Leicester statement: 4 more signings, including two from London Irish
New Leicester boss Dan McKellar has added four more signings to his squad for the upcoming 2023/24 season, including two additions from the financially collapsed London Irish. The Exiles squad – which finished fifth in last season’s Gallagher Premiership, four points behind the third-place Tigers – have seen their squad break up since the club’s early June RFU suspension and fall into administration.
The two latest players to secure employment elsewhere are skipper Matt Rogerson and scrum-half Joe Powell. Leicester have also signed out-half Kieran Wilkinson from Sale while the versatile forward Mike Williams has returned to the club following stints with Bath and Exeter.
These signings bring to 11 the number of new players joining Leicester – the seven additions previously announced were Josh Bassett, Sam Carter, Ollie Hassell-Collins, Kyle Hatherell, Solomone Kata, Jamie Shillcock and Finn Theobald-Thomas.
A statement read: “Leicester Tigers head coach Dan McKellar has confirmed four additions ahead of the 23/24 season. Included within the quartet of signings is a returning Tiger, who made more than 80 appearances for Leicester in four seasons at the club, and an international scrum-half who previously worked with McKellar down under.
“The four additions are: Joe Powell (scrum-half), Matt Rogerson (back row), Kieran Wilkinson (fly-half) and Mike Williams (lock/back row).
“The 29-year-old Powell makes the move to the East Midlands after a season with London Irish, who he joined after eight years of Super Rugby. Back-rower Rogerson makes the move to Tigers from London Irish, who he made more than 100 appearances for during five seasons – including the final two as club captain.
“Fly-half Wilkinson made 22 appearances for Sale in all competitions since his senior debut in 2018. And 31-year-old forward Williams returns to Tigers, where he made more than 80 appearances during four seasons with the club, after stints with Bath and Exeter. Williams, who is capable of playing at lock and across the back row, played his junior rugby with the Sharks and Blue Bulls in South Africa before joining Worcester in 2013.”
McKellar said: “Joe is an experienced scrum-half who has played at the highest level in the game and I am really excited about having him join us at Leicester Tigers. I have spoken openly about the type of players we want at Tigers, the type of character I want in the group and a young man of Joe’s qualities on and off the pitch fits well and truly within that.
“It’s no secret we are likely to be without Jack (van Poortvliet) and Ben (Youngs) during the World Cup, so certainly in need of depth at scrum-half and I am pleased we have been able to add that with the quality of Joe.
“It is great to be welcoming a player of Matt’s experience and character to Leicester. He is a tried and tested player in the Premiership and adds important depth and competition to our back row ranks.
“You don’t play a century of games in this league without a certain level of toughness and commitment, as well as plenty of talent, and Matt has shown that over a number of years now.
“His class and character have shone through in recent times when captain of London Irish to lead his playing group through such a tumultuous period and it is that type of person we want representing Leicester.
“It is great to be able to confirm Kieran’s signing with the club from next season, which will see him boost our fly-half ranks alongside Charlie Atkinson and Handre Pollard. While still very much a young man, Kieran has already got a great amount of senior experience in the English game and is a player with potential.
“We are confident that he will be able to take his game to the next level as part of Leicester and looking forward to helping him continue to develop his game.
“We are excited to have Mike back at Leicester. He is a physical player with a combative approach to the game and enjoys the tough stuff – all the attributes we want in our forwards at this club. I am certain our supporters are pleased to see a man of Mike’s character back at the club also.
“He understands what it means to be able to represent Leicester, our role in the community and is as passionate as ever about being a part of that again.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Etzebeth went on to say: “I would never dream of saying that systems stay in place following a change in captain. To say that would be deeply, deeply, disrespectful of Siya. A while back an Irish person told me they would be fine without Sexton, so I’m just responding to that.”
3 Go to commentsClose games are what we want to see…. What a match it was…. I am sure that everyone was drained by the end of it. The reality of it all there has to be a winner and a loser. The fact that we still talking about it is almost 6 months to the day Rugby is the winner.. Asante sana… Here is to 2027 and what it will bring out.
181 Go to commentsIt’s going to be a good game. COYQ
1 Go to comments“Shock”, the guy was casually saying he was just slightly surprised. Nowadays if you say anything it gets taken completely out of context. Calm down everyone.
