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London Irish News

After getting over the disappointment of narrowly missing out on the playoffs by not getting the crucial fourth try against Gloucester, London Irish have acted quickly to strengthen for next year with a triple signing.
Horacio Aguella and Declan Danaher join from the Exeter Chiefs, with Butch James heading in the other direction. Lionel Beauxis has also joined the Exiles from Northampton Saints.

Awards Results

Player of the Year

Sonny Bill Williams - A key man in the Exiles backline. His attack is devastating, a rock in defence, this man has it all. His offloads and strong runs setup numerous tries for others whilst scoring his fair share. With Conrad Smith outside him, Irish's midfield was one of the best in the league. Martin Castrogiovanni came in 2nd.

Young Player of the Year

Matt Garvey - The young lock forced his way in to the first team and for most of the season kept out Aussie enforcer Dean Mumm. His carrying, tackling and work rate has impressed everyone and he is knocking at the door for an England call up. Marland Yarde came in 2nd.

English Player of the Year

Steffon Armitage - After re-signing for the club from Bath, the openside flanker made an immediate impact and was the catalyst for the Exiles rise up the table. Kept Hendrie Fourie out of the side and will continue to do so if his performances stay the same. Delon Armitage came in 2nd.

Overseas Player of the Year

Ruan Pienaar - Controls the game so well, kicks his goals and creates chances and space for others. Recognised by many now as the best scrum half in the world. Jerome Kaino came in 2nd.

Beauxis departure hints at bigger role for Ford

This morning Northampton Saints have announced that French international Lionel Beauxis has left the club in a £7million transfer to London Irish. The move indicates that Dammit Chris will provide young star George Ford a lot more game time next season after impressing during a loan spell to Wasps.

LEICESTER TIGERS END OF SEASON AWARDS

Tigers rounded off a succesful season with their annual End of Season Awards at Welford Road.

Tigers finished the season in the last playoff place, where they went on to lose in the semi final against Newcastle Falcons. They were knocked out of the Heineken Cup in the quarter finals by Toulouse, and finished beaten finalists in the Anglo Welsh Cup.

The awards up for grabs were Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year, English Player of the Year and Overseas' Player of the Year.


Player of the Year

Dimitri Yachvili - An ever present when available, Yachvili's knowledge and know-how sets him aside form other scrum halves. Has had the kicking duties all season too, and rarely misses an opporutnity to get points on the board.


Young Player of the Year

Rob Miller - Has pushed himself from fourth choice 10 to first choice 15 in his breakthrough season. Unbelievable try-scoring record, makes countless breaks from deep and an all round unexpected gem to emerge form Tigers' academy.


English Player of the Year

Thomas Waldrom - His carrying stats are almost un-paralelled, and this ability makes him a crucial part of Tigers' side. To keep out the likes of Ernst Joubert for much of the season shows how well he has played and how important he is to Tigers.


Overseas Player of the Year

David Pocock - His first season at Tigers and has looked like he has been there for ever. Missed the early part of the campaign, but then never looked back. His carrying, defence and turnover ability in the back row enables Tigers to play like they do.

Sale Sharks End of Season Awards

Sale Sharks recently held their end of season dinner and announced the player awards for the season:


Player of the Year

Johnny Sexton - An ever present when available, Sextons direct running and smooth distribution from the fly half channel has given some great moments to the fans this season.


Young Player of the Year

Ben Spencer – Signed under the radar from the national league last summer, Spencer has come in and directed the troops superbly and shown tactical awareness well beyond his tender years.


English Player of the Year

David Strettle - Strettle provides a dangerous running option in the back 3 and has lead the defensive line superbly through the year. His experience has been crucial at times this season and has only benefited the young Sharks coming through in the back three.


Overseas Player of the Year

Peter O’Mahony – Joined the fold late but hit the ground running. POM offers a strong running option to his halfbacks but it is his breakdown play that has set him apart this year and with Thomson partnering him on the flanks the Sharks have seen some real joy here this season.

Northampton Saints End of Season Awards
Last Thursday Northampton Saints held their end of season awards. The club enter the most important week of their season with the Amlin Cup Final this weekend and will be looking to keep up their run of good form.

Player of the Year
Matt Giteau - has been an ever present at Saints this season, helping them through a very difficult period during the World Cup, helping bring the youngsters through and has been instrumental in the sides recent run of try scoring form.

Young Player of the Year
Elliot Daly – Snared from the Wasps Academy two summers ago Elliot Daly has come on leaps and bounds this season and featured in a large number of games during the international windows at both wing and outside centre. His goal kicking has proved a great asset to the club.

English Player of the Year
Manu Tuilagi - An absolute rock in the Saints midfield who has formed a fearsome partnership with new signing Weslie Fofana. Tuilagi's ability to get Saints on the front foot has been massive for the team from February onwards.

Overseas Player of the Year
Sergio Parisse - For the third year in his four seasons at Saints the club captain has won the overseas player of the year award. Coming back to top form this year Sergio has been inspirational for the team and captained them to Anglo-Welsh Cup success earlier on in the season.

Academy Player of the Year
George Ford - Demonstrated his potential throughout the year, steering Northampton Saints 'A' team to victory after victory. His form saw him secure a loan move to London Wasps where he gained valuable first team experience.

SARACENS HUNTING THE DOUBLE

Saracens head coach Ozzy3213 spoke to the press today about his sides epic win over Gloucester last weekend, and the two remaining matches that will define his sides season.

"It was a tough game against Gloucester as it always is and went right to the wire in the same way that the AP final against them did the season before last. In the end it was a game that it was a real shame that one side had to lose, but that's rugby and we move onwards in a really positive frame of mind having come out on top.

