As the 2023/24 Premiership season draws to a close, we recap the best player signings the 10 teams made this campaign.
There have been some quality additions to the Premiership this season and the club have made smart moves within the league.
A number of star players also made the most of their second chance in England's top flight after the collapse of Wasps and London Irish.
With this in mind, we have ranked the top 20 players in the Premiership for the 2023/24 season.
The 20 best signings in this season's Premiership
20 Solomone Kata – Leicester Tigers
The Tonga international is one of the few star players to receive a red card in the Premiership this season, but he continues to have an impact on Leicester Tigers.
Solomone Kata strengthened the Tigers' midfield, especially after the departure of Jimmy Goppers.
It was an astute acquisition by Leicester's staff, who plucked the Tongan from Exeter Chiefs, and although he has primarily played in the center for the Tigers, he will now be another option on the wing.
19 Tom Parton – Saracens
The former London Irish outside-back has become a regular for Saracens in Round 23, appearing in 15 of their 22 games. He made 12 appearances in the Premiership, scoring seven tries, including a hat-trick he scored with incredible speed against Gloucester.
The 26-year-old could make an even bigger impact in the upcoming season as the team rebuilds, with his ability to play on the wing and at full-back.
18 Luke Cowan-Dickie – Sale Sharks
The first of Sale Sharks' two sharp signings in the middle of the front row came when Alex Sanderson signed Luke Cowan-Dickie on short notice after his contract with Montpellier was terminated. It was a gamble, but overall it paid off as he worked well in conjunction with Agustin Creevy in the Sharks team and continued his efforts to get back to his best form.
17 Joe Hawkins – Exeter Chiefs
His move from the Ospreys caused much controversy as it effectively ended his international career with Wales. It's been a pretty solid season for Joe Hawkins, who also hasn't been an absolute standout, but the 21-year-old should be able to make even bigger strides next season.
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16 Joe Launchbury – Harlequins
It has long been reported that Harlequins had attempted to sign Joe Launchbury from Wasps, but the England second-rower left for Japan following the team's collapse. Harlequins have finally made a recruitment move ahead of the 2023/24 season, and he put in a solid performance in the Famous Quarters, making 13 appearances in the Premiership and helping the team reach the Investec Champions Cup semi-finals. Contributed.
A solid lock who can handle his workload with little effort is often underestimated, but Launchbury proved his worth at Harlequins.
15 Virimi Vakatawa – Bristol Bears
Just as Cowan Dickie left for Sale Sharks, Bristol Bears took a chance on Virimi Vakatawa despite his proven quality. The former Racing 92 star was forced to retire due to a heart condition but has returned to professional rugby with the Bears, with Pat Lam's decision paying off as the French international faces a late bid, especially in the second half of the season. He is active. To advance to the Premiership play-offs.
14 Agustin Creevy – Sale Sharks
Creevy has been a force in the Sharks' front row since the demise of London Irish, and the veteran hooker shows no signs of slowing down. The Los Pumas legend was strong in every match he played for the Sharks.
13 Lucio Cinti – Saracens
The former London Irish star features on the list, but Argentina international back Lucio Cinti is also one who has shone in his new surroundings. He integrated seamlessly into Saracens' midfield and also played as a winger. He's another player who could step up a gear a bit next season, but he's been fantastically solid for Mark McCall's side.
12 Tom Pearson – Northampton Saints
He has gone from strength to strength at Northampton Saints alongside former London Irish star Tom Pearson. The 24-year-old continues his quest for further accolades and has been instrumental in Saints' impressive run in the Premiership and Champions Cup.
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11 Will Porter – Harlequin
The former Wasps scrum-half's Champions Cup heroics with Bordeaux have certainly pushed him up the rankings, but he has enjoyed some great cameos from the bench throughout the season. Will Porter looks poised to replace Quins legend Danny Care at the club long-term.
