Four London Irish signings who were meant to be the business…but weren’t

We’ve gone from the inception of the Premiership in 1997/98 because, as you all know, that’s when club rugby ‘started’.

Fans were relatively excited when the Scotland international signed in 2015. But the speedster, who scored three tries in 17 games, looked genuinely disinterested at best and gave supporters the impression he couldn’t wait to leave. He'd join Saracens following the Exiles relegation in 2016.

London Irish again wasting money. They parted with £450,000 per season to land the experienced Ireland international. Due to a hip injury, the back-rower made just one appearance in a 39-0 defeat against Sale Sharks before the league was suspended. Sometimes signing even the best players doesn't work out.

The Fijian wide-man joined the newly promoted Exiles in 2017, fresh off scoring 22 tries in 32 games during a productive two year spell with Lyon. With the club spending big money, fans were hopeful that his deadly finishing would give them a chance of avoiding the drop. Instead, he looked unthreatening and slow, scoring just one try.

Trained with the Exiles for a few weeks before deciding it wasn’t for him and retired. The one-time Premiership record points-scorer then resurfaced at Newcastle in December 2015 where his experience and prolific boot saved them from relegation. Made it onto the Rugby Players’ Association Player of the Year shortlist.