Going forward there are some bumps and bruises picked up in the game, but I would imagine that it's a similar situation for Gloucester, and I would imagine that having been narrowly edged out some of the knocks that they are carrying may feel a bit worse than those carried by our boys.

This week's game will be just as attritional, and another massive test for us, but the players are looking forward to it and due tot he large squad that we have, and the amount of rotation that there has been in the squad this season, they are looking and feeling fresh and ready to take on the challenge again this week. We are solely focusing on this game, and will not be thinking about anything else until it is over. We have put in a massive effort all season, and are keen to finish the job off and put two trophies in the cabinet."

FALCONS LOOK TO FINISH SEASON ON A HIGH

After a fantastic AP season finding themselves finishing top of the table for the second time in a row, Newcastle Falcons gear up to their season defining game. Pooly:

"It's been a great season, we've carried on from last year and I think we've spent about 2 weeks off top spot in 2 years. That's a great feat and show's how strong physically and mentaly this squad is.

We had a tough HC group this year and it was decided early on to gear things towards reclaiming the AP rather than trying to compete fully on two fronts. With this we've used the HC to get players back to fitness and rotate the squad rather than max things out. The AP has been our main focus and to reclaim it would mean everything to this squad."

So what have Falcons been up to?

"We've been taking things as they come really. We took the squad to Scotland for a few days and carried up some minor fitness and contact work to keep the players in tip top shape. The Leicester game was tough so the players enjoyed a couple of days down time. At this stage of the season it's all about keeping the players tuned rather than hammering them"

How do you rate your chances in the final?

"We're confident we can win. We beat Sarries last year and have turned them over 28-21 a few weeks back. We've had the perfect preperation to be fair, we have no excuse. Saracens have had a brutal semi final and HC final in the last two weeks. Their whole squad traveled to the HC final so traveling and preperation for that must have took a lot out of them as well as losing which is brutal for a teams confindence.

I'm pretty sure Sarries would have prefered our build up over theres but once we're on the pitch all of that is out of the window.

We have the mental and physical edge but need to transform that onto the pitch.

SARACENS PRESS CONFERENCE

At a Saracens press conference within the last hour head coach Ozzy3213 answered questions on the Heineken Cup Final loss to Gloucester and also next weeks Aviva Premiership final against Newcastle Falcons.

How tough a defeat was it considering the manner in which you lost?

Ozzy3123:
"Look, when there is a breakdown on the halfway line and people are flying in the referee has a tough decision to make and he obviously felt that we committed an offence. With time up on the clock and scores level you are just praying at that point that their kicker misses, but when you look up and see that it's Dan Carter you kind of know it's not your day. Another day and another referee and maybe it goes the other way and Pat Lambie knocks it over and we're champions, but it wasn't to be, and to be fair Gloucester were marginally the better side on the day, so the result is a fair one. It's no shame losing to such a great side, and we will learn from it and come again next season and look to be in the shake up to win the Heineken Cup again."


How will the defeat affect the side going into the Premiership final?

Ozzy3213:
"Put simply, it won't. It just makes us more determined to go out and win again. We have come through with no injuries, and have a few players who we left out this week who will come back in and make us even stronger, so we are looking forward to it and are ready for the challenge."


Newcastle head coach Sgt_Pooly has suggested that you would have prefered his sides build up and that travelling and preparation for the semi final and two finals must have been tough. How do you respond to that?

Ozzy3213:
(Stifling a laugh) "Yeah I did read Pooly's comments earlier. He's clearly worried if he's starting trying the mind games this early in the week. I think he thinks he's the Sir Alex Ferguson of the rugby world, but we all know how well the mind games worked out for Utd this season.

In all seriousness though, his comments about beating us a few weeks ago are laughable, as we've played three times this season and beaten them twice. What he also meant to say is that when we knocked them out of the Heineken Cup it gave them little choice but to concentrate on the league. It was a nice bit of spin he tried to put on that fact, but a fact it is.

Would I have swapped our build up for theirs? Absolutely no chance. We have had a great experience of playing in the Heineken Cup final on the same ground that we will play on this week, which should give us a bit of an advantage really, as we will feel comfortable with the surroundings. There's not really been a travelling issue either with a home semi final in the North West of London followed by two games in West London which is where our training ground is."


Any hints on team selection?

Ozzy3213:
"There will be a few changes this week, we have to do that, and we will be putting out a physical, experienced side to get the job done."

"What he also meant to say is that when we knocked them out of the Heineken Cup it gave them little choice but to concentrate on the league. It was a nice bit of spin he tried to put on that fact, but a fact it is."

Think I played Ben Williams in midfield game that game...The HC was never a target

Must be a huge boost for Ben Williams to see how is seen by his management haha

Also good for Youngs and Flood to know that they were sent out in a game that the management were trying to throw. #confidenceboost

Think we've on gone to finish top of the table since then....

Always good for the kids to get a run out Steve

You don't win anything for finishing top I believe, it's all about making the top 4 and winning the cup matches

Went pretty well for us last season Pete, think we beat Saracens didn't we???

History bud, this is the here and now

Ozzy3213 wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Some hard core patter this week

Always is in the finals, am looking forward to reading what you have up your sleeve for next week mate!!!

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Just tactics mate, let my team do the talking

Did you start getting a bit nervous about your team just before 4 yesterday mate?

It's like Mancini and Ferguson all over again!

Nothing to get nervous about lol....

Double Delight for Saints

There were plenty of sore heads on Sunday morning in Northampton after the Saints beat Bath 37-32 at the Stoop to claim their second trophy of the season. The lead changed hands no less than seven times in a pulsating contest, with many pundits saying it was the best game of the season, with a total of eight tries and an individual effort by George North that showed why he is one of the most exciting players in world rugby.

