous season:

They had a highly successful league stage where they finished at the top and defeated Newcastle Falcons 36-5 in the semi-final. However, their dream of winning the second consecutive title was put off by Saracens as they sealed a 10-27 win in the final.

Players signed in:

Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Santiago Cordero (Jaguares)

Players leaving the club:

Kai Horstmann, Julian Salvi, Lachlan Turner (retired), Ed Holmes and Shaun Malton (both Bristol Bears), Thomas Waldrom (Wellington Lions), Will Chudley (Bath)

Gloucester Rugby:

Last Premiership Title victory:

They haven't managed to win a single Premiership in the 32 seasons they have been part of.

Performance in previous season:

The 2017/18 season saw them win 11 and lose 10 games in the 22 matches as they finished seventh in the table.

Players signed in:

Matt Banahan (Bath), Franco Marais (Sharks), Jaco Kriel, Franco Monstert and Ruan Dreyer (all Lions), Danny Cipriani (Wasps), Gerbrandt Grobler (Munster), Todd Greave (London Irish).

Players leaving the club:

Ross Moriarty, Richard Hibbard (Dragons), John Afoa, Harry Randall (Bristol Bears), Matt Scott (Edinburgh), Cameron Orr, Jeremy Thursh (Western Force), Andy Symons (Northampton Saints), Tom Denton (Ealing Trailfinders), David Halaifonua (Coventry) , Charlie Beckett (Jersey Reds), Ed Bogue (Cinderford), Motu Matu'u (London Irish), Elliott Creed (Doncaster Knights), Jacob Rowan, Alfie North, Carwyn Penny, Mason Tonks (all released)

Harlequins:

Last Premiership Title victory:

A title victory in 2011/12 season remains their solitary triumph in the 31 seasons they have been part of the top tier.

Performance in previous season:

A disappointing 2017/18 season saw them win just seven games from 22 games as they finished 10th in the table.

Players signing in:

Nathan Earle (Saracens), Max Crumpton (Bristol Bears), Alex Dombrandt (Cardiff Met Uni), Ben Tapuai, Nick Auterac (Bath), Matt Symons (Wasps)

Players leaving the club:

Jamie Roberts (Bath), Winston Stanley, Adam Jones (retired), Harry Sloan (Ealing Trailfinders), Sam Aspland-Robinson (Leicester Tigers), Charlie Matthews (Wasps), Cameron Holenstein (Jersey Reds)

Leicester Tigers:

Last Premiership Title victory:

The best team in the history of the Premiership as they have clinched the title 10 times - the most for any team.

Performance in previous season:

The last season saw them miss out on the play-off for the first time in 14 years as they narrowly lost the fourth place to Newcastle Falcons.

Players signing in:

Guy Thompson (Wasps), Will Spencer, David Denton (Worcester Warriors), James Voss (Jersey Reds), Sam Aspland-Robinson (Harlequins), Jimmy Stevens (Nottingham), Gaston Cortes (Bristol Bears).

Players leaving the club:

Harry Thacker (Bristol Bears), Dominic Barrow (Northampton Saints), Ben Betts (Ealing Trailfinders), Logovi'i Mulipola, George McGuigan (Newcastle Falcons), Joe Maksymiw (Connacht), Nick Malouf (Australian Sevens), George Catchpole (retired), Michele Rizzo (Petarca), Luke Hamilton (Edinburgh)

Newcastle Falcons:

Last Premiership Title victory:

Newcastle Falcons clinched the title only once during the 1997/98 season in 22 attempts.

Performance in previous season:

An impressive 2017/18 season saw them reach the play-offs before losing to Exeter Chiefs in the play-off.

Players signing in:

Guy Graham (Hawick), Tom Arscott (Rouen), Logovi'i Mulipola, George McGuigan (Leicester Tigers), Johnny Williams (London Irish), Connor Collett (North Harbour), Josh Basham (London Irish), Nemani Nagusa (Aurillac)

Players leaving the club:

Juan Pablo Socino (Edinburgh), Harrison Orr (Western Force), DTH van der Merwe (Glasgow), Belisario Agulla (Hindu Club), Craig Willis (Ealing Trailfinders), Jake Ilnicki (Yorkshire), Rob Vickers, Ally Hogg and Scott Lawson (all retired), Nick Civetta (Doncaster Knights), Maxime Mermoz (Toulouse), Nili Latu (Hino Red Dophins), Evan Olmstead (released)

Northampton Saints:

Last Premiership Title victory:

Like Newcastle Falcons they won the title just once during the 2013/14 season.

