LIST | Four Northampton 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’.

He joined the Saints as a marquee signing for the 2018/19 season but had an injury-disrupted spell which meant the 25-year-old failed to make an impact.

The former Leicester Tigers and Newcastle Falcons lock left Franklin’s Gardens by “mutual consent” in March 2019 after seven uninspiring outings in the black, green and gold.

He officially retired from rugby last month and is now managing director of green technology company Pure-EV

Haskell joined Northampton from Wasps in 2018 in an effort to remain in Eddie Jones’s England squad and makeRugby World Cup squad,

However, he suffered an injury-ravaged campaign that has resulted in the flanker missing more games than he has played.

As a result, Haskell called time on his 17-year rugby career in May 2019 before signing with American MMA promoter Bellator three months later.

Scouted and signed personally by head coach Jim Mallinder, the powerhouse number eight join in 2013 following his Man of the Match display against the Maori All Blacks for the USA. That year he was also was named the U.S. Breakout Player of the Year by Rugby Mag.

Nevertheless, the move didn't work out and he left Saints two years later after making just one appearance. The 30-year-old has since played for Cardiff Blues, San Diego Legion, Nottingham and New Orleans Gold while winning 51 caps for his country.

The highly-rated former England U20 winger arrived at Franklin's Gardens from Saracens, where he had helped the black and reds to their first Premiership title.

He made a total of 10 appearances after joining in 2011, finding regular rugby hard to come by before joining Newcastle Falcons, initially on loan before joining permanently while they were in the Championship.