Dammit Chris was quoted "That will easily go down as one of the best finals of all time, both teams went out to attack and the crowd was electric from the first minute. Of course commiserations go out to ITFL, who has done such a good job at Bath, but on the balance I think we just edged it and deserved our win.

George North caused us all sorts of trouble and for the first twenty minutes we just weren't picking up his runs and stopping him first time - if it wasnt for Fode's defence I think North would have had a hattrick and it would have been game over.

For me the game changed when Gits put Tuilagi through and he steam rollered Charlie Hodgson - put him into next week and then some - it lifted the crowd and we got into the final properly after that and played some really good rugby, played at a high tempo and managed to score four really nice tries.

I'm delighted for the boys, we finished the season so strongly, winning ten games in a row, scoring forty tries in that period and next year we'll look to avoid the sluggish start so we can be challenging for the league - I think that's going to be our main target next year, we'd love to be make inroads against Sarries, Newcastle and Gloucester - there are going to be quite a few teams aiming for the same though and it's going to be a really tough league to win."

It is rumoured that Matt Stevens, Dave Attwood, Ryan Kankowski, Alexander Lapandy, Max Evans and Jackson Wray could all have played their last games for the Saints and will be announcing their new clubs within the next week or so. It is unconfirmed who Saints will be looking to sign as their replacements but scouts have already been dispatched to South Africa for the Junior World Cup.

Several people were calling for there to be a joint press conference between Pete and Pooly, the RFU have quickly moved to rule this out in fear of things escalating and ending up like this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhxxfp4hYAc

Lol....behave!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsdlbTgM03s

bit more appropriate

EXIT LOOMS FOR EXILE HERNANDEZ

After the signings of three new fly halves this summer, it appears that Juan Martin Hernandez will be moving on from London Irish. The Argentinian number 10 had a fairly successful season, ousting Dan Bowden to become the regular fly half for the second half of the season. After injuries plagued him for a long time, he strung together some good performances which saw Irish move from 9th to 5th in the AP, narrowly missing out on the playoffs.
Now it seems his career with London Irish is over, as the Exiles continue to revamp their squad with 3 new fly halves signed. Nick Evans, Lionel Beauxis and Shane Geraghty have all joined the club, with Butch James and Dan Bowden leaving. With Luke McAllister and Ruan Pienaar also able to play at 10, it seems there is no longer a requirement for Hernandez, with plenty of clubs interested in the Argentinian star. No official deal has been struck, but in an interview with the Argentinian press, Hernandez indicated he could be at a new club in the next fortnight.

Tigers Look to Power

Leicester Tigers have been busy as the season has drawn to a close, signing 12 players and losing many more as they look to cut their sqaud down to 40 for the new season.

Tigers have clearly bought with a real purpose in mind. The likes of Jacques Burger, Francois Louw, Brian Mujati, James Scaysbrook, Ugo Monye, Rene Ranger and Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu have been added to the Leicester squad that finished in the last playoff position this season.

Manager LukeLovesLuka said "we have had a great season. But I felt there were areas we weren't quite as strong as i'd like us to have been in. At times I felt our back row relied too heavily on Thomas (Waldrom) for carrying, and we sometimes didn't look as powerful in the pack as I wanted us to be.

I've brough in the likes of Francois (Louw), Jacques (Burger), James (Scaysbrook) and Brian (Mujati) to give us more grunt in the forwards. And to be able to sign the likes of Ugo (Monye) and Rene (Ranger) in the backs means we have real power from 1 - 15.

We've lost some players who had top seasons for us - Topsy (Ojo), Yannick (Jauzion) and Florian (Fritz) were important players for us as we finished in the playoffs, and I thank them and everyone else who has left for their efforts and I wish them all the best in the future.

But I genuinely believe we are stronger now than we were, and i can't wait to see some of the new boys in action."

With money to spend on foreign transfers too, it will be interesting to see where Tigers look to bring someone in - a lock is rumoured to be the position they are looking at adding to.

First wave of Quins summer strengthening is complete

In the week before the Foreign transfer market opens for the summer, Harlequins boss Steven Sharks has welcomed his new signings to the club for the first time before the preseason get's underway in late June.

Ben Franks, Florian Fritz, Wyatt Crockett, Taku Ngwenya, Tom Biggs, Donnacha O'Callaghan, Rob Hawkins and Joe Ward all present at the club in the last week and Tom Wood and George Kruis expected to join up on the next feew weeks after some rest a recuperation after their club's AP Final exploits this weekend.

' As always at Quins, we are looking to bring players to the club who are comfortable with the ball in hand and will fit into out system of 15 players looking to play rugby in a fast and exciting system which we attempt to put in place' said the Quins boss ' We were really disappointed with the amount of tries we scored last season and we are looking to change that next season'

Quins are believed to be looking to bring in numerous new faces in the summer with rumours surrounding Fergus McFadden joining the club and it is believed they will look to bring him to the club in the coming weeks.

Driver delighted with initial signings

Speaking to reporters at the club open day , Exeter Chiefs Director of Rugby Driver expressed his delight with the signings the club has made over the past few weeks.

'We knew the likes of Luke Narraway , Raphael Lakafia , Phil Dowsen , James Downey and Tim Visser were all set to be at the beginning of pre-season with us but to add the likes of Ali Williams , Chris Whitehead , Flip Van Der Merwe , Butch James and Yannick Jauzion from the other clubs within the league we're delighted to be able to do so. From outside as well we've signed one of the big and up and coming stars in world rugby in Ben Tameifuna along with the impressive Paddy Jackson from Ulster who is the type of 10 we've been chasing for a while''.

