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

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

Post by Captainhaircut »

Telegraph have Quirke as signing for Newcastle with Cam Jordan and Elliot Miller-Mills signing too.

RugbyPass agrees and also suggests James Pater, Sam Graham, Will Haydon-Wood, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Will Rigg and George Turner are in talks.

Would all be good solid signings. Probably lacking top level quality outside of Quirke (plus Sotutu having already signed)- going to need to find a 10 from somewhere and a first choice tighthead. Simmonds and Sinckler would be good moves.
FKAS
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Re: Transfer news, rumours, speculation, insinuations, and outright transfer slanders - Season 2025/26

Post by FKAS »

I think Joe Simmonds is under contract with Pau and not sure they'd be open to letting him go.

Anthony Belleau is in talks with Saints to extend his stay there but has offers from France. A good offer from NRB where he'd be the main man might sway things.

Bello is still at NRB and he's a good tighthead, he's just had that nasty injury that's been keeping him out.
francoisfou
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Re: Transfer news, rumours, speculation, insinuations, and outright transfer slanders - Season 2025/26

Post by francoisfou »

Former Northampton 2nd row Alex Moon is leaving Bayonne at the end of this season for a three-year contract with Bordeaux /Bègles.
Mikey Brown
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Re: Transfer news, rumours, speculation, insinuations, and outright transfer slanders - Season 2025/26

Post by Mikey Brown »

Captainhaircut wrote: Thu Jan 08, 2026 10:53 am Telegraph have Quirke as signing for Newcastle with Cam Jordan and Elliot Miller-Mills signing too.

RugbyPass agrees and also suggests James Pater, Sam Graham, Will Haydon-Wood, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Will Rigg and George Turner are in talks.

Would all be good solid signings. Probably lacking top level quality outside of Quirke (plus Sotutu having already signed)- going to need to find a 10 from somewhere and a first choice tighthead. Simmonds and Sinckler would be good moves.
Does WHW not have it in him to be that at 10? I know he’s been sat behind Skinner at Exeter, which isn’t exactly a glowing endorsement, but he looked really promising when he was at Falcons before.

Who is Rakete-Stones?

Is Alex Moon one that slipped through the cracks for England recognition? I don’t know if he had a fully rounded game or not but seems to be a handy unit and clearly going well in France.
Scrumhead
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Re: Transfer news, rumours, speculation, insinuations, and outright transfer slanders - Season 2025/26

Post by Scrumhead »

Sam Graham and Elliott Millar-Mills confirmed to be leaving Saints and both were strongly linked with NRB. Seems likely the rumours were true.
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Puja
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Re: Transfer news, rumours, speculation, insinuations, and outright transfer slanders - Season 2025/26

Post by Puja »

Scrumhead wrote: Thu Jan 08, 2026 12:28 pm Sam Graham and Elliott Millar-Mills confirmed to be leaving Saints and both were strongly linked with NRB. Seems likely the rumours were true.
Sam Graham would be a belting signing. Such a good Prem player.

Not sure how Quirke would work - isn't 9 one of the few places where Newcastle already have a top-quality starter?

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

Post by FKAS »

Puja wrote: Thu Jan 08, 2026 1:04 pm
Scrumhead wrote: Thu Jan 08, 2026 12:28 pm Sam Graham and Elliott Millar-Mills confirmed to be leaving Saints and both were strongly linked with NRB. Seems likely the rumours were true.
Sam Graham would be a belting signing. Such a good Prem player.

Not sure how Quirke would work - isn't 9 one of the few places where Newcastle already have a top-quality starter?

Puja
Quality starter than a massive drop off to players who'd be at test third choice elsewhere though they do have the young lad Davies. Quirke would give them two 9s able of playing at that high tempo and considerable pace.

Aaron Wainwright now confirmed as joining Tigers.
Epaminondas Pules
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Re: Transfer news, rumours, speculation, insinuations, and outright transfer slanders - Season 2025/26

Post by Epaminondas Pules »

Captainhaircut wrote: Thu Jan 08, 2026 10:53 am Telegraph have Quirke as signing for Newcastle with Cam Jordan and Elliot Miller-Mills signing too.

RugbyPass agrees and also suggests James Pater, Sam Graham, Will Haydon-Wood, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Will Rigg and George Turner are in talks.

