Saracens Bolster Front Row with Gloucester Prop Fraser Balmain
In a significant move, the deposed Gallagher Premiership champions Saracens have secured the services of Gloucester prop Fraser Balmain for the upcoming season. The 32-year-old Balmain, who boasts 139 appearances for the Cherry and Whites since joining in 2017, has been Saracens’ sixth signing as they aim to rebuild their squad.
Balmain, a Loughborough University graduate, had been linked with a potential move to the French Top 14 or Pro D2 leagues, but will instead remain in the English top flight and join the London-based club next month. The former Leicester Tigers player, who has represented England in an uncapped match against the Barbarians, only recently signed a new deal with Gloucester in March 2023.
In the 2023/24 campaign, Balmain featured 17 times for Gloucester, with his last start coming in their European Challenge Cup final defeat to the South African United Rugby Championship outfit, the Sharks, at Tottenham last month. The 2013 Premiership final replacement for the Tigers will now fill the void left by Christian Judge, who is heading to Beziers in the south of France.
“Balmain’s arrival at the StoneX Stadium will be a welcome addition to Saracens’ squad, which also includes new signings such as Sam Spink from the Western Force, Wales loosehead Rhys Carre, Crusaders fly-half Fergus Burke, and the Newcastle Falcons pair of loosehead Phil Brantingham and fly-half Louie Johnson.”
The signing of Balmain, who once turned down an academy contract with Northampton, is expected to alleviate the concerns surrounding Saracens’ recruitment efforts in recent weeks. With Balmain’s acquisition across the line, the club is now reportedly focusing on securing a new lock and potentially a winger or a centre to cover for the ACL injury to Olly Hartley.
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