Celtic Countdown - Summer Signings

As the clock winds down towards the kick-off of the 2004/05 rugby season, we look at some of the new faces, and the return of more familiar ones to be seen in Celtic League action over the coming weeks. Scotland sees the return of double winner Kenny Logan, joining Glasgow from Heineken Cup and Zurich Premiership Champions, London Wasps. In Wales Cardiff Blues welcome not only USA Eagles captain, Kort Schubert, but also hard hitting Samoan centre Freddie Tuilagi, whilst Arwel Thomas returns home after a sojourn in Southern France. Irish internationals Kevin Maggs and Paul Burke cross the water to taste life in the Provinces after spells with Bath and Harlequins respectively; Guy Easterby also heads home.

CARDIFF BLUES

INS: Nathan Budgett (Celtic Warriors), Tristian Davies (Leeds Tykes), Shaun James (Celtic Warriors), Gethin Jenkins (Celtic Warriors), Deniol Jones (Celtic Warriors), Martin Jones (Celtic Warriors), Mark Lewis (Celtic Warriors), Matthew Nuthall (Celtic Warriors), Kort Schubert (USA), Heino Senekal (SWD Eagles), Robert Sidoli (Celtic Warriors), Lee Thomas (Celtic Warriors), Freddie Tuilagi (Leicester).

OUTS: Matt Allen (Bedford), Rob Appleyard (released), Jim Brownrigg (Bristol), Matt Cockbain (released), Darren Crompton (Bristol), Iestyn Harris (Bradford Bulls RL), Andrew Moore (retired), Andy Moore (retired), Donovan van Vuuren (Doncaster).

CONNACHT

INS: James Downey (Leinster), Pieter Myburgh (GRAN Parma), Niall O'Brien (Leinster), David Slemen (Orrell), Tom Tierney (Leicester).

OUTS: Fabien Boiroux (Pau), Damien Browne (Northampton), Thomas Carter (released), Mike McCarthy (Newcastle), Shane Moore (released), Wayne Munn (retired).

EDINBURGH RUGBY

INS: Phil Godman (Newcastle), Fergus Pringle (Hawick).

OUTS: Graeme Burns (released), Andrew Dall (released), Carlo Di Ciacca (released), Ali Dickson (Borders), Tommy McGee (Borders), Ramin Mathieson (released), Guy Perrett (released), Conan Sharman (released), Ali Warnock (Borders).

GLASGOW RUGBY

INS: Andy Craig (Orrell), Kenny Logan (Wasps) Kevin Tkachuk (Pertemps Bees) Dan Turner (Christchurch).

OUTS: Alan Bulloch (GHA), Simon Gunn (released), Mark McMillan (Leeds Tykes), Glenn Metcalfe (Castres), Stuart Moffat (Borders), Matthew Proudfoot (released), Roland Reid (Gauteng Lions), Kenny Sinclair (released), Jon Steel (Borders).

LEINSTER

INS: Guy Easterby (Rotherham), Ricky Nebbett (Leicester Tigers) Declan Kidney (coach, Gwent Dragons).

OUTS: Niall Breslin (retired), James Downey (Connacht), Gary Ella (released), Derek Hegarty (retired), Aidan Kearney (released), Matthew Leek (Coventry), Niall O'Brien (Connacht).

LLANELLI SCARLETS

INS: Aisea Havili (Celtic Warriors), Andrew Powell (Leicester), Matthew Rees (Celtic Warriors), Arwel Thomas (Pau), Gavin Thomas (Ospreys).

OUTS: Leigh Davies (released), Stephen Jones (Montferrand), Emyr Lewis (Player/coach Felinfoel), Richard Rees (released), Gareth Williams (released) Adam Yelland (New Zealand).

MUNSTER

INS: Paul Burke (Harlequins), Mike Storey (Saracens), James Storey (Ospreys).

OUTS: Martin Cahill (released), Dominic Crotty (released), Eddie Halvey (released), Jason Jones-Hughes (released), Simon Kerr (released), Andy Long (Newcastle), Jeremy Staunton (NEC Harlequins).

NEATH SWANSEA OSPREYS

INS: David Bishop (Celtic Warriors), Brent Cockbain (Celtic Warriors), Ryan Jones (Celtic Warriors), Sonny Parker (Celtic Warriors), Jason Spice (Hurricanes).

OUTS: Gareth Llewellyn (Narbonne), Andy Lloyd (released), Gareth Morris (Neath RFC), James Storey (Munster), Gavin Thomas (Llanelli Scarlets).

NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS

INS: Richard Bryan (Celtic Warriors), Jonny Bryant (Celtic Warriors), Gareth Cooper (Celtic Warriors), Kevin Morgan (Celtic Warriors), Jim Richards (Leicester), Ceri Sweeney (Celtic Warriors), Gareth Wyatt (Celtic Warriors).

OUTS: Gerald Arasa (London Wasps), Neil Edwards (Coventry), Lee Jarvis (Penzance & Newlyn), Declan Kidney (coach, Leinster), Andy Marinos (becomes Chief Executive), Mike Ruddock (coach, Wales), Bobby Skinstad (released), Shawn Van Rensberg (Coventry), Paul Young (released).

THE BORDERS

INS: Mike Blair (Narbonne), Ali Dickson (Edinburgh), Scott Gray (Bath), Charlie Hore (Canterbury), William Key (Newcastle), Wayne McEntee (Waikato), Tommy McGee (Edinburgh), Andy Miller (Suburbs, Sydney), Stuart Moffat (Glasgow), Joe Pattison (Hawick), Jon Steel (Glasgow), Ali Warnock (Edinburgh), Jonny Weston (Melrose).

OUTS: Gary Armstrong (retired), Craig Dunlea (Otago), Iain Fairley (released), Campbell Feather (Ulster), Daniel Kane (released), Clark Laidlaw (released), Craig Moir (Bedford), Cameron Murray (released), Scott Patterson (released), Semo Sititi (Newcastle), Jono Stuart (Lyon Olympique), Kelvin Todd (Rugby Lions), Kevin Utterson (released), Tanner Vili (released), Tony Walker (Exeter), Doddie Weir (retired)

ULSTER

INS: Campbell Feather (Borders), Andy Kershaw (Saracens), Kevin Maggs (Bath).

OUTS: Warren Brosnihan (Blue Bulls), Robbie Kemspon (Northampton), Adrian Kennedy (Northampton), Tony McWhirter (released), Matt Sexton (released), Alan Solomons (coach, Northampton).