10 Worst Foreign Signings in Premiership History - Page 2 of 3 - Ruck

10 Worst Foreign Signings in Premiership History

4. JP Pietersen (Leicester Tigers)

World Cup winner with South Africa in 2007, Pietersen signed a three-year deal to join Premiership giants prior to the 2016–2017 season. However, the winger was granted early release to join top French club Toulon in the Top 14 from the 2017-18 season. He scored three tries in 15 appearances during his underwhelming one-year stint at Welford Road. Worth the huge salary? Absolutely not.


5. Nemani Nadolo (Exeter Chiefs)

Signed for the club 11th Jan 2011 but was registered under his Aussie passport and therefore cost the club 2 points and £5000 for fielding too many overseas players. He was then convicted of drink driving, banned from the road for 18 months, and released by the club in May 2011.

He failed to score a single try in his four appearances for the Chiefs. His career has done nothing but rise ever since so that’s nice. Hopefully, he’ll do much better with Leicester Tigers after signing with them for the 2020/21 season.


6. Christian Loamanu (Leicester Tigers)

The highly rated Japanese international arrived in 2014 after stints with Treviso and Toulon. The versatile back, who’d be banned for life in Japan for testing positive for marijuana, was poor in his two years at the club, making just seven appearances. Failed to live up to expectation.


7. Cătălin Fercu (Saracens)

More frustrating than anything.

Tongues were wagging when the Romania international, who has now accumulated 107 caps, arrived at Allianz Park in 2014, with the fullback being compared to Welshman Leigh Halfpenny by the press at the time.

He was intended to come in and play a pivotal role in the team but would depart at the end of the season after only six appearances. The speedster probably warranted longer to prove himself, but this was a mediocre transfer nonetheless.

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