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It is open season in the rugby transfer market as directors of rugby up and down the land are now allowed by league rules to speak to players at rival clubs.

With Bristol Bears in their second season back at the top table of European rugby, playing in the Gallagher Premiership and European Challenge Cup, we take a look at all the latest transfer news and rumours from them and their rivals.

Here is all the latest.

(Image: PA)

Sam Underhill in talks to extend Bath stay

England flanker Sam Underhill is reported to be in talks with Bath Rugby about signing a new contract with the club.

Underhill joined Bath in 2017 from Ospreys and has gone on to establish himself as an international star.

The Rugby Paper reports talks are going well and both he and the club want to extend his time at The Rec.

At just 23, and with 15 England caps already his best days are still ahead of him as his game continues to develop with an improved carrying game becoming evident in the last 12 months.

(Image: Getty Images)

Northampton Saints interest in Wasps and England star

Northampton Saints director of rugby Chris Boyd is reported to be interested in a reunion with his former Hurricanes captain Brad Shields.

The England backrower, who has eight caps, has failed to find his best form at Wasps having suffered with a number of injury problems since switching to the Gallagher Premiership from Super Rugby in 2018.

But Boyd is only too aware of what the 28-year-old flanker can do at his best and is known to be in the market for recruits at the back of the scrum, with RugbyInsideLine reporting Shields is the latest on their radar.

(Image: David Rogers/Getty Images)

Richard Wigglesworth looking for another season

Saracens and England scrum half Richard Wigglesworth wants to play for at least one more season reports The Rugby Paper, despite the fact the 36-year-old is one of the players the defending champions are reportedly looking to get off their books quickly to fall in line with the salary cap regulations.

“I have no plans to knock it on the head,” said Wigglesworth.

“I feel like I have got something left. When that changes I will quickly knock it on the head.”

Wigglesworth, who is planning on a career in coaching when he does retire, accepts that he may have to depart Allianz Park to play for another year as he is out of contract at the end of the season.

(Image: Getty Images)

Former Bath captain looking for a new deal

Second row Matt Garvey says he is playing for a new contract as the former Bath Rugby club captain looks to break back into the first team after a long injury layoff.

Lock Garvey, now 32, joined Bath in 2013/14 season from London Irish but is now out of contract.

He said: “To get a contract you have got to be playing well, so when these opportunities arise there is a secondary reason to wanting to play well, to put yourself in that shop window and get interest from those departments.

“First and foremost you have got to be a good rugby player.

“I want to be here as a Bath player, winning as a Bath player and creating good memories and I have the opportunity on Friday night to do that."

Saracens looking to offload five players to hit the salary cap

Defending Gallagher Premiership champions Saracens are reported to be looking to offload at least five of their players this season as new chief executive Edward Griffiths gets to work getting the club below the £7m salary cap.

Saracens are currently on -7 points having been docked 35 points and fined £5.4m after an investigation discovered they had broken the salary cap for the past three seasons.

And Griffiths now admits they must either reduce salaries or the head count at the club to fall within the salary cap this season.

Widespread reports suggest Welsh international Liam Williams, who has already agreed to move back to the Scarlets in the summer, could now move by the end of this month.

Sources have indicated that back-rowers Calum Clark and Michael Rhodes could also be released midseason along with Argentina prop Juan Figallo.

The departure of the four men could potentially cut Saracens’ wage bill by around £1m with injured players’ wages not counting towards the cap until they play a game for the club each season. Rhodes, Williams and Figallo are yet to play for Saracens in 2019/20.

RugbyPass is now reporting England international George Kruis, 29, could also leave the club at the end of the season and take up a lucrative deal in Japan.

Kruis came through the academy at Saracens and has 41 caps for the England and one for the British and Irish Lions from the 2017 tour to New Zealand.

(Image: Robbie Stephenson/JMP)

Jonny May’s club future remains unclear

One of the most dangerous attacking wingers in world rugby does not know where he will be playing club rugby next season.

England ace Jonny May, 29, is yet to agree a new deal with his current club Leicester Tigers and has reportedly had interest from several other clubs.

And no wonder.

May has scored 30 tries in 44 matches for Leicester since arriving from Gloucester in 2017 and has scored 27 tries in 52 Tests for England.

But asked where he will be playing this season having just scored two tries against Bristol Bears last weekend, he said: "I don’t know yet.

"I am really pleased that [Ellis Genge and George Ford] have got theirs sorted out [with Leicester]. That’s promising for those boys. I still don’t know. My focus is trying to get better and to focus as much as I can on playing for this team at the moment. I don’t want to talk about contracts, but it’s still up in the air for me.

"It’s never nice to leave a club. I have done it before. It’s not a nice thing to do, but if I feel I need to do that I would. I am not sure at the moment."

Saints scrum half signs new deal

Northampton Saints scrum-half Henry Taylor has signed a contract extension with the club.

The 25-year-old arrived at Franklin’s Gardens from Saracens this summer and made his mark in Northampton colours quickly, scoring against his former side in both the Premiership Rugby Cup and the opening round of the Gallagher Premiership.

Starting out at Harlequins Academy, Taylor headed to Loughborough University before signing a contract with Saracens in 2014, spending four seasons with London side. He moved to Saints for the 2019/20 campaign and after making ten first team appearances has earned a new deal at the club.

Saints add new defence coach

Northampton Saints are delighted to announce the appointment of Ian Vass as Defence Coach.

The 38-year old former Saint joins from Montpellier Rugby and is regarded as one of the leading young defence coaches in the northern hemisphere.

“This is a massive opportunity for me, and I can’t wait to get stuck in” said Vass.

“I am very excited about the direction in which Saints are heading and where they want to go under Chris Boyd.

“Defence is a huge part of the game which I am extremely passionate about and I feel I can add to the set-up, moving forward.”

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