Northampton Saints sign ex-Wasps hooker Tom Cruse

Northampton Saints have signed former Wasps hooker Tom Cruse until the end of the 2022/23 campaign on a short-term deal.

Cruse comes directly from Edinburgh where he signed a short-term deal in November of last year following the financial collapse of Wasps.

The 33-year-old signs as injury cover and brings eight seasons of Gallagher Premiership experience with him to cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens.

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“Tom will bring a huge amount of experience and quality to our group, so we’re delighted to have him on board,” said Saints’ Director of Rugby, Phil Dowson. “He’s a tough player and very consistent in the set-piece area as well.

“I always enjoyed watching him play for Wasps so I am confident he will make an important contribution in Black, Green and Gold for the remainder of the season.”

Cruse began his rugby career with local club Stockport before rising through the ranks in Sale Sharks’ academy. He then impressed with Macclesfield in National Two North, which led to a move to Championship outfit Rotherham Titans.

During his two-season spell at Clifton Lane, he scored 11 tries in 44 appearances and was named in the Championship Dream Team as the league’s stand-out hooker. This caught the attention of London Irish, where he made 14 appearances during the 2015/16 season. He then moved to Wasps and was named the club’s Players’ Player of the Season during the 2017/18 campaign, where he made 24 appearances and scored 7 tries.

He also played for the Barbarians against Bath Rugby in November, starting for the invitational side as they claimed a last-minute win.