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The twelve players joining Harlequins next season

Will Evans

Harlequins have confirmed all twelve players that will join the club ahead of the 2019/20 season.

Santiago Garcia Botta (Prop) – Jaguares

The powerful scrummager, who has 33 international caps, will join the Club after the World Cup in Japan, if selected, later this year. The 26-year-old currently plays for Jaguares and was part of the Argentina squad that reached the World Cup semi-finals in 2015.

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Scott Baldwin (Hooker) – Ospreys

The Wales international said he was delighted to be joining Harlequins after 10 years with Ospreys, where he has made over 120 appearances.

Michele Campagnaro (Centre) – Wasps

The strong, ball-carrying Centre, who can also cover wing, was a member of the Exeter Chiefs squad who won the Premiership in the 2016/17 season and is currently playing his rugby with Wasps. The 26-year-old represented Italy in the recent Six Nations campaign and to date has amassed 42 caps for Italy and scored nine tries for his country.

Will Evans (Flanker) – Leicester Tigers

Openside flanker Evans enjoyed a stellar rise through the ranks at Leicester in the closing stages of the 2015/16 season, making his senior debut for Leicester Tigers and then going to the World Under-20s Championships with England who reached the final and was then deservedly named in the competition dream team.

Evans, 22, earned international recognition at four age-group levels as he progressed through the Tigers academy. He made his Premiership debut against Gloucester at Welford Road in April 2016 and made three more appearances that season, including in the semi-final at Saracens. He was a member of England’s senior EPS squad of 45 back in 2016 at the tender age of 19.

Toby Freeman (Lock) – Cornish Pirates

The 31-year-old, who started his career in Cornwall and then went on to play for Rotherham and Nottingham, has been a mainstay of the Pirates team since his return there in 2017. He is an experienced campaigner, having played over 100 games in the Championship and brings a wealth of experience with him to Harlequins.

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Brett Herron (Fly-half) – Jersey Reds

The 23-year-old, who can also provide cover at Fullback, is a product of the prestigious rugby school Wellington College, and made his debut for Bath United in 2014 before moving to for Ulster where he made eight appearances.

Herron then joined Jersey Reds last season and, having put in an eye-catching performance against Harlequins in last summer’s pre-season fixture between the clubs, has been a stand-out player for the Channels Islands’ side all season scoring over 100 points in 21 matches as they have risen to third in the Greene King Championship.

Simon Kerrod (Prop) – Worcester Warriors

The Tighthead prop joined Worcester from Jersey Reds at the start of the 2017/18 season having previously represented Sharks and Eastern Province Kings in South Africa. Kerrod, 26, was born in Johannesburg and has previously been selected in a South Africans Barbarian team, but is English-qualified.

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Martin Landajo (Scrum-half) – Jaguares

The 30-year-old, who is one of his country’s most capped internationals with 84 appearances and was part of the Argentina squad which reached the semi-finals of the 2015 World Cup, will complement Danny Care’s skill-set and provide another level of leadership across the squad.

Tom Lawday (Number Eight) – Exeter Chiefs

The powerful Number eight, who is currently with Exeter Chiefs, is a former BUCS player of the season and has represented England Students. Lawday, who capped his final year at the University of Exeter with that BUCS award and as top try-scorer in BUCS Super Rugby in 2016/17, joined the Chiefs that summer.

Stephan Lewies (Lock) – Lions

South African international Lewies, 27, is currently on loan with Lions but played the majority of his career in South Africa with Sharks, where he made 80 appearances having made his way up through the ranks, playing in the Currie Cup aged 21 in 2013. His outstanding performances the following year meant that he was immediately recognised as a special talent and was called up to the Springbok squad, earning his first Test cap against Scotland at only 22 when he replaced Victor Matfield in a 55–6 win over Scotland in Port Elizabeth.

Luke Northmore (Centre) – Cardiff Met

Northmore, who can play at either 12 or 13, played his early rugby at Tavistock RFC, and has been a consistent performer for the university side for the past three years. He is a close friend of Harlequins’ breakout player this season Alex Dombrandt, with whom he played at Cardiff Met.

Glen Young (Lock) – Newcastle Falcons

Second row Young, who has represented Scotland U20s, has been with Newcastle since he played for their U18s in 2012/13. Two years later he broke into the First Team and represented his country’s U20 side seven times. He played the 2015/16 season on dual registration with Doncaster Knights and was named in the Championship Dream Team that season, having made the play-off final. Young made his Premiership debut the following season and played a big part in Newcastle’s Challenge Cup campaign.

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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TRENDING Marcus Smith on that substitution and his England plea Marcus Smith on that substitution and his England plea
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