Fissler Confidential: Newcastle Red Bulls line up next signing

Newcastle Red Bulls are closing in on another signing, and Steve Diamond has fixed his sights on the Bulls’ fly-half, Boeta Chamberlain, to strengthen his squad and provide competition for Ethan Grayson.

The former Junior Springbok, 26, started his career with a 55-game stint at the Sharks before switching to the Bulls two years ago, where he has made 11 appearances and scored two tries.

Chamberlain, who can also play at full-back and was educated at Paarl Boys’ High School on the Western Cape, has started following Newcastle on Instagram and would be another smart bit of business from ace recruiter Diamond.

PREM Rugby and Top 14 clubs are starting to sniff around Wales scrum-half Tomos Williams, who has just entered the final season of his contract with Gloucester, who will have to dig deep to keep him at Kingsholm beyond this season.

Williams, 30, joined the Cherry & Whites on a two-year deal from Cardiff and brilliant form not only earned him a place on the Lions tour of Australia this summer but saw him crowned Premiership Rugby Player of the Season.

He played against Argentina in Dublin before suffering a tour-ending hamstring injury against the Western Force, and it has been reported that they may have to make him one of the club’s top earners to ward off interest.

Former England No. 8 Billy Vunipola has agreed a one-year extension to his contract with Top 14 outfit Montpellier, with his original agreement set to run out at the end of the forthcoming season.

The former Wasps and Saracens forward made 27 appearances for Montpellier in his first campaign following his move from North London, but Midi Olympique are reporting that he recently reached an agreement on an extension.

Vunipola, 32, who won 74 England caps, will now be at the GGL Stadium until the end of the 2026-2027 campaign, when he will be approaching his 35th birthday.

Ealing Trailfinders have made a move for inside centre Rory Scannell to further strengthen the connection between the Trailfinders Sports Ground and United Rugby Championship Munster.

Scannell, 31, who has won three Ireland caps, has over 200 appearances for Munster to his name, with 146 starts and 24 tries, playing 13 games for the Red Army last season, but is now on his way to West London.

Former Munster full-back David Johnston is now an assistant coach with the Trailfinders, while Scott Buckley, Patrick Campbell and Conor Oliver have played for the Province before moving to the Championship title favourites.

Energy drinks giant Red Bull aren’t the only one making their mark in Newcastle this week; it would seem that Amanaki Mafi is already proving to be a massive hit following his move from Japanese side Canon Eagles.

Long-serving Red Bulls media manager Mark Smith revealed on X that a busload of Japanese tourists pitched up at Kingston Park earlier this week to meet the star who boss Steve Diamond is tipping to take PREM Rugby by storm.

“I tried to sign him three times at Sale, and I’ve finally got hold of him. He will be a revelation in this competition five metres out off the back of the scrum,” he told a media call.

The Stormers are believed to be closing in on a deal to secure the services of long-serving head coach John Dobson on a contract until the middle of 2029, according to sources close to the United Rugby Championship outfit.

Dobson, who has been in charge of the Stormers since 2019, says that he had opportunities to coach elsewhere after winning the URC title, and claims that when the franchise fires him, that will likely be the end of his coaching career.

“When the Stormers fire me, I’m done in coaching. Panasonic v Mitsubishi would mean nothing to me,” he told The Guardian, but it would appear that the prospect of him leaving isn’t happening any time soon.

Zebre have added another Argentinian to their squad for next season after lock Franco Carrera became the eighth new face to join them ahead of the new United Rugby Championship season.

Carrera, whose father was born in Italy, is the eighth Argentinian on the books of the Parma-based outfit and made his international debut for an Argentina XV against Brazil last month.

“They’re a growing team that had a great season. Furthermore, they’ve developed excellent players who are now part of our national team, like Gonzalo García and Gerónimo Prisciantelli,” he told the Parma Daily.

Former Exeter Chiefs centre Tom Hendrickson is set to continue his career after moving back to New Zealand to play for North Harbour in this season’s NPC.

Hendrickson, 30, who can play at outside centre or inside centre, was born in Nelson but moved to Cornwall with his family when he was five.

He has spent the last two years playing in Japan for the Hanazono Kintetsu Liners.

He started his career with the Chiefs, making nearly 100 appearances before moving to Japan and is joining the North Shore outfit on a short-term deal until the end of the NPC.

Uruguayan back row Manuel Ardao looks set for another season in America’s Major League Rugby after failing to land a gig in France next season despite being offered to clubs in the Pro D2 and Nationale.

Ardao, 26, who plays at No.8 or blindside, moved to the MLR following the World Cup in France and clocked up 26 appearances for the Miami Sharks, scoring ten tries, but was keen on a move to Europe.

He has made 25 appearances for his country and will return to his former club, Club Atlético Peñarol, where he spent four years, unless he receives an offer from an American team.

Chilean utility back Santiago Videla is looking for another Major League Rugby club after Miami Sharks announced that they are withdrawing from the competition.

Videla, who played three games for his country at the 2023 World Cup, spent two seasons in Miami, making 23 appearances and scoring four tries and 118 points.

The 27-year-old, who plays full-back, inside centre, fly-half and on either wing, spent four seasons playing for Selknam before moving to the United States.