10 Tom Willis – Saracens
Saracens signed a long-term starter before his departure, with another piece of shrewd business coming from Saracens, who signed Tom Willis to fill Billy Vunipola's void at the club. After a short and successful stint at Bordeaux, Willis joined Saracens ahead of this season, locking down the No. 8 shirt and making a remarkable difference in the Premiership and Champions Cup. The combative back-rower was a great addition to Saracens' loose trio.
9 Ernst van Ryn – Sale Sharks
A recent series of injuries has left South African blindside flanker Ernst van Ryn unavailable high on the list. He joined an already tough team and took it to the next level with his relentless work rate.
The 26-year-old was outstanding for the Stormers when he fit in and replicated that form at Sale Sharks.
8 Curtis Langdon – Northampton Saints
He was the Saints' best signing of the season, and despite his impressive time at Northampton, he is probably unlucky not to be listed higher on the list.
After the collapse of Worcester Warriors, he headed to France to move into the Top 14 with Montpellier, but returned to the Premiership with an incredible nickname. He appears to have replaced Sam Matabesi as first-choice hooker and has had an incredible highlight package this season.
7 Ethan Roots – Exeter Chiefs
Ethan Roots made his Six Nations Test debut after his physical and well-honed performances earned him a place in the Exeter Chiefs back-row.
While this hasn't been the most memorable season for Exeter, there is certainly a lot to take away from their season, especially their back-row performances. Roots are enjoying a great run with academy product Ross Vincent, the always excellent Jacques Vermeulen and the ever-improving Greg Ficilau.
6 Zac Mercer – Gloucester
The level of competition for the best signing of the season is highlighted by Zach Mercer, who sits just outside the top five. When he was on form, he was sensational for the Cherry and Whites. He is the kind of player Gloucester will be looking to build their team around next season.
5 Chandler Cunningham South – Harlequins
The 21-year-old forward has been at the top of several clubs' shortlists following the demise of London Irish, but Harlequins have made a sudden decision to sign one of the Premiership's hottest players. Ta. He has just pushed Mercer into the top five after some high-profile performances, including the win against Bordeaux in the Champions Cup. He has a bright future for club and country and Harlequins will be shocked that they managed to secure his services.
4 Benhard Janse van Rensburg – Bristol Bears
Benhard Janse van Rensburg was perhaps the Premiership's most underrated player during his time at London Irish, but the South African has put in equally high-quality performances for Bristol Bears. He switched between 12 and 13 throughout the season with little fuss, playing all but one game in the Premiership and Champions Cup.
3 Finn Russell – Bath
The enormity of the season-defining addition and signing of the top two players for Johan van Graan's side was underlined by Finn Russell, who finished a more than respectable third place. The fly-half has been the driving force behind Bath's run in the Premiership, moving and revitalizing their attack sensationally, as well as taking it to another level.
2 Juan Martin González – Saracens
Saracens have signed Los Pumas superstar Juan MartÃn González, but they fall just short of the top spot. The Londoners beat the Bristol Bears to sign Gonzalez, but he made few mistakes all season. A very well-rounded player, he has taken Sarries' back-row to new heights alongside the likes of Ben Earl, Willis and Theo McFarland. If Saracens defend their title, he will undoubtedly play a key role in their success.
1 Thomas du Toit – Bath
Van Graan made some great moves in the off-season, but none as great as Springbok prop Thomas du Toit. When announcing his arrival, manager Van Graan described Du Toit as a “world-class” player, and he certainly lived up to that high reputation as he played on both sides of the scrum throughout the season.
Bath have benefited immensely from a strong pack this season, with du Toit setting the standard for the starting line-up, while also surprising whether he is used in place of Beno Obano and Will Stewart. provided the desired impact.
Performance up front is always vital, and du Toit has been a key part of the Bass pack all season. The former Sharks player was also an impressive try-scorer for Bath, netting six times in the Premiership and a further four times in the Champions Cup.
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