{"id":1134163,"date":"2026-08-06T16:15:26","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T16:15:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1134163\/"},"modified":"2026-08-06T16:15:26","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T16:15:26","slug":"rugby-transfers-wallabies-duo-return-home-england-ace-makes-call-on-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1134163\/","title":{"rendered":"Rugby Transfers: Wallabies duo return home, England ace makes call on future"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wallabies duo Bernard Foley and Nick Phipps will return to Super Rugby next season, an England<\/a> forward has made a key call on his future and Mike Catt has landed a new role.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Here are all the latest rugby rumours, transfers<\/a> and contract renewals.<\/p>\n

Bernard Foley and Nick Phipps make Super Rugby return<\/p>\n

Wallabies veterans Foley and Phipps have completed a sensational return to Super Rugby Pacific side the Waratahs.<\/p>\n

The pair left Sydney in 2019 to take up opportunities elsewhere, but have now put pen to paper on deals for the 2027 campaign.<\/p>\n

Both players boast serious experience across Super Rugby and Test level, with a combined 253 appearances in the Southern Hemisphere club competition and 147 Test caps for the Wallabies<\/a>. In that time, they also helped the \u2018Tahs claim the 2014 Super Rugby title.<\/p>\n

Commenting on the arrival of the duo, Waratahs director of high performance, B-J Mather, said: \u201cWhat has been clear in my conversations with Bernard and Nick is their hunger to contribute and their desire to help drive our team forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey have a deep understanding of what it means to represent the Waratahs and they know what it takes to build a winning environment.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re both outstanding professionals who were there for one of the most memorable chapters in our club\u2019s history and we\u2019re excited to welcome them back to help shape the next one.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wallabies team: No.999 to wait patiently from the bench as \u2018privilege and responsibility\u2019 issued to those in gold<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

On returning to Sydney, Foley said: \u201cI\u2019m so grateful to have the opportunity to rejoin the Waratahs for 2027.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel very lucky to have the chance to finish back at the club where it all started.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t wait to meet the playing group and everyone involved and get to work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Phipps added: \u201cI\u2019m super excited to be back home at the Waratahs.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe chance to return and give something back to the club and the players is an opportunity I simply couldn\u2019t pass up.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve had so many great memories at the Waratahs and I want to be a part of another team making their own great memories.\u201d<\/p>\n

George Kloska makes call on PREM future<\/p>\n

Bristol Bears forward George Kloska will remain in the West Country for the foreseeable future, after penning a long-term deal with the PREM outfit.<\/p>\n

The Bristol-native has spent the entirety of his career with the Bears after first coming through the club\u2019s academy, and has notched 86 appearances for the club.<\/p>\n

His form has also seen him thrust into the Test picture, winning his first two England<\/a> caps during the recent Nations Championship campaign. He has also featured three times for England A and England XV.<\/p>\n

Commenting on his new deal with Bristol, the 26-year-old said: \u201cI\u2019m excited to see what we can achieve this season. We\u2019ve got a strong squad, a fantastic group of players and coaches, and I feel like we\u2019re building towards something special. I\u2019m grateful for the faith the club has shown in me and can\u2019t wait to keep representing Bristol and our supporters for years to come.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis club means everything to me. Growing up in Bristol, coming through the Academy and now having the opportunity to represent my hometown club every week is something I\u2019m incredibly proud of.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe last few months have been really special. To make my England debut and then win a second cap is something I\u2019ll never forget, but I know that wouldn\u2019t have been possible without everything I\u2019ve learned at Bristol Bears and the people who\u2019ve supported me throughout my journey.\u201d<\/p>\n

Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for world-class coverage you can trust.<\/p>\n

Bears\u2019 director of rugby, Pat Lam, said: \u201cGeorge\u2019s journey is everything we want Bristol Bears to stand for. He\u2019s a proud Bristolian who has embraced our Academy pathway, worked incredibly hard to improve every part of his game and earned every opportunity that has come his way.<\/p>\n

\u201cWatching him pull on an England shirt was a hugely proud moment for everyone connected with the club because we know the work that\u2019s gone into getting there. He\u2019s a brilliant example for the next generation of young players coming through our system that if you commit to improving every day, opportunities will come.<\/p>\n

\u201cGeorge is still developing and we believe his best years are ahead of him. He\u2019s a popular member of the group, understands exactly what we\u2019re building here, and we\u2019re delighted that he\u2019ll continue his journey in a Bears shirt.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mike Catt lands fresh coaching role after Waratahs exit<\/p>\n

England World Cup-winner and former Ireland and Italy assistant Catt will remain in Super Rugby Pacific next season after joining the Fijian Drua coaching staff.<\/p>\n

His move to the Pacific Island side comes following his exit from the Waratahs at the end of last season, and sees him become the latest new face on the Drua staff after the addition of new head coach Brad Mooar.<\/p>\n

Commenting on joining Fijian Drua, Catt said: \u201cI\u2019m very excited. I think what I\u2019ve seen and how the Drua have performed in the past five years since they\u2019ve started has been very impressive and it only looks like going forward, they are heading towards the right direction.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo be part of something special and relatively new is very and it is the calibre of the players that I watch on a weekly basis for the past couple of years since I\u2019ve been in Australia, is very impressive.<\/p>\n

Beauden Barrett \u2018honoured\u2019 to be Stormers\u2019 Junior Bok star\u2019s inspiration: \u2018He\u2019s certainly the future\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the big reasons why I came is, I\u2019ve never really coached a nation where rugby is their number one sport. And I love the game, it has taken me around the world, and I\u2019ve had the most incredible journey and for me to give back to the people and make sure that we go to another level is crucial. This is very exciting to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fijian Drua CEO, Jeff Miller, added: \u201cWe are very excited to announce Mike as Brad\u2019s senior assistant coach as he brings with him a wealth of coaching and playing experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo have someone that has achieved so much as part of our coaching team is a great coup for our club and for Fiji!\u201d<\/p>\n

READ MORE: All Blacks team: Five takeaways as Beauden Barrett entering \u2018last chance saloon territory\u2019 following Dave Rennie\u2019s \u2018fascinating\u2019 selection<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Wallabies duo Bernard Foley and Nick Phipps will return to Super Rugby next season, an England forward has…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1134164,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[4102],"tags":[381,126,308535,225,12,6875,4151,79,10264,2357,16,15,12988],"class_list":["post-1134163","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-rugby","tag-bristol","tag-features","tag-fijian-drua","tag-home-page","tag-news","tag-premiership","tag-rugby","tag-sports","tag-super-rugby","tag-transfers","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-waratahs"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/117049460552988252","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1134163","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1134163"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1134163\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1134164"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1134163"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1134163"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1134163"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}