Performance in previous season:

The Saints had a struggling 2017/18 season where they managed just eight wins from 22 games and managed a ninth place finish.

Players signing in:

Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Taqele Naiyaravoro (NSW Waratahs), Will Davis (Ealing Trailfinders), Ben Franks (London Irish), Dominic Barrow (Leicester), Andy Symons (Gloucester), James Haskell (Wasps), Matt Worley (Racing 92), Charlie Davies (Dragons), Andrew Kellaway (NSW Waratahs)

Players leaving the club:

Sam Dickinson, Campese Ma'afu, Jordan Onojaife and Matt Beesley (Ealing Trailfinders), Nic Groom (Lions), Charlie Clare (Bedford Blues), Christian Day, Rob Horne (retired), George North (Ospreys), Ben Nutley , Tom Kessell (Coventry) , Stephen Myler, Tom Stephenson (London Irish), Kieran Brookes (Wasps) , Juan Pablo Estelles, Ben Foden, Jamie Elliott, Michael Paterson (all released)

Sale Sharks:

Last Premiership Title victory:

The 2005/06 season turned memorable for Sale Sharks and it remained the only time they managed to win the title.

Performance in previous season:

Sale Sharks had an eighth place finish in the previous season after winning 10 and losing 12 games.

Players signing in:

Chris Ashton (Toulon), Joe Jones (Perpignan), James Phillips (Bath), Rohan Janse van Rensburg (Lions)

Players leaving the club:

David Seymour (retired), Mike Haley (Munster), Josh Charnley (Warrington Wolves), Will Addison (Ulster), Halani Aulika (Grenoble)

Saracens:

Last Premiership Title victory:

They have been dominant in the last eight seasons where they managed to win four titles including the 2017/18 season when they defeated Exeter Chiefs in the final.

Players signing in:

Alex Lewington and Tom Woolstencroft (London Irish), David Strettle (Clermont)

Players leaving the club:

Schalk Brits and Chris Wyles (retired), Nathan Earle (Harlequins), Kieran Longbottom (Western Force), Danny Cutmore (Cornish Pirates), Mark Flanagan (Bedford Blues), Matt Hankin and Mike Ellery (released)

Wasps:

Last Premiership Title victory:

Wasps are joint second in most number of title wins with six triumphs in 32 seasons.

Performance in previous season:

They managed to finish third in league stage during the 2017/18 season but their campaign ended with a semi-final defeat to the eventual champions Saracens in the semi-final.

Players signing in:

Brad Shields (Hurricanes), Lima Sopoaga (Highlanders), Joe Atkinson (London Scottish), Michael Le Bourgeois (Bedford Blues), Ben Morris (Nottingham), Billy Searle (Bristol Bears), Ambrose Curtis (Manawatu), Charlie Matthews (Harlequins), Nizaam Carr (Stormers), Kieran Brookes (Northampton Saints), Zurabi Zhvania (Stade Francais)

Players leaving the club:

Marty Moore (Ulster) , Guy Thompson (Leicester Tigers), Sam Jones (retired), Guy Armitage (Ealing Trailfinders), Will Owen (Nottingham), Danny Cipriani (Gloucester), James Haskell (Northampton Saints), Matt Symons (Harlequins), Paul Doran Jones, Kyle Eastmond and Brendan Macken (all released)

Worcester Warriors:

Last Premiership Title victory:

They have no title wins in the 13 seasons of English Premiership.

Performance in previous season:

A tough season saw them finish 11th last season where they managed to avoid relegation with seven wins from 22 games.

Players signing in:

` Callum Black (Ulster), Ashley Beck (Ospreys), Cornell du Preez (Edinburgh), Michael Heaney (Doncaster Knights), Isaac Miller (London Scottish), Scott van Breda (Jersey Reds), Jono Lance (Queensland Reds), Francois Venter (Cheetahs), Michael Fatialofa (Hurricanes), Duncan Weir (Edinburgh)

Players leaving the club:

Donncha O'Callaghan (retired), Huw Taylor (Dragons), Jackson Willison (Bath), Will Spencer, David Denton (Leicester Tigers), Sam Olver, Andrew Durutalo (Ealing Trailfinders), Biyi Alo (Angouleme), Michael Dowsett (Canon Eagles), Ben Howard (England Sevens), Kurt Haupt (SWD Eagles), Grayson Hart (London Scottish), Max Stelling (Hino Red Dolphins), Peter Stringer, Tom Heathcote (retired)