The rugby transfer ins and outs for next season in Wales and entire URC

Last week saw the United Rugby Championship season end, with Munster lifting the trophy in Cape Town.

Attention now turns to next season, with plenty of deals having been completed. Frankly, not many have been done in Wales, given the financial uncertainty and cost-cutting that has overshadowed the game in this country.

One of the regions, Cardiff, have yet to announce a single signing for next season – with any deals understood to be dependent on when their director of rugby situation is sorted after Dai Young’s suspension.

A new fly-half is imperative, with the Welsh Rugby Union understood to be blocking a move for South African fly-half Tinus de Beer. Gareth Anscombe would be a good option, given his seeming desire to stay in Wales, but that will all depend on finances.

The other Welsh sides have been able to do some business, but the outgoings far outweigh the incomings. There could be more to come, with Tomas Francis’ move to France likely to be confirmed soon.

Around the rest of the league, there’s some eye-catching signatures. Benetton have added six new players so far, but it’s former All Black and current Tonga international Malakai Fekitoa that really captures the imagination as they tempt him to Italy after a year at Munster.

Connacht’s acquisition of Santiago Cordero and Ulster’s signing of Steven Kitshoff are other reminders of the calibre of signings that Welsh rugby will struggle to make moving forward on smaller budgets.

Here’s every signing so far ahead of next season…

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Benetton

Players in: Andy Uren (Bristol Bears), Malakai Fekitoa (Munster), Edoardo Iachizzi (Vannes), Giosuè Zilocchi (London Irish), Eli Snyman (Leicester Tigers), Gideon Koegelenberg (Kurita Water Gush Akishima).

Players out: Manfredi Albanese (retired), Corniel Els (retired), Manuel Arroyo (released), Mattia Bellini (released), Matteo Drudi (released), Braam Steyn (released), Cherif Traorè (released), Carl Wegner (released), Nicola Piantella (Zebre).

Bulls

Players in: Wilco Louw (Harlequins), Jannes Kirsten (Exeter Chiefs), Henry Immelman (Edinburgh), Sebastian de Klerk (Pumas), Sergeal Petersen (Shimizu Koto Blue Sharks).

Players out: Morné Steyn (retired), Bismarck du Plessis (retired), Lizo Gqoboka (Stormers).

Cardiff

Players in: N/A.

Players out: Max Llewellyn (Gloucester), Jarrod Evans (Harlequins), Dillon Lewis (Harlequins), Dmitri Arhip (released), Kristian Dacey (retired), Willis Halaholo (released), Jason Harries (retired), Rey Lee-Lo (released), Harri Millard (released), Kirby Myhill (released), Josh Navidi (retired), Joe Peard (released), Rhys Priestland (released), Brad Thyer (released), James Ratti (Ospreys), Lloyd Williams (Ealing Trailfinders).

Connacht

Players in: Joe Joyce (Bristol Bears), Sean Jansen (Leicester Tigers), Andrew Smith (Leinster), Seán O’Brien (Leinster), Santiago Cordero (Bordeaux), Liam McNamara (Ireland Sevens), Declan Moore (Ulster), Michael McDonald (Ulster), JJ Hanrahan (Dragons).

Players out: Kieran Marmion (Bristol Bears), Alex Wootton (retired), Shane Delahunt (retired), Ciaran Booth (released), Adam Byrne (released), Leva Fifita (released), Conor Fitzgerald (released), Seán Masterson (released).

Dragons

Players in: Dane Blacker (Scarlets), Corey Baldwin (Scarlets), Dan Lydiate (Ospreys).

Players out: Will Rowlands (Racing 92), Ioan Davies (released), Rob Evans (released), Ben Fry (released), Lennon Greggains (released), Ben Moa (released), Huw Taylor (released), Sam Davies (Grenoble), JJ Hanrahan (Connacht).

Edinburgh

Players in: Ben Healy (Munster), Robin Hislop (Saracens), Javan Sebastian (Scarlets), Scott Steele (Harlequins), Ewan Ashman (Sale Sharks), Tom Dodd (Coventry).