''I can also confirm that Kevin McLaughlin has joined us on a deal from Leinster , he's lineout work is something which impressed us over the last few months and that he provides quick service from the set piece which is so hard to come by these days.''

Saints announce dual signings

Northampton Saints are today delighted to announce the signings of Motu Matu'u from the Hurricanes and Sona Taumalolo from the Chiefs and will continue to improve their front row options during pre-season.

Sona Taumalolo is a dynamic ball carrier, who is currently top of the try scoring charts in the s15, whilst Motu Matu'u is building a reputation for being one of the biggest hitters in the same competition.

It is expected that Alexander Lapandy, Jake Abbott, Jackson Wray and Zak Taualafo will be leaving the club over the coming weeks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFsXflfeVkc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X_ldFXRcN8

FALCONS WIN AP DOUBLE!!!

A delighted Pooly has touched down back in the NE after completing a fantastic Premiership win over rivals Saracens last weekend. Pooly:

"I'm delighted with the win. The Premiership is the title everybody wants and to win it two times in a row is a fantastic achievement for the club, players and supporters.

We always knew Saracens would push us hard as Ozzy always sets them out tough to beat and they ooze class in every department. This will hurt them probably more than last season but no doubt they'll back stronger next season."

On recent signings:

You can't afford to sit still or others will overtake you, we've looked to tweak our squad and have brought in some exciting young players for the up and coming season.

Soane Tonga'uiha - Fabien Barcella has put in a lot of work this season and LH was an area we needed to strengthen. I've been a huge admirer of Tonga's for a while now, he's a huge scrummger and fantastic in ther loose. He'll be a major player for us this season.

Agustín Creevy - This one crept under the radar amongst some of the bigger name signings but I'm delighted to have snapped him up. Agustin is an absolute beast and harps back to the big scrummaging hookers of a few years back. He's recently took over Ledesma as Argentina's no1 hooker so we won't see him too much at the start of the season with the 4N going on but he'll provide us with real options in the front row, especially in the wet conditions.

John Barclay - I'm a great fan of playing a natural openside and John fits right in with how we want to play and go forward. He's an outstanding flanker and at only 25 has everything in front of him. With Kelly Brown already at the club we have some great options at 6/7.

Jimmy Cowan - Jimmy brings bags of experience and one of the best basics scrum halfs in the game. He'll be invaluable in the winter months with his strong defence and provides us with 3 great options in Ben Youngs and Chris Cusiter.

Aaron Cruden - Possibly the form FH in world rugby I was delighted with Aaron agreeing to come to the club. This one took some serious work with Sale not wanting to sell but we came to an agreement after a weekend of negotiations. Dan Carter is pure magic but he's 30 now and the AB's must be looking at a viable replacement...they can't be looking much further than Cruden with him outstanding this season.

Sonny Bill Williams - Losing Nick Evans was a massive blow to the club but he wasn't happy about being left out in the AP final and wanted a new challenge down at Irish. I couldn't stand in his way as he's put in a fantastic season for us. Once irish told us SBW was available I became very interested. His link ups with Cruden this season have been out of this world. He's tightened up his defence and looks arguably the best 12 in world rugby. They'll always be the league rumours but he was worth the gamble tbh. I can't wait to see him in a Falcons jersey.

Scott Willaims - One of the brightest youngsters I've seen for a while now. His development through the Welsh system has been rapid and to have bagged a dozen caps at 21 is some going. He looks equally comftable at 12 or 13 and has a great all round game. He's got a massive future here.

Alex Cuthbert - We had to fight off tough competition from Toulon for Alex's signature but we're delighted to have got our hands on him. A real handful, I thought he was amazing this 6N and probably only behind our own Tommy Bowe in terms of performances on the right wing. He'll give us something different and a real physical presence which will be essential during the winter months.

Alex Goode - I was gutted to lose young Kitschoff but I've been chasing Alex for a few seasons now. We tied this one up few months back so it was odd watching him put in a great performance for Sarries. An outstanding all round full back, his kicking game will bring a whole new dimension to our backline and I can't wait to see him and JOC exchanging tips. I wasn't surprised with his recent England call up and he looked great when he got on the park.

Falcons team to face Leinster in William Servat's testimonial game:

1. Soane Tonga'uiha
2. William Servat (c)
3. Craig Mitchell
4. Yoann Maestri
5. Paul O'Connell
6. Juan Smith
7. John Barclay
8. Toby Faletau

9. Jimmy Cowan
10. Aaron Cruden

11. Drew Mitchell
12. Sonny Bill Williams
13. Scott Williams
14. Alex Cuthbert
15. Alex Goode

16. Lee Mears
17. Paul Doran-Jones
18. Alex Waller
19. Juandre Kruger
20. Kelly Brown
21. Chris Cusiter
22. James O'Connor
23. Adam Ashley-Cooper

SARACENS ANNOUNCE COACHING SHAKE UP

Having not engaged with the media since their defeat to Newcastle Falcons in the Premiership final last week Saracens today announced on the club website that the entire coaching staff of Toby Booth, Phil Keith-Roach, Sean Fitzpatrick, Andy Farrell, Richard Hill. Thomas Castiegnede and Dave Aldred have left the club.

A statement from head coach Ozzy3213 read as follows.

"I would like to thank all of the guys for the work they have put in over the past four years, it has been an absolute pleasure working with them and I wish them well in their futures. It may seem dramatic that they are all leaving at the same time, but the majority of departures were agreed months before the season ended.

