Gloucester Rugby have confirmed that three players will be leaving the Club to move to Japan.
Tom Marshall, Franco Mostert and Franco Marais have chosen to further their careers elsewhere. It goes without saying that we are extremely grateful for their hard work and contribution during their time whilst representing our Club.
OTHER DEPARTING PLAYERS
Four other players, who’s contract had expired, will also be leaving at the end of this month.
Callum Braley will head to Benetton Rugby, as we announced in February. Callum has been a regular in the Gloucester Rugby matchday squad and made his 100th competitive appearance in the Heineken Cup win over Connacht back in December.
Owen Williams comes to the end of his three-year stay with the Cherry & Whites. The Welsh international picked up 37 appearance for Gloucester Rugby, the highlight, without doubt, being his match-winning conversion away at Bath.
We’d also like to thank Ruan Dreyer, who will depart Kingsholm having joined the Cherry & Whites ahead of the 2018-19 season. Injury limited Dreyer’s time on the field, but he has been an asset to the squad.
As announced in March, Aaron Hinkley has opted to move to Exeter Chiefs over the summer. We’d like to wish Aaron all the best with his future at Sandy Park.
JOIN THE RUCK:
Simon Linsell has also moved on. Simon is heading to Ealing Trailfinders, where he goes with our best wishes and thanks for his time with us.
We thank all of those who will leave us for new pastures, for your hard work and enthusiasm on and off the field.
Lance Bradley, Chief Executive Officer, said “While it’s always sad to see players depart the Club, we nevertheless wish them all the best for the future. We have, of course, been planning for these departures for some time, and will have a fully competitive squad as we look forward to restarting the 2019/20 season. We will be providing details shortly.”
Three Gloucester signings who were meant to be the business…but weren’t
1. Jeremy Paul
What a corker to start off with. The Wallabies legend and World Cup winner joined the club on a three-year contract back in 2007.
However, what started off as an exciting signing turned into an expensive mistake for the Cherry & Whites, who have got next to nothing out of the hooker who will have cost them a lot of money.
He played only one Premiership game for Glaws in his one season at Kingsholm, departing by mutual consent in July, 2008.
2. Carl Fearns
Fearns’ incredible form in France had raised hopes of an England call-up and the bruising flanker was on the lookout for a move home.
Gloucester looked set to be his destination in 2017 until the Liverpudlian got wind that Eddie Jones didn’t rate him, and did a U-turn, delivering the sort of hammer blow that once floored Gavin Henson.
The back-rower instead re-signed for Lyon instead and continues to be one of the best ball-carrying forwards around.
3. Chris Paterson
This one is still quite baffling.
Gloucester fans thought they’d made a game-changing signing when Scotland’s record point-scorer moved to Kingsholm in 2007. Boy were they wrong.
Paterson’s spell with the Cherry & whites was largely disappointing and the fullback left to return to Edinburgh at the end of his first season in the Premiership.
He made just 14 appearances.