Would all be good solid signings. Probably lacking top level quality outside of Quirke (plus Sotutu having already signed)- going to need to find a 10 from somewhere and a first choice tighthead. Simmonds and Sinckler would be good moves.
Pater would be an odd one being in his first season of professional rugby and played 5 games for Saints already this season as an 18 year old. Scored a hattrick for Cambridge last weekend as an aside.
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Puja
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Re: Transfer news, rumours, speculation, insinuations, and outright transfer slanders - Season 2025/26

Post by Puja »

FKAS wrote: Thu Jan 08, 2026 1:17 pm
Puja wrote: Thu Jan 08, 2026 1:04 pm
Scrumhead wrote: Thu Jan 08, 2026 12:28 pm Sam Graham and Elliott Millar-Mills confirmed to be leaving Saints and both were strongly linked with NRB. Seems likely the rumours were true.
Sam Graham would be a belting signing. Such a good Prem player.

Not sure how Quirke would work - isn't 9 one of the few places where Newcastle already have a top-quality starter?

Puja
Quality starter than a massive drop off to players who'd be at test third choice elsewhere though they do have the young lad Davies. Quirke would give them two 9s able of playing at that high tempo and considerable pace.

Aaron Wainwright now confirmed as joining Tigers.
I was more thinking from Quirke's perspective than Newcastle's! Big risk for someone on the cusp of England recognition, especially since he appears to've nailed down the 9 shirt at Sale now.
Epaminondas Pules wrote: Thu Jan 08, 2026 1:36 pm Pater would be an odd one being in his first season of professional rugby and played 5 games for Saints already this season as an 18 year old. Scored a hattrick for Cambridge last weekend as an aside.
Newcastle looking to rebuild their ravaged talent pipeline by parachuting in some young starlets?

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

Post by Epaminondas Pules »

Puja wrote: Thu Jan 08, 2026 2:08 pm
FKAS wrote: Thu Jan 08, 2026 1:17 pm
Puja wrote: Thu Jan 08, 2026 1:04 pm

Sam Graham would be a belting signing. Such a good Prem player.

Not sure how Quirke would work - isn't 9 one of the few places where Newcastle already have a top-quality starter?

Puja
Quality starter than a massive drop off to players who'd be at test third choice elsewhere though they do have the young lad Davies. Quirke would give them two 9s able of playing at that high tempo and considerable pace.

Aaron Wainwright now confirmed as joining Tigers.
I was more thinking from Quirke's perspective than Newcastle's! Big risk for someone on the cusp of England recognition, especially since he appears to've nailed down the 9 shirt at Sale now.
Epaminondas Pules wrote: Thu Jan 08, 2026 1:36 pm Pater would be an odd one being in his first season of professional rugby and played 5 games for Saints already this season as an 18 year old. Scored a hattrick for Cambridge last weekend as an aside.
Newcastle looking to rebuild their ravaged talent pipeline by parachuting in some young starlets?

Puja
Maybe. They've always produced, just not maximised their talent and any that have come through they've not been able to hold onto. Pater is really highly rated at Saints. He is ridiculously rapid!
FKAS
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Re: Transfer news, rumours, speculation, insinuations, and outright transfer slanders - Season 2025/26

Post by FKAS »

Epaminondas Pules wrote: Thu Jan 08, 2026 2:17 pm
Puja wrote: Thu Jan 08, 2026 2:08 pm
FKAS wrote: Thu Jan 08, 2026 1:17 pm

Quality starter than a massive drop off to players who'd be at test third choice elsewhere though they do have the young lad Davies. Quirke would give them two 9s able of playing at that high tempo and considerable pace.

Aaron Wainwright now confirmed as joining Tigers.
I was more thinking from Quirke's perspective than Newcastle's! Big risk for someone on the cusp of England recognition, especially since he appears to've nailed down the 9 shirt at Sale now.
Epaminondas Pules wrote: Thu Jan 08, 2026 1:36 pm Pater would be an odd one being in his first season of professional rugby and played 5 games for Saints already this season as an 18 year old. Scored a hattrick for Cambridge last weekend as an aside.
Newcastle looking to rebuild their ravaged talent pipeline by parachuting in some young starlets?

Puja
Maybe. They've always produced, just not maximised their talent and any that have come through they've not been able to hold onto. Pater is really highly rated at Saints. He is ridiculously rapid!
Does it indicate some fairly clear recruitment focus. They wants some serious speed at 15 with kicking ability so in come Hodge and maybe Pater. They want a running 9 so Benitez-Cruz is brought in and then Quirke targeted.
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