The 2022/23 Gallagher Premiership season was one like no other. The campaign will never be forgotten due to the collapse of three top flight clubs, as Worcester Warriors, Wasps and London Irish were all withdrawn from the league.
The dissolvement of these three clubs has flooded the transfer market, with a new-look Premiership landscape being shaped up for the 2023/24 Premiership campaign.
The tightening salary cap has also had a significant impact on the league, with the likes of Exeter Chiefs and Newcastle Falcons re-building their squads, ahead of this new era in the Premiership.
Here are the Top 5 Premiership Signings, ahead of the 2023/24 Gallagher Premiership season.
Honourable Mentions:
Ollie Hassell-Collins (London Irish to Leicester Tigers)
Solomone Kata (Exeter Chiefs to Leicester Tigers)
Kalaveti Ravouvou (Fijian Drua to Bristol Bears)
Zach Mercer (Montpellier to Gloucester)
Finn Russell to Bath
Arguably the signing of the season, Scotland’s talisman Finn Russell will be calling the Premiership home for the first time in his career, when he arrives at the Rec after the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Russell signs for Bath for a reported salary that will see him become the leagues’ highest paid player, with the Scotsman agreeing a deal speculated around £1million a year.
Russell arrives in Bath from Racing 92, which he has resided at since 2018. Russell took over the halfback reigns from Dan Carter, as the legendary All Black departed the Parisians for Japan ahead of the 2018/19 season. Russell will bring an electrifying edge to the Bath attacking line, as the former British & Irish Lion dictates the game with an exciting tempo.
Russell shone for Scotland throughout the 2023 Six Nations, as his side recorded memorable victories over England, Wales and Italy. Russell provided four try assists during the competition, and made a staggering 340 ball-in-hand metres in 320 minutes on the pitch. Bath fans are certainly excited to see Russell make his debut in the blue, black and white stripes, with the Somerset club setting themselves up for an exciting season.