We have decided as a club to cut the numbers on the coaching team and have secured four new coaches to come in and take on the good work those guys put in. Jono Gibbes joins from Leinster as forwards coach, with Naka Drotske arriving from the Free State Cheetahs as scrum specialist. Also arriving from South Africa is former All Black John Mitchell, who joins from the Golden Lions as defence coach, with another former All Black Wayne Smith coming in as attack coach from the Waikato Chiefs.

We now have a world class coaching line up to back up the world class players in the squad and I look forward to what each and everyone of them will bring to the table as we seek to make Saracens the best team in the Premiership, then Europe and ultimately world rugby."

There was no word on the website about squad changes, however a press conference has been arranged for the weekend when Ozzy3213 is expected to announce all of the new arrivals for the 2012/13 season.

Hill Joins Quins backroom staff

Richard Hill has been announced that he will join Harlequins for the new season to work as a breakdown specialist.

'The opportunity was to good to turn down' said Sharks boss Steven Sharks

'Once we heard he might be available we had to talk to him. The guy has so much to bring to a squad which has buckets of backrow talent and we quickly came to an arrangement'

Other backroom staff might be introduced before pre-season begins on the 11th June but there was nothing concrete in place at this point.

Exeter reshuffle coaching team ahead of Spanish fixtures

Exeter today released several members of there coaching team to create a smaller compact coaching set up whilst adding Toby Booth and Andy Farrell as forwards coach and defense coach. Booth and Farrell were recently shown the door at Saracens and were quicking snapped up by a side in transaction , these appointments swiftly follow a number of signings by the Chiefs with main man Driver claiming there is still plenty to come.

Exeter depart on a two game tour of Spain in which they face Amlin Challange cup regulars El Salvador and the USA national side as part of there European tour.

Chiefs side to face El Salvador

1.Ben Tameifuna
2.Chris Whitehead
3.Hoani Tui
4.Dean Schofield
5.Tim Swinson
6.Phil Dowsen (c)
7.Rhys Ruddock
8.Rapheal Lakafia

9.Haydn Thomas
10.Butch James
11.Lachie Turner
12.Mike Tindall
13.Matt Smith
14.Adam Thompstone
15.Lee Byrne

Team to face USA

1.Efion Lewis-Roberts
2.Hika Elliot
3.Werner Kruger
4.Flip Van Der Merwe
5.Ali Williams
6.Dave Ewers
7.Will Welch
8.Luke Narraway

9.Rory Lawson
10.Paddy Jackson
11.Tim Visser
12.James Downey
13.Yannick Jauzion (c)
14.Rory Lamount
15.Ben Smith

SARACENS PRESS CONFERENCE


At a press conference at the Saracens training ground this morning head coach Ozzy3213 spoke of his sides disappointment at results in the final week of the season, and unveiled a host of new signings for the new season. This is what he had to say.

"It's been a tough couple of weeks and has only just sunk in really that we have finished trophyless after all of the effort put in by the players across the season. Everyone at the club is exceptioally disappointed with that, and we are looking to ensure that we not only put ourselves in position to win things in the future, but also to finish the job and claim some trophies.

To that end we have looked at the squad make up and a number of players have left since the end of the season. I would like to thank all of them for their efforts for the club, from regulars like Tom Wood, to players who due to the competitive nature of the squad didn't see much gametime, like James Scaysbrook. All have contributed significantly on and off the pitch to making the club consistently competitive and I wish them all well for the next stages in their careers."

On the clubs new signings Ozzy3213 had this to say;-

"We have had to really look at the make up of the playing staff for next season with the new squad caps coming in, and we feel that everyone we have signed can contribute positively over the next 12 months and beyond."

Senior Contracts

John Smit - "John is a World Cup winning captain and brings a wealth of experience to the side. Having retired from international rugby he will be available all year and brings a presence on and off the field which the younger players can learn from. He can have a big influence for us this season."

George Skivington - "George comes to us off the back of an excellent second half of last season and agins brings experience and physicality to our pack. He is also a leader and you can never have too many of them on the field."

Ross Rennie - "Ross was a major target for us as he will bring those traditional openside skills to the squad and as we saw in the 6 Nations he is in superb form. The dynamism that he brings will be something that we want to build around in the coming months.

Duane Vermeulen - "Duane has had a few problems with injury recently but is a classy performer who I am looking forward to working with. He will also bring intensity and physicality to our pack and hopefully can be a big player for us next season.

Ben McCalman - "Ben's recall to the Wallabies squad shows what a quality performer he is, and he also brings that intensity were are looking for in our forward play."

Tom Casson - "I am delighted to welcome Tom back from Gloucester after he left the club a couple of seasons back. He has improved greatly in the time he has been away and will provide us with good depth in the centre positions during the season."

Luke Fitzgerald - "Another returnee I am really pleased to have Luke back as he has started to regain his 2009 form over the past 6 months. He also covers a number of positions in the backs and could be a key player for us next season."

Bryan Habana - "We have been trying to bring Bryan in for some time now, and he will undoubtedly be a key player for us next year with his ability to finish chances off. Another World Cup winner he also has masses of big game experience and should fit in brilliantly to our squad."


Academy Contracts

Steven Kitschoff - "This kid has the lot and gives us great depth in the loosehead shirt. Tough as teak and a very good scrummager already, he will only get better and has a massive future at Saracens."

Frans Malherbe - "Another young talented prop we are delighted to have landed him from the Stormers, where he has looked very at home at tighthead this season. He is already a good scrummager and dynamic in the loose and will fit in well with how we like to play here."

Ruan Botha - "Ruan looks like a potential long term successor Victor Matfield as South Africa's lineout specialist. He will take part in the JWC over the next month and is one for the future both for us and at international level."

