Leicester Tigers have announced 3 new signings. 2 of which are coming from Irish Provinces, Leinster & Munster.
The first new signing sees Callum Green return to Leicester Tigers. Originally from Norwich, Green came through the Tigers academy, leading the team as captain in his final year before moving into senior rugby and made his senior debut for the club at the end of the 2008/09 season as a teenager.
After a spell with Yorkshire Carnegie, he joined Newcastle in 2014 and has made more than 100 first-team appearances for the Falcons.
Tigers head coach Geordan Murphy, welcoming Green’s signing, said: “Calum has played a lot of senior rugby with Carnegie and then the Falcons and has firmly established himself as a Premiership player.
“His stats have been particularly good at the lineout in the last couple of seasons and he is a real hard-worker in the forward pack.”
“We think he will add a lot to the group here when he returns and we look forward to welcoming him back to Tigers this summer.”
Ireland international Noel Reid has also agreed to a move to Leicester Tigers from Leinster for the start of the 2019/20 season.
Capped by Ireland in 2014, Reid began his rugby career with St Michael’s College and Clontarf before making his Leinster debut in 2011.
Reid, 28, has played at fly-half and centre in a century of appearances during seven seasons at Leinster.
Confirming the signing, Tigers head coach Geordan Murphy said: “I’ve been aware of Noel’s qualities for some time in a very successful Leinster set-up and I’m very happy to be able to bring him to Welford Road.
“He is a natural footballer and a versatile player who has worked with top-class players at Leinster and Ireland.
“That experience will be very important to us over a tough and competitive season, and we look forward to seeing his influence within the squad here.”
Reid said: “I’m very excited to be joining a club like Leicester, with its history and success in the game, and to become a Tigers player next season.”
“I’ve enjoyed my time at Leinster and it will be sad to leave the club, staff and players at the end of the season, this place will always be special to me.
Completing the trio of signings is South African international centre Jaco Taute who will arrive from Munster in time for the start of the 2019/20 season.
The 27-year-old Taute played Super Rugby with the Lions and Stormers before moving to Munster, initially on a short-term contract in 2016.
He scored two tries in a win over Tigers in the European Cup during December 2016 and was named in the Pro14 Dream Team at the end of that season.
Tigers head coach Geordan Murphy said:
“We’ve obviously seen Jaco close-up in European competition and he is a big, physical unit in the backline with extensive experience in the southern hemisphere and also at the top-end of European rugby.
“He is an option at centre or at full-back for us and we look forward to welcoming him in the pre-season period.”
Taute said: “I am looking forward to the challenge of the Premiership and excited to be joining a club like Leicester tigers.”
“Leicester has a rich history and I want to contribute to creating even more memories for the fans at Welford Road.
“I am excited about working alongside the quality players in the squad and under Geordan Murphy and his coaching team.”
The addition of Reid, Taute, Green and Crusaders star, Taufua sees the quartet commit to the club alongside England international Manu Tuilagi and fellow Tigers academy graduates Harry Wells, Ben White, Tommy Reffell, Jordan Olowofela, Harry Simmons, Tom Hardwick and Sam Lewis, who have all renewed their contracts with the club in 2019.
Geordan Murphy talks to LTTV about the signings:
