Championship 2021-2022 signings and departures

Cornish Pirates have signed hooker Syd Blackmore from Ampthill on a one year contract.

Runitback wrote: It will be interesting to see if there is a sudden increase in recruitment given the opportunity to join the Premiership now? Ealing, Donny, Cov and Pirates . . . Ealing obviously keen but are the others . . stick or twist?

Looks like Ealing are following the Sale Sharks plan with loads of Saffers.

Next year has to be the best chance for anyone to get into the Premiership as there is no relegated Prem Side.

Following year - no promotion or relegation from Prem.

Year after play-off between bottom in Prem and top of Championship - so realistically Next year is the chance.

Blues sign Ransom (back row) from Newcastle Falcons.

Nottingham scrum half Alex Dolly has signed for Doncaster Knights. He will be a big loss to Nottingham. 

workerbee wrote: I think we need to be aware of the impact on Brexit on the availability of overseas players as the Kolpak agreement will not continue, unfortunately. Perhaps this is the time to use the championship as a bigger grounding for developing players with a limit of 2 non English qualified players per game.

Why unfortunately??

Your suggestion is spot on - limit foreigners and bring English talent through

I don't see that foreign players coming here or British players going abroad as a negative, young players can learn and the raising of standards of the sport in general is a positive. I agree that limits need to apply otherwise at the top level we can find we have no players in certain positions available for the National sides, so not a limit on how many per game, but maybe limit how many of certain positions in a league, if every side had two props from non EQ, for example, England would be in trouble. Then of course we need to define the word "foreign", is it just South Africans we have a problem with, seems some do.

tigerburnie wrote: I don't see that foreign players coming here or British players going abroad as a negative, young players can learn and the raising of standards of the sport in general is a positive. I agree that limits need to apply otherwise at the top level we can find we have no players in certain positions available for the National sides, so not a limit on how many per game, but maybe limit how many of certain positions in a league, if every side had two props from non EQ, for example, England would be in trouble. Then of course we need to define the word "foreign", is it just South Africans we have a problem with, seems some do.

When the foreign player is a seasoned international, I have no problem - it is when the myriad of average journeymen players are taking up places that should be taken by young English Qualified players that I have a problem.

The fact that most of them are South African is neither here nor their - Young players can only learn so much in training, they need consistent game time to develop (Marcus Smith being a prime example)

On this forum I read that four Ampthill players have now signed for other Championship teams. One has gone to Cornish Pirates and three have signed for Jersey. Yet when I go to the Ampthill RFC website there is nothing about this anywhere. I am therefore appealing to anyone in the know at Ampthill who reads this forum to post an update on next season’s recruitment and leavers.

Rabbie Burns wrote: 2 from Ampts to Blackheath

Really? I can only assume Ampthill are reducing their outlay and looking to re-build the team next season without the threat of relegation. Even so, some communication from the club would be welcome.