155 Go to commentsAll I can say after reading this bitter, sour, sad piece is… Thank you very much! This will be read in the change room just before kick off on 31 August…
181 Go to commentsLook, we know contradicting opinions and wacky comments bring readers and clicks, so well done to RP for allowing always-wrong-Ben to say something here. However RP needs to put a disclaimer next to his comments for their own credibility. NZ was and is incapable of acknowledging their opp beating them. They refused so with Ire and with Arg in 2022 and also the Boks in 2023 x 2. Nothing Ben says here holds water, NZ attacked backwards, except when Kolisi and Kolbe was off And cyncialy took out Bongi, we played without lineouts for 75mins. Kolisi and Kurt-Lee almost scored twice. Thats 3 vs 2 for Boks, but the Boks opportunities was legal. Boks should have been 16-3 up by half time. Tacticaly the Boks attacked better defended better scrummed better (without a hooker) kicked better and crossed the whitewash more times. Boks beat Fr Eng Nz to win in 23, comeon give some credit at least. Even Federer Verstappen NY Mets, Mamoa, was able to see a great human sport achievement by the Boks and their DNA Boks #RWC27 !🏉
181 Go to commentsForget the 85kg bit, that can become something else. However I do like the one off test on ANZAC day idea. SR plays Fri/ Sat, test players travel Sunday and the squads have the full week together before playing Saturday. Rest of SR has a week off. Either involve women's teams in same location or in the other country and rotate annually. Herbert is right in that change is needed.
3 Go to commentsI’ve read loads of nonsense before but this article takes the cake. Or perhaps someone changed the date for April Fool's Day.
3 Go to commentsReally Rugbypass? Ben Smith I think you forgot what the Springboks did to the All Blacks at Twickenham 8 weeks earlier? Springboks 35 All Blacks 7. There is alot of ifs and buts in your article. The All Blacks threw the sink at the Springboks and unfortunately they were not good enough regardless if they played with 14 men or not. It was the Springboks who forced the All Blacks to make mistakes! Sorry but not Sorry the Springboks is the best ever Rugby World Cup Nation in the world. 4 Cups baby!
181 Go to commentsYou just backed the Boks with that fantastic review! Well done! Have some cake!
181 Go to commentsBen Smith please write up something better than this. The Springboks would have won the world cup if you were 15 men on the field. They would have found a way, they always find a way to beat the All Blacks.
181 Go to commentsWow, there is a lot of “could have” and “ should have” in this waist of time dribble. I love the desperation in this story to search for a glimpse at a silver lining. Here are the facts, NZ was a badly coached and undisciplined shadow of their former glory. They never took the lead in a game they were never going to win.
181 Go to commentsGOTTA MAKE ‘THE GEORGE’ HAPPEN!!!! That’s a great idea! A trans Tasman midget battle on ANZAC Day. I don’t think the ABs Wallabies game should be a one off winner takes all though, just the first match with the other two later in the year with the RC. Reason being, no one will ever shut up about how aussies couldn’t win it when it was a 3 match series.
3 Go to comments@Ben smith. Thats knock out rugby. So honeslty who cares?
181 Go to commentsIt will interesting to know which Irish players said that…
2 Go to commentsNaaaww boys will be boys! Now run along ya wee scamp! Don’t let us catch you at again😏
1 Go to commentsGreat to have Ethan Blackadder back in the Crusaders in the last few weeks. One of the best all round loose forwards around. He played so well last week against the Rebels. Fantastic attitude Ethan has and his comments are spot on.
2 Go to commentsThe author is 100% right. The Springboks know that they don't have near the natural attraction, mana, skill and mystic the All Blacks have. So, Chasing the sun 1 & 2 was concocted to overblow the Boks image on the back of a corruptly obtained “win". It's marketing ploy to force the Boks delusion as the World's Best. I guess World Rugby is also not to be believed when it came out with an apology about how the final was officiated. And if the 2023 final such a superb game by the Boks, then the Boks crying about Referee Bryce Lawrence for decades is also deserves a laugh. Chase the sun and get burned like a moth. A very well written literary piece that tore the Boks and Chasing the sun farce to shreds. 🖤All Blacks🏉
181 Go to commentsI’d say France was far more hard done by in the 2011 final than the All Blacks in this game. Joubert simply refused to call a penalty against the All Blacks in the last quarter even directing an All Black to drop a ball he picked up in an offside position rather than penalizing him. This article also totally discounts the efforts of PSTD. Ask Jordie how well he played. Or the backup flank who played hooker for the entire game. Siya was also a brilliant tackle by Richie from scoring a blinder. Pollard was also fantastic. Look I don’t like the boks style but the only thing more questionable than the content of this article is the timing of it. Get over it already
181 Go to commentsDad Marty was also a handy rugby player for Linwood back in the day. Great bloke. Sensational softball career.
2 Go to comments