Siya Kolisi - "Siya has looked outstanding in his breakthrough season in Super Rugby for the Stormers. Not a traditional fetcher he is comfortable at openside and can also play blindside as well and will add to the carrying options in our pack next season."

Luke Wallace - "Luke is a player that we have tracked all season and think the qualities that he can bring, such as securing quick ball at the breakdown, are the sort of skills that we need within the squad, and working with international opensides like Ross Rennie and George Smith can only see him improve his game."

Jaco Taute - "Jaco is a tremedous prosect who but for injury would have featured for the Springboks against England this summer. He is a real threat ball in hand and will provide huge for competition for the full international back three players in squad this season."


Ozzy3123 then confirmed that he and his new coaching team are actively looking at other players to join the squad for next season, although he remained tight lipped on who they might be.

EXILE NEWS

2012 RECRUITS CONFIRMED
Grant Shiells
Matt Stevens
Tom Lindsay
Johann Muller
Marcell Coetzee
Nick Evans
Shane Geraghty
Lionel Beauxis
Declan Danaher
Horacio Aguella
Max Evans

CONFIRMED DEPARTURES
Soane Tonga'uhia
Duncan Bell
Tonga Lea'toea
Chris Hala'ufia
George Stowers
Gonzalo Tiesi
Warren Fury
Juan Martin Hernandez
Matthew Tait
Butch James
Steve Kefu
Tane Tui'polotu
Sonny Bill Williams

The club has also confirmed they are in talks with Elton Jantjies over a possible transfer.

Saracens this evening announced the final two members of their coaching set up for the coming season. Former Springboks Rassie Erasmus and Thinus Delport join the club as academy manager and assistant. Head coach Ozzy3213 had this to say.

"I am delighted to complete our coaching team for the coming season and know that these two guys will bring with them the skills to help take this club forward in the future. Rassie brings with him fantastic attention to detail in all that he does, and Thinus brings a sound technical knowledge. They also both bring a winning mentality which hopefully will rub off on the players here. Their primary role is in charge of the academy at the club, however both will be involved in coaching the first team as well."

Their first task will be overseeing the academy side fixture in Hong Kong this week against a strong Northampton Saints academy XV, whilst the senior side travels to South Africa to face London Wasps at Loftus Versfled in match in aid of raising funds for Barneys Army, which is also known as the John Smit Foundation.

Superstars and Youngsters Arrive at Welford Road

Tigers have announced their second batch of new signings this summer, with some fresh academy players joined by world class superstars.

Topping the list of new recruits is Kurtley Beale and Sean O'Brien, arriving from old rivals Bath. LukeLovesLuka said "to announce Kurtley and Sean is one of the best parts of my role here at Tigers. These are two superstars, with their whole careers in front of them.

Kurtley has, for me, cemented his position as the best fullback on the planet - with his displays for both club and country. And he has also gone on to show in recent months he could be on the of the best fly halves as well. His skill in our back line will be brilliant to watch.

Sean is a monster, and has made a serious impact on world rugby. Described as a 'a rampaging ball of destruction', he was selected by the official Rugby World Cup website as one of the tournament's 'Top Five Star Players.' He will compliment the likes of Waldrom, Croft, Louw and Joubert in our back row perfectly.

I have also re-signed Simon Shaw, who played a crucial role to our run in last season having joined us on a short term loan. His experience will be great for the youngsters we have signed. Alistair Hargreaves also comes in from South Africa, and at only 25, has a long future at the club. After the likes of Chris Jack, Dan Vickerman and Alex Brown were released, we needed some new faces in the second row.

We have signed 6 academy age players in Pieter-Steph du Toit, Dom Shipperley, Francois Venter, Paul Jordaan, Romain Taofifenua and are just awiting confirmation of Josh Bassett. All are very exciting young players that I fully expect to serve this club for years to come. A lot of investment has been outlayed to bring them to Tigers, and I hope that they all prove to be a success."

Quins Coaching set up revealed

Euan Mckenzie has today been announced as the new Head Coach at Harlequins in a move which Director of Rugby Steven_Sharks hopes will see his side score more tries. Joining Euan will be Joe Worsley, who will be the new defensive coach and is an appointment we have been after as soon as he retired from the game.

' Last season we didn't score enough tries and conceded to many so we hope that with these two appointments we will be stronger for next season in both attack and defence. Euan has been behind some of the most exciting sides in world rugby and that is what we are looking at. As for the defence if you don't know about Joe Worsley's defensive abilties then you don't know about Rugby Union. He is a huge appointment for us'

Next years full coaching breakdown will be

DOR - Steven Sharks
Head Coach - Euan Mackenzie
Forwards Coach - Dean Richards
Scrum Consultant - Jason Leanard
Lineout Consultant - John Eales
Backs Coach/Kicking Coach - Andrew Merhtens
Defence Coach - Joe Worsley
Academy Coach - Rob Henderson

Harlequins recruitment continues

Harlequins have today shown their intent for the next season by signing World Cup winning lock Bakkies Botha from Gloucester. The 32 year old South African has joined this week from Gloucester in a deal which saw Jamie Heaslip leave the club.

'Firstly I'd like to thank Jamie, he was one of my first signings and has been the first name on the team sheet in his time here, but with new sqaud limitations meaning some tough decisions have had to be taken and we have decided to go in a different direction at Number 8. And to be fair to Jamie when the double European champions come calling it is very hard to say no'

On Botha

'We have signed who we believe to be the best Number 4 lock in world rugby. The physicality he brings will make us stronger and his experience will be huge in bringing through the young talent we have at lock. We are looking to win things this season and he is used to winning things and that is a very good habit to have in a player and in your squad'

Harlequins have also brought in new academy starlets Jason Emery, Ope Peleseuma, Chris Feautai-Sautia, Tadgh Furlong and Santiago Cordero have all joined the club in recent weeks and the club are said to be in discussions with Luke McGrath of Leinster over a proposed transfer in the coming week.

