Transfer news, rumours, speculation, insinuations, and outright transfer slanders - Season 2025/26

[Puja]

Speaking on unfounded speculation, Telegraph have drawn a conclusion between Marchant being in his last year of Stade Francais contract and him being engaged to Hollie Shearer (who has some notable family in the Newcastle area) and posited Falcons Red Bulls as his destination for his next move. Would be good to have him back as an option for England.

Puja

[FKAS]

Speaking on unfounded speculation, Telegraph have drawn a conclusion between Marchant being in his last year of Stade Francais contract and him being engaged to Hollie Shearer (who has some notable family in the Newcastle area) and posited Falcons Red Bulls as his destination for his next move. Would be good to have him back as an option for England.

Puja

I'm expecting lots of links to Newcastle. Marchant would be an excellent signing for them but then again he'd be an excellent signing for more than half the league. I'm sure Alan would like to have his daughter back up north. There's some very pleasant bits of the NE coast if they want to settle down.

[Scrumhead]

Well Newcastle will have the finances to buy him out of the deal if they want to I guess? I’d be very happy to have Marchant back and available for England as he doesn’t end up at Saracens.

Curious half rumour from Quins …

Last week our social media team put out a teaser for a signing strongly indicating an Argentinian front row before promptly removing it. The speculation is that we’ve signed Boris Wenger but I have no idea on how accurate that is …

[FKAS]

A prop/hooker that's a throwback to the Puma forwards of old isn't it.

I doubt Newcastle will buy Marchant out of the final year of his contract but they'll probably have him lined up for next summer.

[Puja]

A prop/hooker that's a throwback to the Puma forwards of old isn't it.

I doubt Newcastle will buy Marchant out of the final year of his contract but they'll probably have him lined up for next summer.

Diamond's already said that there'll be no splurging of cash immediately to get players in at short notice (and was dismissive about the prospect of LRZ, although from Diamond, that probably means he signed 3 weeks ago) and that this season is about consolidation with all the major movement being done for 26-27. Seems sensible - it's too late to make big moves without paying over the odds, especially with NH-based players. Better to be patient and plan the big rebuild next season.

Interestingly enough, I've seen a few articles saying variations on, "Diamond is staying on as director of rugby for now to 'ensure continuity'", which suggests Red Bull have already come to the conclusion that he's not the man for the long term (although I cannot find any direct quotes about it, which means it could just be arrant speculation. Wouldn't surprise me if he ended up moving up to the board like he did at Sale. Gods only know that Newcastle owe him a debt for keeping their heads above water so successfully, so I think there'd be unrest if he was just turfed out on the street. Plus he's an experienced rugby administrator and a very savvy operator - if I were Red Bull, I'm not sure he'd be the man I'd pick to coach my new toy to Premiership glory, but I'd certainly be keen on using his knowledge around general rugby operations, stadium, academy, contacts in the transfer market, etc.

Puja

[FKAS]

A prop/hooker that's a throwback to the Puma forwards of old isn't it.

I doubt Newcastle will buy Marchant out of the final year of his contract but they'll probably have him lined up for next summer.

Diamond's already said that there'll be no splurging of cash immediately to get players in at short notice (and was dismissive about the prospect of LRZ, although from Diamond, that probably means he signed 3 weeks ago) and that this season is about consolidation with all the major movement being done for 26-27. Seems sensible - it's too late to make big moves without paying over the odds, especially with NH-based players. Better to be patient and plan the big rebuild next season.

Interestingly enough, I've seen a few articles saying variations on, "Diamond is staying on as director of rugby for now to 'ensure continuity'", which suggests Red Bull have already come to the conclusion that he's not the man for the long term (although I cannot find any direct quotes about it, which means it could just be arrant speculation. Wouldn't surprise me if he ended up moving up to the board like he did at Sale. Gods only know that Newcastle owe him a debt for keeping their heads above water so successfully, so I think there'd be unrest if he was just turfed out on the street. Plus he's an experienced rugby administrator and a very savvy operator - if I were Red Bull, I'm not sure he'd be the man I'd pick to coach my new toy to Premiership glory, but I'd certainly be keen on using his knowledge around general rugby operations, stadium, academy, contacts in the transfer market, etc.

Puja

Good calls all round.

Diamond is a very good director of rugby, he's an ok head coach. If I was Red Bull I'd be looking at getting him into that DOR role and getting an exciting head coach in to get the squad firing. Let Diamond assemble the squad, deal with the negotiations, deal with the media etc and let the head coach deal with the day to day on the training ground.

