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From Genge to Cloete: Five of the best 2022/23 Premiership signings
The new Gallagher Premiership season kicks off with a tough act to follow after Leicester’s gripping title triumph last term. The Tigers took Premiership silverware for the first time since 2013, courtesy of Freddie Burns’ late drop-goal that sunk Saracens at Twickenham. Here, the PA news agency identifies five players – including Ellis Genge – to watch as the Premiership competition prepares for action.
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Ellis Genge (Bristol)
Powerful prop Genge was arguably English rugby’s player of the season last term, delivering sustained excellence for club and country. He captained Leicester to the Premiership title in his final campaign with the Tigers before joining home-town club Bristol.
An individual who drives standards on and off the pitch, Genge’s arrival at Ashton Gate is likely to spearhead an upturn in form and results after the west country club finished tenth last season, with only Worcester, Newcastle and Bath below them. The 27-year-old looks poised for another huge campaign.
Anthony Watson (Leicester)
England star Watson is due a considerable change of fortune after suffering more than his fair share of serious injuries. The 28-year-old recently returned to action for his new club Leicester during Tigers’ pre-season schedule, having been sidelined for ten months because of a serious knee problem.
Watson had previously been affected by achilles’ issues, but class is permanent, and the prospect of him lining up in a Leicester back-three alongside the likes of England full-back Freddie Steward is a mouthwatering one for Tigers fans.
Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester)
Gloucester provided one of the feel-good stories of last season as head coach George Skivington continued making considerable strides with a squad that finished just two points outside the play-off places. Skivington has made just one new signing – London Irish number eight Albert Tuisue – and there can be little doubt that Gloucester’s pack will be a match for most.
They also possess the backs to cause damage, with no one more dangerous than Wales wing Rees-Zammit. He excelled during his country’s summer tour of South Africa and is a try-scoring machine.
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George Ford (Sale)
It will be a while before Sale fans see their new high-profile signing in action due to Ford suffering an achilles injury during Leicester’s Premiership final victory over Saracens in June. The latest estimates are that he will not be back until December but when Ford does return to action, the influential fly-half has every attribute required to help make Sale title playoff contenders.
Ford will also renew a midfield partnership with his former Tigers teammate Manu Tuilagi and when Ford’s goalkicking prowess is added to the mix, he is a signing that Sharks rightly have huge expectations of.
Chris Cloete (Bath)
When former Munster boss Johann van Graan was announced as Bath’s new head of rugby, speculation quickly rose as to which players might follow him across the Irish Sea. South African flanker Cloete has done exactly that, leaving Limerick for a first stint in the Premiership and he is set to be a key ingredient in Bath’s back row mix.
A powerful ball-carrier and renowned expert at the breakdown, Cloete could prove a huge asset for van Graan as he sets about rebuilding a club that finished bottom of the table last term.
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Comments on RugbyPass
I guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
43 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
4 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
43 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
42 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
42 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
42 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
43 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
4 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
6 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
2 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
6 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
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