Northampton-bound prop joins growing list of PREM Champ recruits

Northampton Saints have announced the signing of loose-head Lefty Zigiriadis ahead of the start of next season after they bought him out of the final year of his contract with runaway Champ Rugby leaders Ealing Trailfinders.

Fissler Confidential broke the news in January that Zigiriadis, who scored a try for Ealing in the Premiership Rugby Cup quarter-final at Franklin’s Gardens last season, was moving to the East Midlands next season.

Zigiriadis, who was born in Pretoria, moved to the UK to join the Trailfinders Rugby Academy and combined playing with studying Economics and Accounting at Brunel University, later completing a Master’s in Banking and Finance.

He made his Ealing debut in March 2023 in a 50-12 victory over Cornish Pirates and believes that he is now ready to take the next step in his career, testing himself in the Gallagher PREM for the first time.

“I came to the UK from South Africa with one clear goal in mind: to play rugby at the highest level. For me, there is no bigger club in England than Northampton to help me achieve that,” he said.

“The quality of the coaches here, the facilities, and the overall environment give me the perfect opportunity to put my best foot forward and keep developing as a player.

“Northampton have arguably the best group of props in the PREM, and I’m really excited to be around players like that every day. If you want to play at the top level, you have to learn from the best, and as a developing prop you honestly couldn’t ask for a better environment.

“My last experience at Franklin’s Gardens really stayed with me. When I played here last season, the atmosphere, the noise from the supporters, and the feeling around the stadium made a big impression on me.

“We also came back in preseason for a training day, and being around the Club again really sparked something and made me want it even more.

“I’ll always be grateful to Ealing for the opportunity they gave me, both academically and professionally. Without them, none of this would have been possible, and I’m fully focused on helping them finish top of the CHAMP this season.

“But I’m hugely excited about the challenge of the Gallagher PREM and can’t wait to get started next season,” said Zigiriadis.

Saints’ Director of Rugby, Phil Dowson, is looking forward to seeing what Zigiriadis can achieve in a Saints shirt when he arrives in July.

“Lefty is someone who has played a lot of rugby in the Championship and played very well, which caught our attention. When we then met him and spent some time talking about his ambitions, it was clear how driven he is to push himself to the very highest level,” said Dowson.

“We really liked him as both a player and a person. He’s got a huge amount of energy, a real appetite to improve, and we think he has a very high ceiling. He’s someone we’re genuinely excited to bring into our environment.

“For a young prop, being able to compete consistently in the Championship is a really good indicator, and we’ve seen plenty of players make the step-up from the second tier successfully here in the past. We’re excited about where Lefty can get to and what he can become at this club.

“From a rugby point of view, the set-piece is obviously fundamental for a prop, and Lefty already has a strong base at scrum time. Working closely with Jaco [Pienaar] will be a big benefit for him.

“But he also offers a lot around the park – he enjoys carrying the ball, wants to be involved, and is athletic. He’s someone who wants to have an impact on the game, and that’s a quality we really value.”

Bristol have also raided Ealing’s squad, signing full-back Tobi Wilson.