Rugby Transfers: Highly-rated Springboks prospect decides future, Newcastle Red Bulls’ double signing and the latest on Harlequins
Hassiem Peat and Will Rigg are included in the latest Rugby Transfers update
Springbok prospect Haashim Pead has committed his future to the Lions, Newcastle Red Bulls have further bolstered their squad with the additions of Perpignan forward Max Hicks and Exeter Chiefs centre Will Rigg, and Harlequins tie down prop starlet Will Hobson.
Boks prospect Haashim Pead to remain with the Lions
Highly-rated Lions ace Pead has committed his long-term future to the Johannesburg-based side, penning a deal through to 2028.
The ex-Junior Bok made his senior bow for the URC outfit earlier this season and has quickly impressed in that time. To date, he has notched eight appearances for Ivan van Rooyen’s side in all competitions and scored his first try in their domestic clash against the Sharks. He also made his first start for the club in their Challenge Cup clash against Perpignan.
The scrum-half also caught the eye during his time with the Junior Boks, taking a starring role in their road to the U20s World Championship title last year. In that campaign, he also scored six tries.
Newcastle Red Bulls continue mass recruitment drive
The newly cashed-up PREM outfit have already made waves in the transfer market ahead of the 2026/27 season, and have only strengthened further with the additions of Hicks and Rigg on two-year deals.
26-year-old New Zealander Hicks began his career with NPC outfit Tasman Mako, before making his Super Rugby debut for the Highlanders in 2022. Across his time with the Dunedin-based side, Hicks notched 21 first-grade appearances, and continued to feature for Tasman too with a further 29 appearances before heading to the South of France with Perpignan.
He has since become a mainstay in the Perpignan pack, starting 20 of his 26 appearances to date. Around that, Hicks has also represented the Maori All Blacks during his career.
Commenting on joining Newcastle, he said: “I’m really excited by the opportunity to sign with the Newcastle Red Bulls.
“I’m looking forward to getting my feet on the ground and being part of an exciting future for the club.”
Sporting general manager, Neil McIlroy, added: “Max is very well thought of at Perpignan and brings a fabulous skill set.
“He’s an athletic forward with an outstanding aerial game, as you’d expect with his Aussie Rules background, and he’s quick across the ground for such a big guy.
“He can operate in a number of roles across the back five of the forward pack, and he has been playing to a high level for a number of years now.”
Exeter man Rigg had an unconventional pathway to the PREM, graduating from Cardiff Metropolitan University before joining Champ side Coventry, but was picked up by Exeter in 2024.
Since joining the Chiefs, the powerful centre has gone onto make 30 appearances, scoring 10 tries in the process.
On his deal with the Red Bulls, Rigg said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be joining what I feel is one of the most exciting projects in rugby at the moment.
“Speaking to the club and seeing the ambition and vision excited me greatly, and can’t wait to get stuck into things up there.”
Of Rigg, McIlroy said: “Will has shown plenty of line-breaking ability during his time with Exeter, which will be a big asset for us as we look to build our game over the next few seasons.
“He’s a physical ball carrier with a good turn of pace, and I’m looking forward to seeing his continued progress within our environment.”
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Harlequins tie down Will Hobson to new deal
Emerging prop talent Will Hobson has committed his long-term future to Harlequins, penning a new deal with the Londoners.
The 23-year-old academy graduate made his debut 2021, and has since made 28 first team appearances.
Commenting, Hobson said: “I’ve been here for a long time, I joined the Club when I was 14, and it’s been a bit of a slow burn; but this year I’ve had some opportunities and earned the faith of the coaches to keep that going.
“It’s nice to be rewarded for the hard work, and a lot of that is the unseen work you put in during the week. You can train as hard as you want and go out on loan, but you need the opportunity to prove yourself at the top level, and I’m glad I’ve been able to do that.”
Quins senior coach, Jason Gilmore, added: “Will is another excellent home-grown product coming through our system and we’re really pleased to see him commit his future to the Club.
“His ability to play both sides of the scrum gives us real flexibility in the front row, and he’s been developing extremely well under the guidance of Adam Jones.
“On top of that, Will adds a strong, dynamic ball-carrying presence to our pack, and we’re excited to see him continue to grow in a Harlequins shirt.”
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