STNICK EXCITED BY TALEI ARRIVAL

London Irish have announced the signing of Fiji number 8 Netani Talei from Edinburgh. The big ball carrying number 8 was a standout in last seasons Heineken Cup for Edinburgh and will provide competition for Bok Pierre Spies.

'Netani had a great season and we were quick to snap him up from Edinburgh. We released Chrissy Hala'ufia, as you know, for disciplinary reasons, but wanted someone in that mould to replace him. Netani is the perfect replacement. He carries and tackles hard and has good hands and a good rugby brain. He will provide good competition for Pierre Spies next season and we look forward to seeing him in action.'

It is believed Irish are also looking to secure the signing of young Argentine scrum half Felipe Ezcurra, who recently scored two tries against Scotland at the IRB Junior World Cup. Irish are keen on bolstering their academy, which already features the likes of Marcell Coetzee, Marland Yarde, Guy Armitage, Anthony Watson, David Sisi and Wales fly half sensation Matthew Morgan.

Northampton Saints announce signings for 2012/2013 Season
It has been a busy close season for Northampton Saints in the transfer market as today they announce the signings of ten new players, including six additions to the front row.

Assistant coach Jim Mallinder was obviously delighted with the new recruites - "We've had our eye on each of the players for some time, we always want to bring in players who can play to our style of attacking rugby, aggressive defence and good ball players and I think we have that in each of the guys we've added.

We knew we had to add some depth and power to our front row and we've now got seven international props to pick, with some exciting youngsters coming through - especially Henry Thomas who we expect to get a fair bit of game time next year.

I was delighted that we were able to sign Motu Matu'u, who has really impressed me with his hard tackling, no nonsense approach in the s15 this season. I don;t think I can recall a hooker with that big a hit - he will terrorise defences next year, especially with Dan Lydiate and Courtney Lawes.

In the backline we've managed to sign Juan Martin Hernandez, which was really our marque signing - he's a top talent, one of the best in the world and has just been unlucky with injuries the last few seasons. We are confident he will be a big boost for us, allow us to play Gits at 12 and free up Danny Cipriani more for the fullback spot.

We've been lucky to snap up Ashley Beck, who looks a genuine long-term option for Wales at 12, and Matt Tait who is going to be a key player for us in terms of being able to play so well in so many positions.

After winning two cups last year there is a real positive buzz around the place and expectations for next year are absolutely huge. Franklins Gardens is going to be in for an exciting time next year.

Saints signings for 2012/2013:

HK Motu Matu'u (New Zealand)
PR Ryan Grant (Scotland)
PR Sona Taumalolo (Tonga)
PR Sekope Kepu (Australia)
PR Logovi'i Mulipola (Samoa)
FH Juan Martin Hernandez (Argentina)
CE Ashley Beck (Wales)
CE Matt Tait (England)
PR Sebastien Taofifenua (France)
FL Wian Liebenberg (SA) -
SH Bryn Hall (NZ) -

PRE-SEASON STARTS AT FALCONS

After an amazing year for Newcastle falcons the hard work for next season has started. The full squad has returned for pre-season training in anticipation for another crack at the Premiership which Falcons have held for the previous 2 seasons. Pooly:

"Last year was fantastic. To become the first side to win the Premiership 2 seasons in a row is something amazing and the boys must take special credit. The Premiership is the title everybody wants and to win it a second time when everybody is gunning for you is very special.

That is finished now though. We know we have to improve to stay at the top and to hold off competition from the other side’s who've recruited really well.

We've looked to tweak the squad a little with Aaron Cruden & Sonny Bill Williams probably being the "marquee" signings that the fans are most interested in. They have a great understanding of each other’s game and Aaron has a real knack of opening space up, that offload in the Ireland game at the weekend a perfect example.

There's no better 12 in the game at the minute than Sonny Bill and with our pack getting a good platform he'll thrive."

So what's happened in training today?

"We've carried out a few fitness tests to see where the boys are. It's no surprise the guys involved in the June tests are a fair way ahead but that'll give the rest of the squad something to aim for.

We'll look to get the guys carrying out some basic drills and then split up for some more fitness work with the boys for the tours getting assessed for any niggles.

It’s all pretty basic stuff at this stage and we'll start ramping up the combinations and skill sets as the days/weeks progress."

Saracens trained today at their base just outside of Dunedin, in preparation for next weeks first pre season fixture at the Forsyth Barr stadium against Leicester Tigers. The entire senior and senior academy squad are travelling for the RFU summer tournament and head coach Ozzy3213 has a fully fit to choose from. When speaking to reporters after what looked to be a very intensive workout for the squad, he had this to say.

"Last seasons final defeats were a bitter pill to swallow and we are intent on rectifying that this season. the players have all had a good break and are now back and on individual fitness and conditioning plans in order to ensure that they all hit the start of the new season in the physical shape that they need to be. We will be using these summer tournament fixtures to test out some new player combinations and tactical ideas, as well as ensuring that everyone gets the right balance between rest and gametime. We will be going out to win each fixture as that is the only way we know how to play, but at this stage of planning for the new season the results are not the most important factor."

Ozzy3213 also confirmed to the press that Springbok legend John Smit would take over as club captain next season, with Joe van Niekerk, George Skivington and Steve Borthwick acting as vice captains.

