Joe Cokanasiga set to depart Bath to make salary cap room for new signings
Rugby NewsSunday, 27 November 2022 at 08:37
England winger Joe Cokanasiga is set to depart Bath as the black, blue and whites look to reduce their current wage bill to accommodate new signings.
According to The Rugby Paper, London Irish are bidding to re-sign the England speedster ahead of the 2023/24 Premiership season.
The Exiles want the powerhouse to return to the club where he started his career as a replacement for Ollie Hassell-Collins, who is on the verge of agreeing a move to Leicester Tigers.
Born in Fiji, Cokanasiga moved to England ahead of his third birthday and was signed on by the London Irish Academy in 2015, making an impact in the Premiership Rugby Sevens tournament a year later.
He made his senior debut for Irish in the Championship and earned a switch to Bath in 2018. He earned his international debut in the same year, scoring against Japan, and has continued his fine scoring form for Eddie Jones' side with 11 tries in his first 11 caps.
Bath, who've already confirmed the signing of Alfie Barbeary, Ted Hill and Ollie Lawrence, are now looking to add Scotland star fly-half Finn Russell.
According to the Mail Online, they are close to completing the move, which would be ‘a stunning coup for the West Country club and also the troubled Premiership as a whole, to have a new box-office asset.’
Russell had previously been linked with a move to Japan, but due to his personal life now would like to stay in Europe.
England's squad ranked from best to worst:
What we've done is taken every England players 'rating' from each game of the Autumn Nations Series and averaged their score with powerhouse Joe Cokanasiga coming out on top.
1. Joe Cokanasiga - 7
- Argentina: 7
- Japan: 7
- New Zealand: N/A
- South Africa: N/A
2. Maro Itoje - 6.87
- Argentina: 6
- Japan: 7.5
- New Zealand: 7
- South Africa: 7
Maro Itoje of England relies the ball from a line out during the Autumn International Series match between England and New Zealand at Twickenham, London on 19 November 2022 (Photo: Micah Crook/PPAUK)
3. Guy Porter - 6.75
- Argentina: N/A
- Japan: 8.5
- New Zealand: 5
- South Africa: N/A
4. Ellis Genge - 6.37
- Argentina: 7
- Japan: 8.5
- New Zealand: 5
- South Africa: 5
Ellis Genge of England is tackled by Damian de Allende of South Africa during the Autumn Nations International Series match between England and South Africa at Twickenham, London on 26 November 2022 (Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK)
5=. Sam Simmonds - 6.25
- Argentina: 5
- Japan: 8
- New Zealand: 7
- South Africa: 5
5=. Freddie Steward - 6.25
- Argentina: 6
- Japan: 9
- New Zealand: 6
- South Africa: 4
Freddie Steward of England is tackled by Ardie Savea of New Zealand during the Autumn International Series match between England and New Zealand at Twickenham, London on 19 November 2022 (Photo: Micah Crook/PPAUK)
7. Jonny May - 6
- Argentina: N/A
- Japan: N/A
- New Zealand: 7
- South Africa: 5
8=. Tom Curry - 5.87
- Argentina: 7
- Japan: 7.5
- New Zealand: 5
- South Africa: 4
Tom Curry of England runs at Samuel Whitelock of New Zealand during the Autumn International Series match between England and New Zealand at Twickenham, London on 19 November 2022 (Photo: Micah Crook/PPAUK)
8=. Ben Youngs - 5.87
- Argentina: 5
- Japan: 6.5
- New Zealand: 6
- South Africa: 6
8=. Owen Farrell - 5.87
- Argentina: 5
- Japan: 8.5
- New Zealand: 5
- South Africa: 5
Owen Farrell, Captain of England kicks the penalty during the Autumn Nations International Series match between England and South Africa at Twickenham, London on 26 November 2022 (Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK)
8=. Kyle Sinckler - 5.87
- Argentina: 8
- Japan: 7.5
- New Zealand: 5
- South Africa: 3
Kyle Sinckler of England during the Autumn International Series match between England and New Zealand at Twickenham, London on 19 November 2022 (Photo: Micah Crook/PPAUK)
12=. Jack van Poortvliet - 5.75
- Argentina: 5
- Japan: 9
- New Zealand: 3
- South Africa: 6
12=. Henry Slade -5.75
- Argentina: 4
- Japan: 8
- New Zealand: 6
- South Africa: 5
14=. Marcus Smith - 5.62
- Argentina: 5
- Japan: 8.5
- New Zealand: 4
- South Africa: 5
Marcus Smith of England warms up before the Autumn International Series match between England and New Zealand at Twickenham, London on 19 November 2022 (Photo: Micah Crook/PPAUK)
14=. Jonny Hill - 5.62
- Argentina: 6
- Japan: 7.5
- New Zealand: 5
- South Africa: 4
14=.Manu Tuilagi - 5.62
- Argentina: 6
- Japan: 6.5
- New Zealand: 5
- South Africa: 5
Manu Tuilagi of England during the Autumn Nations Match between England and Australia at Twickenham on 13 November 2021. Photo: Micah Crook/PPAUK
17=. David Ribbans - 5.5
- Argentina: N/A
- Japan: 7.5
- New Zealand: 5
- South Africa: 4
17=. Luke Cowan-Dickie - 5.5
- Argentina: 6
- Japan: 7
- New Zealand: 5
- South Africa: 4
17=.Joe Heyes - 5.5
- Argentina: 4
- Japan: 7
- New Zealand: N/A
- South Africa: N/A
20=. Alex Coles - 5.33
- Argentina: 5
- Japan: 7
- New Zealand: N/A
- South Africa: 4
Evan Roos of South Africa is tackled by Alex Coles of England during the Autumn Nations International Series match between England and South Africa at Twickenham, London on 26 November 2022 (Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK)
20=. Jack Nowell - 5.33
- Argentina: 5
- Japan: N/A
- New Zealand: 6
- South Africa: 5
22. Billy Vunipola - 5.12
- Argentina: 5
- Japan: 6.5
- New Zealand: 5
- South Africa: 4
Billy Vunipola of England in possession ahead of Kazuki Himeno of Japan during the Autumn International Series match between England and Japan at Twickenham Stadium, Twickenham, London on Saturday 12th November 2022 | Photo: James Fearn/PPAUK.
23. Will Stuart - 5
- Argentina: N/A
- Japan: N/A
- New Zealand: 5
- South Africa: 5
24. Jamie George - 4.87
- Argentina: 4
- Japan: 7.5
- New Zealand: 5
- South Africa: 3
25. Mako Vunipola - 4.62
- Argentina: 4
- Japan: 6.5
- New Zealand: 5
- South Africa: 3
Mako Vunipola applauds in the direction of the supporters at full-time followinga the Autumn International Series match between England and Japan at Twickenham Stadium, Twickenham, London on Saturday 12th November 2022 | Photo: James Fearn/PPAUK.
26. Tommy Freeman - 4
- Argentina: N/A
- Japan: N/A
- New Zealand: N/A
- South Africa: 4
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- Jordie Barrett over Damian de Allende is far from being correct. The hype around Dupont is also overreaching, he's probably 4th in the world and has been since the 2023 WC. He also avoids certain matchups which is strange. The rest of the list is pretty good apart from minor subjective biases.JasonMarlow16-09-2026
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