[Which Tyler]

Tom Christie
Crusaders => Newcastle, confirmed

[Puja]

Tom Christie
Crusaders => Newcastle, confirmed

And also chucks in a "something special happening" comment. Gotta love the classics. Wonder if he'll be scouring his family tree for a Scots or Welsh grandparent now he's coming up north?

I don't know a huge amount about him, aside from him being a regular for the Crusaders. What's he like as a player?

Puja

[Puja]

Bizarre non-Newcastle post in the transfer rumours thread - Telegraph reckon that Brizzle have got Rees-Zammit to sign up for this season.

Oh and Freddie Burns has found a new club, as he's going to play for Dinamo Bucharest in Romania.

Puja

[FKAS]

Tom Christie
Crusaders => Newcastle, confirmed

And also chucks in a "something special happening" comment. Gotta love the classics. Wonder if he'll be scouring his family tree for a Scots or Welsh grandparent now he's coming up north?

I don't know a huge amount about him, aside from him being a regular for the Crusaders. What's he like as a player?

Puja

I don't know a great deal other than that he's a high work rate, lots of tackles style openside. Has generally been the Crusaders go to openside for a few years now but doesn't appear to quite have the ability to make the step up the AB squad.

I might be wrong but I got the impression it's a bit like the Gordon signing from last summer. If that's the case then it will be a niggly, hard working and generally pain in the arse to the opposition style flanker combination.

[FKAS]

Bizarre non-Newcastle post in the transfer rumours thread - Telegraph reckon that Brizzle have got Rees-Zammit to sign up for this season.

Puja

Makes lots of sense. They could use a winger, he'll suit their style down to the ground, they've got cash available but aren't up to the cap and LRZ gets to move back to the area of the UK he was happy in before moving to the US.

Ibitoye and LRZ on the wings will be fun to watch.

[Mellsblue]

Acceptable wing men to Rich Lane’s Maverick.

[FKAS]

Acceptable wing men to Rich Lane’s Maverick.

I presumed RICH LANE!!! Would be at 15, unless Tom Jordan plays there. Pacey back three.

[Mellsblue]

[FKAS]

Ha, very Bristol Bears. Cracking signing for them. For a team that can already put a lot of points on an opposition very quickly, LRZ will only add to that. How fit he is will be the question.

[fivepointer]

Super signing. Good business from the Bears.

[twitchy]

Khwezi Mona, 32 year old SA prop who can play both sides, has signed for exe from the sharks.

[Which Tyler]

Weird signing to me.
Ex have 8 props already, so signing an injured 32 year old with 4 first class starts to his name seems... like either All.Rugby have him wrong, or something...

ETA: Wiki agrees that he's barely played above Currie Cup; whilst even the BBC's spin of "more than 50 starts for the Sharks" isn't really a huge number for a 32 year old; and includes Sharks, Sharks (Currie Cup) and "SharksXV" - and actually, Wiki can't bring that up to 50 even then (All.rugby doesn't track Currie Cup)

[Scrumhead]

Agreed. Blose is younger with more top level experience and hasn’t exactly shone so not sure how Mona brings more than a decent Championship prop or an academy prospect.

[FKAS]

Unless Chiefs have some injury issues or someone about to be announced as leaving.

[Which Tyler]

Unless Chiefs have some injury issues or someone about to be announced as leaving.

Even then, you'd surely aim higher than someone who's garnered 20-odd appearances over 12 years as a pro

[FKAS]

Unless Chiefs have some injury issues or someone about to be announced as leaving.

Even then, you'd surely aim higher than someone who's garnered 20-odd appearances over 12 years as a pro

Depends how much cash you've got kicking around and where you anticipate him being in the depth chart.

[Which Tyler]

Fair.
I can't seen him being any higher than 4th choice in either propping berth.
Weren't Ex one of the teams making a thing about not spending up to the cap last year? Though of course, A] that doesn't mean they're not planning to this year, and B] having space in the cap =/= having £ in the bank

[FKAS]

Fair.
I can't seen him being any higher than 4th choice in either propping berth.
Weren't Ex one of the teams making a thing about not spending up to the cap last year? Though of course, A] that doesn't mean they're not planning to this year, and B] having space in the cap =/= having £ in the bank

They said that they've reached the point of financial stability where they can spend more but not up to the cap. They've been pretty open about having financial limitations that aren't salary cap related.

[FKAS]

Rumours suggesting Tigers have brought in Tonga Kofe the USA tighthead for next season. Big lad at 140kg (22 Stone) who was playing for Utah in the MLR.