London Welsh today confirmed Exeter Chiefs Director of Rugby Driver has joined them in the same role along with Rob Howley , Ben Blair , Toby Booth , Graham Rowntree and Andy Farrell.

A statement on the London Welsh website had this to say.

London Welsh Website wrote:

We are delighted to have put together such a fantastic coaching set up , given the resources we have at our disposal we feel that Driver is the man to lead us up the Premiership table and we eagerly await the sucess which will inevitably come with this appointment.

The RFU have given us the full backing and we are also gaining support from the WRU who have allowed us to appoint Rob Howley to our backroom staff. All in the all London Welsh aim to stay in the Premiership and progress through out the years.

Interview between Driver and London Welsh website

LW: First and formost congrats on the new job here at Welsh , how does it feel to be appointed head coach of London Welsh?

MD:Firstly thanks for the congrats and secondly i'm pretty shocked to be honest. I was told by Exeter that the club where going to head into the championship with Rob Baxter returning as head coach so i was looking forward to a few weeks on the couch and maybe a last minute holiday until my phone went off a few days ago and was told by Lyn Jones that i had been lined up for the job here and they would like to offer me the position.

LW: With Pre-season starting next Monday , Whats #1 on the to do list?

MD: You'v got to consider a lot of these guys have played international rugby over the last few weeks but we've sent a squad of 28 to New Zealand to contest a game with Northampton Saints whilst the other guys will prepare for some shuttle runs , hill running and a pretty basic pre-season with a lot of emphasis based on core skills as at any level that's where games are won and lost.

LW: The likes of Martin Purdy , Johnathan Mills , Gordon Ross , Hudson Tonga'uhia and Alex Davies are London Welsh players through and through and would like nothing more than a crack of the wip at premiership level but have been left out of the initial squad announcement will they still have a chance of making the final squad?

MD: It would be wrong to discount anyone who put as much effort in as those guys in getting the club here. All the London Welsh players who were retained from last season will be involved in pre-season and involved in friendlies against Nottingham , Castres and Esher.

LW: Have you already identified your captain and vices ahead of next season? Will it be a house hold name or a total shock to the system?

MD: Myself , Rob and Toby have all discussed this yesterday afternoon and for pre-season our skipper will be Phil Dowsen but there is the chance for others to out there hands up for the role.

LW: There's a Welsh contingent in the squad in the shape of Lee Byrne , Harry Robinson , Craig Mitchell and Lloyd Williams , do you think that they will cherish the red jersey at club level a bit more than others?

MD: I think it defiantly gives them a incentive to perform in the side as despite being based in Oxford we are a club steeped in Welsh rugby with many Welsh greats having played here.

QUINS ACADEMY ENJOY WIN IN ARGENTINA

The Harlequins Academy enjoyed a win on their short break in South America, where they got a 35 - 20 win over the Argentine under 20 side. Captained by Jamie Gibson, the young side proved that there were many involved who could push on for a start in the Quins senior side.

1. Will Collier
2. Rob Buchanan
3. Tadgh Furlong
4. George Merrick
5. Charlie Matthews
6. Jamie Gibson (c)
7. Sam Jones
8. Jack Clifford
9. Luke McGrath
10. Ihaia West
11. Chris Feauai-Sautia
12. Jan Serfontein
13. Jason Emery
14. Ross Chisholm
15. Santiago Cordero

16. Darly Marfo
17. Kyle Sinckler
18. Sam Twomney
19. Sam Stuart
20. Ryan Glynn
21. Ope Peleseuma
22. Olly Lindsey-Hague
23. Jordan Burns

IRB Junior World Player of the Year Jan Serfontein got a try along with Cordero, Sinckler and a late wonder score from Jason Emery. The Quins academy boss Rob Henderson was delighted with his sides performance and is looking forward to there next outing at home to the Newport-Gwent Dragons.

London Welsh side to play Nottingham at Old Deer Park tomorrow afternoon.

1.Ben Alexander
2.Damian Varley
3.Werner Kruger
4.Martin Purdy*
5.Tim Swinson (c)
6.Dave Ewers
7.Shane Jennings
8.Rhys Ruddock

9.Haydn Thomas
10.Gordan Ross*
11.Lachie Turner
12.Hudson Tonga'uhia*
13.Yannick Jauzion
14.Sonny Parker*
15.Alex Davies*

*On trial from Championship Welsh side.

Halavatau is a London Irish player who was dual registered with Welsh mate, so you can't have him. Sorry.

I'm only really interested in taking Tonga'uhia and Alex Davies from Welsh. Both looked pretty good in the Championship final.

Pressure is off Welsh and on other teams - Driver

When asked by a Sky Sports News journalist whether he's side where feeling the weight of things before the first shuttle of pre-season Driver's response was a simple one.

'No of course not , There's no pressure on the team which just came up the real pressure is on the teams we'll be playing and how they'll do heading into the abyss , The bottom 4 sides from last year will certainly feel more pressure than most of the other sides as we'll be throwing 120% into every fixture this season and they know one slip up could see us punish them on our own turf or theres'

Tigers Announce 2012/13 Captain

Leicester Tigers have today confirmed that James Horwill will continue as club captain for the forthcoming season. 

Manager LukeLovesLuka said "James Horwill will continue as our skipper and will be supported by Brian O'Driscoll who will continue as vice captain. 

Horwill and O'Driscoll will be supported by Ernst Joubert, Pascal Pape, Gethin Jenkins and Dimitri Yachvili who form our leadership team. 

We have masses of experience right throughout our squad, and we believe the leadership team we have in place can guide us to more success this season."