LAST WEEK, WE brought you a round-up of the extensive recruitment made by the clubs in the Top 14 ahead of the upcoming season.
It’s the turn of the English clubs next, and they have been nearly as busy in terms of numbers of signings, even if some of the new faces are not as high profile as those in France.
London Irish have strengthened their ties to Ireland with a batch of additions from the provinces, while Saracens have recruited a handful of players who they expect to improve their strength.
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Bath
Sam Burgess [back row/centre, South Sydney Rabbitohs], Luke Arscott [fullback, Exeter Chiefs], Henry Thomas [tighthead prop, Sale Sharks], Grant Shiells [loosehead prop, Newcastle], Nick Auterac [loosehead prop, Saracens].
Exeter Chiefs
Ryan Caldwell [second row, Bath], Thomas Waldrom [back row, Leicester], Moray Low [prop, Glasgow Warriors], Adam Hughes [centre/wing, Bristol], Mitch Lees [back row/second row, London Welsh], Elvis Taione [hooker, Jersey], Tomas Francis [tighthead prop, London Scottish].
Gloucester
James Hook [out-half/fullback, Perpignan], John Afoa [tighthead prop, Ulster], Greig Laidlaw [scrum-half, Edinburgh], Richard Hibbard [hooker, Ospreys], Mariano Galarza [second row, Worcester], Aleki Lutui [hooker, Edinburgh], Aled Thomas [out-half, Scarlets], Tom Palmer [second row, Wasps], Mark Atkinson [centre, Bedford Blues], Tom Isaacs [centre, Ospreys], Jacob Rowan [back row, Leeds], Steve McColl [fullback, Leeds], Callum Braley [scrum-half, Bristol], Henry Purdy [centre, Leicester].
Harlequins
Marland Yarde [wing, London Irish], Asaeli Tikoirotuma [wing, Chiefs].
Leicester Tigers
Freddie Burns [out-half, Gloucester], Leonardo Ghiraldini [hooker, Treviso], Christian Loamanu [wing/centre, Treviso], Robert Barbieri [back row, Treviso], Seremai Bai [centre, Castres], Michele Rizzo [loosehead prop, Treviso], Aniseko Sio [prop, Samoa], Laurence Pearce [No. 8, Rotherham].
London Irish
Daniel Leo [second row, Perpignan], Chris Noakes [out-half, Blues], Tom Court [loosehead prop, Ulster], Luke Narraway [back row, Perpignan], Eoin Griffin [centre, Connacht], James Short [wing, Saracens], Conor Gilsenan [back row, Leinster], Geoff Cross [tighthead prop, Glasgow Warriors], Sean Cox [second row, Edinburgh], Tom Guest [No. 8, Harlequins], Scott Steele [scrum-half, Leicester].
London Welsh
Piri Weepu [scrum-half, London Welsh], Olly Barkley [out-half, Scarlets], Eddie Aholelei [loosehead prop, Melbourne Rebels], Lachlan McCaffrey [No. 8, Brumbies], Pablo Henn [loosehead prop, Limoges], Dean Schofield [second row, Worcester], Shane Cahill [loosehead prop, Cornish Pirates], Tristan Roberts [out-half, Bristol], Paul Rowley [scrum-half, Plymouth], Darren Waters [back row, Newport Gwent Dragons], James Sandford [second row, Cornish Pirates], Tim Molenaar [centre, Harlequins], Nic Reynolds [centre, Scarlets], Koree Britton [hooker, Gloucester], Chris Elder [fullback, Plymouth Albion], Taione Vea [prop, Wasps], Josh McNally [second row, Air Force], Ricky Reeves [loosehead prop, Wasps], Jesse Liston [back row, Blackheath], Jack Gilding [tighthead prop, Viadana], Cameron Goodhue [No. 8, Worcester], Nathan Taylor [hooker, Hartpury RFC], Jimmy Litchfield [prop, Hartpury RFC].
Newcastle Falcons
Josh Furno [second row/back row, Biarritz], Alesana Tuilagi [wing, NTT Shining Arcs], Anitelea Tuilagi [centre, Newport Gwent Dragons], Eric Fry [prop, London Scottish], Ruki Tipuna [scrum-half, Bristol], Uili Kolo’ofai [second row, Colomiers], Rob Hawkins [hooker, Leicester], Calum Green [second row, Leeds], Juan Pablo Socino [centre, Rotherham].
Northampton Saints
Joel Hodgson [out-half, Newcastle].
Sale Sharks
Chris Cusiter [scrum-half, Glasgow Warriors], Nathan Hines [second row, Clermont], Luke McLean [fullback, Treviso], Alberto de Marchi [prop, Treviso], Darren Fearn [loosehead prop, Bedford Blues].
Saracens
Juan Figallo [tighthead prop, Montpellier], Jim Hamilton [second row, Montpellier], Kieran Longbotton [tighthead prop, Western Force], Mike Ellery [wing/fullback, England Sevens].
Wasps
Alapati Leiua [wing/centre, Hurricanes], Ruaridh Jackson [out-half, Glasgow Warriors], Bradley Davies [second row, Cardiff Blues], John Yapp [prop, Edinburgh], James Gaskell [back row, Sale], Rob Miller [fullback.out-half, Sale], Lorenzo Cittadini [tighthead prop, Treviso], Ed Shervington [hooker, Worcester], Thomas Young [back row, Cardiff Blues], Alex Lozowski [out-half, Leeds], Buster Lawrence [second row, Moseley].