New Leicester boss Dan McKellar has added 4 more signings to his squad for the upcoming 2023/24 season, including two additions from the financially collapsed London Irish. The Exiles squad – which completed fifth in final season’s Gallagher Premiership, 4 factors behind the third-place Tigers – have seen their squad break up because the membership’s early June RFU suspension and fall into administration.
The two newest gamers to safe employment elsewhere are skipper Matt Rogerson and scrum-half Joe Powell. Leicester have additionally signed out-half Kieran Wilkinson from Sale whereas the versatile ahead Mike Williams has returned to the membership following stints with Bath and Exeter.
These signings deliver to 11 the variety of new gamers becoming a member of Leicester – the seven additions beforehand introduced have been Josh Bassett, Sam Carter, Ollie Hassell-Collins, Kyle Hatherell, Solomone Kata, Jamie Shillcock and Finn Theobald-Thomas.
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A press release learn: “Leicester Tigers head coach Dan McKellar has confirmed 4 additions forward of the 23/24 season. Included inside the quartet of signings is a returning Tiger, who made more than 80 appearances for Leicester in 4 seasons on the membership, and a global scrum-half who beforehand labored with McKellar down beneath.
“The 4 additions are: Joe Powell (scrum-half), Matt Rogerson (again row), Kieran Wilkinson (fly-half) and Mike Williams (lock/again row).
“The 29-year-old Powell makes the transfer to the East Midlands after a season with London Irish, who he joined after eight years of Super Rugby. Back-rower Rogerson makes the transfer to Tigers from London Irish, who he made more than 100 appearances for throughout 5 seasons – including the ultimate two as membership captain.
“Fly-half Wilkinson made 22 appearances for Sale in all competitions since his senior debut in 2018. And 31-year-old ahead Williams returns to Tigers, the place he made more than 80 appearances throughout 4 seasons with the membership, after stints with Bath and Exeter. Williams, who’s able to taking part in at lock and throughout the again row, performed his junior rugby with the Sharks and Blue Bulls in South Africa earlier than becoming a member of Worcester in 2013.”
McKellar mentioned: “Joe is an skilled scrum-half who has performed on the highest degree within the recreation and I’m actually enthusiastic about having him be a part of us at Leicester Tigers. I’ve spoken overtly about the kind of gamers we would like at Tigers, the kind of character I need within the group and a younger man of Joe’s qualities on and off the pitch matches effectively and really inside that.
“It’s no secret we’re more likely to be with out Jack (van Poortvliet) and Ben (Youngs) in the course of the World Cup, so definitely in want of depth at scrum-half and I’m happy we’ve got been in a position so as to add that with the standard of Joe.
“It is nice to be welcoming a participant of Matt’s expertise and character to Leicester. He is a tried and examined participant within the Premiership and provides necessary depth and competitors to our again row ranks.
“You don’t play a century of video games on this league with no sure degree of toughness and dedication, in addition to loads of expertise, and Matt has proven that over numerous years now.
“His class and character have shone by in current occasions when captain of London Irish to steer his taking part in group by such a tumultuous interval and it’s that sort of particular person we would like representing Leicester.
“It is nice to have the ability to affirm Kieran’s signing with the membership from subsequent season, which is able to see him increase our fly-half ranks alongside Charlie Atkinson and Handre Pollard. While nonetheless very a lot a younger man, Kieran has already bought a large amount of senior expertise within the English recreation and is a participant with potential.
“We are assured that he’ll have the ability to take his recreation to the subsequent degree as a part of Leicester and looking out ahead to serving to him proceed to develop his recreation.
“We are excited to have Mike again at Leicester. He is a bodily participant with a combative method to the sport and enjoys the powerful stuff – all of the attributes we would like in our forwards at this membership. I’m sure our supporters are happy to see a person of Mike’s character again on the membership additionally.
“He understands what it means to have the ability to characterize Leicester, our position in the neighborhood and is as passionate as ever about being part of that once more.”
