International: Alex Corbisiero
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England loosehead prop Alex Corbisiero will join Northampton Saints next season on a three-year deal from London Irish.
Current first teamers Alex Waller and Tom Mercey have also both put pen to paper on new contracts to stay at Franklin's Gardens.
Corbisiero, who arrives from London Irish, is regarded as one of the top young props in England. Still just 24 years old, he has racked up 76 first team appearances for the Exiles and 18 England test caps, including in the successful 2011 Six Nations campaign.
Corbisiero - who has played at every age group for his country - was included in England's Six Nations Elite Player Squad last week and the New York-born loosehead says that he is excited by the prospect of joining the Saints.
"I've really enjoyed my time at London Irish and am grateful for everything that the club has given me," said Corbisiero.
"I'm looking forward to what will be a new challenge at Saints next summer. There is a great culture and hopefully I can help the team succeed whilst continuing my progression as a player, and I'm sure that Franklin's Gardens will be a good environment for me in that regard."
Comments
Propmelsey says...
For me Vickery just got beat on the day playing in a pointless team ..... Don't see that as boring in as vickery was turning in himself to deflect the power of the Loosehead ...... we've all been there who have played in the front row.
Posted 15:50 17th January 2013
TVaddict says...
@BokAvenger
That was a great example of the beasts inward scrummaging, what's your point? To be fair, that match was a great example of how terrible Bryce Lawrence was at refereeing. You were fine with his incredibly bias refereeing then, i.e. unable to ref the scrum properly and considering gouging to be a yellow card offence, but it came back to bite you on the ass with how he refereed you out of the world cup. I guess it balances out in the end.
Posted 15:10 17th January 2013
APV1 says...
@ JamieTheProp - Hear! Hear! Perhaps Steffon Armitage should take note - stay in England and you'll be considered. Move away and you wont.
But Marler and Mako are still young and learning and will only improve. Marler has a rough, dogged nature about him and if he can channel that more appropriately (and spend less time in the bin), he'll be a force to be reckoned with come 2015. Mako seems to have what it takes too.
Nice problem to have, as they say.
@ BA - Your clip shows MT boring in, rather than scrummaging straight, so I'm not sure of your point. We all remember the inconsistent referees, who couldn't ref a scrum properly (most still can't!). And wasn't that the same tour that Burger tried to blind someone? Not the Boks' finest hour, was it?
Posted 14:34 17th January 2013
BokAvenger says...
@JamieTheProp or should that be Phil Vickery? here's an example of the Beast's inward scrummaging http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEm0PdPXe1c
Posted 10:37 17th January 2013
ArmchairGeneral says...
NHSaint... How about a 10?!
Posted 09:15 17th January 2013
JamieTheProp says...
@ BobAvenger - no - that would be the self proclaimed Beast!
Posted 23:37 16th January 2013
stumpy says...
Great signing for both parties. Corbiseiro will develop much better at a strong Saints team, hopefully he can win some trophies there. Saints will be more than happy signing a world class scrumaging loosehead (who can also play tighthead) to replace the export of Tongauiha
Posted 21:56 16th January 2013
BokAvenger says...
The greatest inward scrummager in the game.
Posted 19:29 16th January 2013
NHsaints says...
Fantastic! Especially if Tiny is moving on next season we needed a big signing to fill big shoes and Jim has done exactly that, the other good thing is that Corbs will get plenty of rotation with Waller until his knee/knees are back in order and that will mean more game time for Waller who quite frankly is turning into a really, really good loosehead. I'm seeing Mercey getting alot more gametime now as well with Mooj moving on. Also good news as he was/is a very promising tighthead. Now we just need a big signing at 12 and we've got a pretty good squad together...
Posted 17:14 16th January 2013
ArmchairGeneral says...
Great news. I'm a hypocrite on this as I don't like Sarries but the previous signings I did not like to see: upwardly mobile players leaving improving clubs that generate English talent and from clubs that are already likely to be in HC next year. To Sarriez mercanairies. whereas this is progress and Corbi is securing HC games and time with Hartley and Doran-Jones at a higher level club. Wonder if Paice is next...
Posted 15:22 16th January 2013
Jediboy says...
Good buy for the Saints. Great player. And I agree, hope he gets and stays fit.
Posted 13:39 16th January 2013
jestnation says...
Great news for Saints & teriible news for Irish.
Something seems to be very wrong at the club at the moment and I suspect this is not the last departure they'll see this year.
I feel very sorry for the London Irish fans though. As a Wasps fan I've been wearing a black armband all week since Billy V decided to move on.
The prem is starting to look like it's football counterpart at the moment with most of the league acting as feeder clubs to a handfull of sides.
Posted 13:38 16th January 2013
JamieTheProp says...
Looks to me like the ban on English players playing outside of the country is working - Corbs is exactly the sort of player the French teams would have been offering big money and he's decided to stay here.
If you want to play for your country then you have to play in your country - very simple!
Bit easier to enforce now we are starting to develop some strength in depth but none the less seems to be working.
I also hope that Corbs gets his injury problems sorted because he is absolutely world class and, injuries allowing, will play in a formidable front row for years to come alongside Cole and Hartley/Youngs.
Posted 12:44 16th January 2013
Frooschman says...
'Rats' is too harsh, but otherwise the sinking ship analogy seems fair! I'm guessing the rest of the Prem are casting their eye over Irish's team sheet too.
Posted 10:58 16th January 2013
Tvaddict says...
It was inevitable LI would lose him. Great player and I hope he develops further at NH. Let's hope he sorts out his injury problems to.
Posted 10:45 16th January 2013
sirtidychris says...
Great signing IF he sorts his knees out...degenerative condition sounds very bad for a professional sportsman and the sort of thing that can end a career early...big risk for northampton, but big rewards if it pays off.
Posted 10:37 16th January 2013
12Counties says...
Can he play tighthead as well?
Posted 10:32 16th January 2013