The top 10 Premiership signings for the new season
Following Sale’s blockbuster signing of Chris Ashton and with most clubs starting pre-season already RugbyPass looks at the top-10 Premiership signings for the 2018/19 season.
1. Chris Ashton, Sale Sharks
Shifted to full-back at Toulon and responded by grabbing the Top 14 try-scoring record, crossing 24 times, five times more than closest rival Nemani Nadolo. With Marland Yarde and Denny Solomona taking up the wing berths, 15 is where he appears to be staying. Sale now look like they have the most potent back three in the Premiership. If full-back is where Ashton is targeting internationally, he faces fierce competition from Mike Brown, Elliot Daly, Anthony Watson and Jack Nowell, but as he illustrated in his three-try performance for the Barbarians against England in May, he’s more than capable of matching those four.
2. Charles Piutau, Bristol Bears
Reportedly the highest paid player in the game after signing from Ulster. Piutau was an impressive performer while at the Kingspan, winning PRO12 Players’ Player of the Year in 2017, but last season was somewhat injury interrupted. He has 16 caps for the All Blacks, a number that would have been far greater had he remained at home. He excelled in his season with Wasps too and was nominated for the 2015/16 Premiership player of the season. His transition to the West Country club will be helped by the fact that his brother Siale is already on their books.
3. Lima Sopoaga, Wasps
If you’re going to let Danny Cipriani go, there has to be a reason – a 16-times capped All Black is a good place to start. Sopoaga is just 27 and would most certainly have been in the New Zealand squad at next year’s World Cup had he not chosen to venture to the Northern Hemisphere. He’s a trophy winner; he lifted the U20 World Championship with New Zealand and combined with All Black scrum-half Aaron Smith to help the Highlanders to their first Super Rugby title in 2015. His halfback partnership with Dan Robson at Wasps will be one of the most potent in the Premiership next year.
4. Danny Cipriani, Gloucester Rugby
A first international Test start for England in ten years last month and his crosskick for Jonny May’s try in the third Test against South Africa illustrated what he can do. The 30-year-old will be determined to follow up his fine form at Wasps by hitting the ground running at Kingsholm. Gloucester are showing signs of progress under Johan Ackermann and are back in the Champions Cup, so that will provide a good shop window for Cipriani to impress Eddie Jones.
5. Brad Shields, Wasps
Born in New Zealand to English parents, the Hurricanes captain was subject to a bit of a tug-of-war in the build-up to England’s tour to South Africa, with the NZRU eventually relenting and releasing the flanker who went on to win two caps. The 27-year-old can also slot in at second row and that versatility is always invaluable. Buckets of Super Rugby experience, having made his debut for the Hurricanes in 2012 and won the title in 2016 with the club.
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6. Nizaam Carr, Wasps
Impressed while on a three-month injury cover deal at the Ricoh last season, with the number eight scoring four tries in 11 appearances. There was a huge clamour to get the five-times capped Springbok back on a full-time basis and a deal was finally agreed last month, moving from the Stormers.
7. Zurabi Zhvania, Wasps
This teak-tough Georgian loosehead is just 26 years old. He’s hugely experienced, a French Top 14 winner in 2015 and a Challenge Cup winner in 2017 with Stade Francais. He made over 100 appearances in his six seasons at the Parisian club. Fond of scoring a try too, with a quite exceptional 10 in 34 caps since he made his debut for the Lelos in 2013. The 125kg prop can shift the gears and is useful in the loose, which will suit Wasps’ playing style.
8. Jaco Kriel, Gloucester Rugby
Captained the Lions to two successive Super Rugby finals, which were lost to the Hurricanes and the Crusaders. He made his Springboks debut in June 2016 and has picked up 11 caps so far. He would certainly have been in Rassie Erasmus’ thoughts had injury not curtailed him this season, a shoulder problem has meant he’s played no Super Rugby. He will be playing under his former coach Johan Ackermann at Gloucester, part of the South African revolution at Kingsholm. A modest 1.86m and 101kg, but don’t let that fool you, he’s a menace at the breakdown.
9. Dan Biggar, Northampton Saints
The Wales international has crossed the Severn to try his hand in the Premiership after spending his entire career at the Ospreys. He is the PRO14 all-time leading points scorer with 1,585. Biggar has 62 caps to his name, but he was rested for the tour to Argentina which should have him refreshed for the new season. However, Warren Gatland has warned that Biggar’s place in the international team is in “jeopardy” following his move to England, noting the progress of Rhys Patchell at the Scarlets. With the World Cup on the horizon, the 28-year-old will need a big season at the Saints and he’ll be central to the rebuild under Chris Boyd.
10. Taqele Naiyaravoro, Northampton Saints
Replacing George North is not going to be an easy task, but the Saints have plumped for a Fiji-born Australian international. At a beefy 123kg and 1.95m Naiyaravoro will take some shifting. He has northern hemisphere experience too, having spent a season with Glasgow Warriors scoring nine tries in 22 games in the 2015/16 season. Alan Gaffney has certainly talked him up, “He’s an excellent ball carrier and I think he’ll be the sensation of Franklin’s Gardens next season.” – no pressure then Taqele.
(One to watch – Joe Cokanasiga, Bath)
Signed from London Irish on a three-year deal. He is a player that Eddie Jones rates, participating in various training camps and toured to Argentina in summer 2017. He was also called up for the training squad ahead of the Barbarians game in May, but didn’t make the 23-man squad. The Fiji-born England Under 20 international has senior honours on his mind. “The environment at Bath is exactly what I need to develop and achieve my international ambitions”, he said after signing on at the Rec. The 2018/19 season could be a big one.
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
45 Go to comments