Players out: Henry Immelman (Bulls), Murray McCallum (Newcastle Falcons), Lee-Roy Atalifo (released), Nick Auterac (released), Jack Blain (released), Rudi Brown (released), Harrison Courtney (released), Ben Evans (released), Dan Gamble (released), Nick Haining (released), Bruce Houston (released), Damien Hoyland (released), Pierce Phillips (released), Henry Pyrgos (released), Matt Russell (released), Jaco van der Walt (released), Stuart McInally (retired), Cammy Hutchison (Newcastle Falcons), Elliot Millar-Mills (Northampton Saints), Jamie Jack (Bedford Blues).

Glasgow Warriors

Players in: Henco Venter (Sharks).

Players out: Lewis Bean (Montauban), Simon Berghan (released), Cole Forbes (released), Sam Johnson (released), Cameron Neild (released), Ryan Wilson (released).

Leinster

Players in: N/A.

Players out: Jonathan Sexton (retired), Andrew Smith (Connacht), Seán O’Brien (Connacht), Dave Kearney (released), Nick McCarthy (released), Tadgh McElroy (released), Max O’Reilly (released), Marcus Hanan (released).

Lions

Players in: N/A.

Players out: Jaco Kriel (retired), Sti Sithole (Stormers).

Munster

Players in: John Ryan (Chiefs), Alex Nankivell (Chiefs), Seán O’Brien (Exeter Chiefs).

Players out: Ben Healy (Edinburgh), Kiran McDonald (Newcastle Falcons), Malakai Fekitoa (Benetton).

Ospreys

Players in: James Ratti (Cardiff).

Players out: Stephen Myler (retired), Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler (Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi), Joe Hawkins (Exeter Chiefs), Ethan Roots (Exeter Chiefs), Gareth Anscombe (released), Dan Lydiate (Dragons), Alun Wyn Jones (released), Dan Evans (retired).

Scarlets

Players in: Ioan Lloyd (Bristol Bears), Tomi Lewis (Jersey Reds).

Players out: Javan Sebastian (Edinburgh), Sione Kalamafoni (Vannes), Dane Blacker (Dragons), Taylor Davies (released), Leigh Halfpenny (released), Dafydd Hughes (released), Alex Jeffries (retired), WillGriff John (released), Rhys Patchell (released), Phil Price (released), Tom Price (released), Lewis Rawlins (released), Aaron Shingler (retired), Corey Baldwin (Dragons), Iestyn Rees (Ampthill).

Sharks

Players in: Vincent Koch (Stade Français), Siya Masuku (Cheetahs), Diego Appollis (Pumas), George Cronjé (Cheetahs), Ig Prinsloo (Pumas), Coenie Oosthuizen (Sale Sharks).

Players out: Siya Kolisi (Racing 92), Thaakir Abrahams (Lyon), Carlü Sadie (Bordeaux), Ben Tapuai (Bordeaux), Thomas du Toit (Bath), Henco Venter (Glasgow Warriors).

Stormers

Players in: Sti Sithole (Lions), Lizo Gqoboka (Bulls).

Players out: Steven Kitshoff (Ulster), Ernst van Rhyn (Sale Sharks).

Ulster

Players in: Steven Kitshoff (Stormers), Dave Ewers (Exeter Chiefs), James French (unattached).

Players out: Frank Bradshaw Ryan (Montauban), Jordi Murphy (retired), Rob Lyttle (released), Craig Gilroy (released), Declan Moore (Connacht), Michael McDonald (Connacht), Gareth Milasinovich (released), Rory Sutherland (released), Jeffery Toomaga-Allen (released), Duane Vermeulen (released), Sam Carter (Leicester Tigers).

Zebre

Players in: Jake Polledri (Gloucester), Ben Cambriani (Ampthill), Fetuli Paea (Highlanders).

Players out: Johan Meyer (retired), Dennis Visser (Narbonne), Matt Kvesic (Coventry).

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