The biggest rugby transfer flop from the last five seasons

While some of these big-money signings go on to achieve legendary status at their various clubs, there are others who for different reasons struggled to step up to the plate.

Here, we look at five big-money signings who flopped massively in each of the last five years.

First on the list is former Harlequins winger Ibitoye. Having fallen out with the London club, he signed for Agen for the 2020/21 Top 14 season, but his cross-channel move completely flopped. After being released mid-season for his attitude behind the scenes, the 22-year-old joined Montpellier as a medical joker before being released again at the end of the season.

The speedster has now gone from being involved in an England training camp and being tipped by head coach Eddie Jones to be a future superstar to playing in Israel in the space of three seasons.

He was described by the club as ‘a real coup’ and ‘deadly finisher’ when the winger joined from relegated Newcastle Falcons in the summer of 2019. However, the then 35-year-old, who had been a prolific try scorer throughout his career, didn’t cross the whitewash in his six Premiership outings for Quins before leaving to join Stade Montois, who are in the second tier of French rugby union. A proper flop.

The playmaker was labelled the worst signing of the season by Owen Slot and Alex Lowe in their season review for The Times, saying the 28-year-old's first year was almost ironic. The former Highlander was signed by Wasps for double the money they paid Danny Cipriani, who went onto win player of the year at his new club Gloucester. He improved a little bit in the following two seasons before joining Lyon, but never really looked the money they paid him.

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 as they were relegated.

Arriving in 2016, despite solid form for England during this stint, the Warriors fans barely saw him in his three years at Sixways, which is not what you want from your highest paid player. Complete waste of money.