Rugby Transfers: Premiership club snap up sevens great, Champions Cup winner joins shock club

Planet Rugby recaps some of the top rugby transfer news as two Argentina stars seal moves while an ex-Saracens star heads to a surprise destination.  

Olympic star joins Premiership club

Harlequins have confirmed the signing of current Los Pumas winger and Olympic Sevens star Rodrigo Isgró ahead of the start of the Premiership season.

The winger becomes the latest big name to move to the Stoop, joining Titi Lamositele, Leigh Halfpenny and Wyn Jones in moving to the Twickenham-based outfit.

Isgró brings a wealth of high-level experience with him to the club. He featured for the Argentine Sevens squad during the recent Olympic Games in Paris and also represented his nation in the Tokyo games in 2020. Isgró was also named World Sevens Player of the Year in 2023.

The back has also featured for Los Pumas in the XVs game too, and is currently in their wider Rugby Championship squad. He was also a part of their squad for the 2023 World Cup.

Commenting on the move to the Stoop, Isgró said: “I’m very excited for this opportunity with Harlequins. It was always my dream to play for a club like Quins and I’m really looking forward to meeting my new teammates.

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“I hope I can help the team to achieve our goals and I can’t wait to put on the Quins shirt and play in that stadium with so much history.”

Harlequins head coach, Danny Wilson, also detailed his joy at the signing of Isgró: “We’re delighted to secure the services of Rodrigo. He’s a dynamic athlete, quick and skilful, who adds further international experience to our squad and provides great depth on the wing. He’s a mature player who we expect to hit the ground running and contribute to our objectives this season.”

Lucio Sordoni to the Top 14

Fellow Los Pumas man Lucio Sordoni is also on the move, as he joins Top 14 side Racing 92 as a medical joker.

The 26-year-old joins the Parisians from Glasgow Warriors, where he made 17 appearances in all competitions last year, and helped the Scottish side clinch the URC title.

Like Isgró, the tighthead prop is currently on Rugby Championship duty with Los Pumas, and started in the Test Two defeat to the All Blacks. He has also featured in both Tests against France this summer.

Sordoni comes in as injury cover for French tighthead Demba Bamba.

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Champions Cup winner joins surprise club

Former Saracens prop Richard Barrington has joined Championship outfit Ampthill as a player-coach, following his return from France.

Barrington made 232 appearances across his nine-year spell at Saracens and won four Premiership titles and three Champions Cups. He left the club in 2022 to join ProD2 side Agen, where he made 25 appearances across his two seasons at the club.

Commenting on the signing, Ampthill head coach, Paul Turner, said: “I’ve been well aware of Richard for a long time, I remember watching him play for Hartpury Uni as a youngster and then at Jersey!”

“He’s had an outstanding nine-year career with Saracens and just returned from a stint in France with Agen. His playing record is as good as any at club level and he brings a huge amount of experience to our club as both a player and coach. I’m really enjoying working with him.”

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