Harlequins senior coach Jason Gilmore has openly admired the talents of Northampton Saints and England full-back George Furbank, refusing to dismiss speculation of a potential move for the player.
Contract Situation and Reported Interest
George Furbank, the 29-year-old Saints star, will see his contract expire next summer. Reports have emerged that the England international, who made his debut under Eddie Jones in 2020, has already held discussions with the south-west London club about a possible switch. Harlequins are the reigning 2023-24 Premiership champions.
When questioned about the transfer rumours, Gilmore, who is preparing his squad for Saturday's Big Game 17 against Bristol Bears at Twickenham, was complimentary but guarded. "George is a good player, isn't he? And a good leader," Gilmore stated. "He's going to attract interest. It's no different to when Chandler Cunningham-South was up [for contract renewal] a couple of months ago. Those players are going to attract interest."
He added, "Definitely a good player. Would we be interested? We'd be interested in any good player that fits in with our roster. In terms of the ins and outs, like any player, I can't really disclose actual recruitment strategies."
Big Game 17 Preview at Twickenham
Gilmore's immediate focus is on the weekend's double-header at Twickenham Stadium. The action begins with Harlequins Women facing Bristol Bears Women at 3.05pm, followed by the men's fixture at 6pm. The coach promised an entertaining spectacle for fans of attacking rugby.
"You've got two teams who want to use the football," he said. "I don't see the scoreline being 10-7. Twickenham is a bigger pitch, there's more space to attack into. When you get two attacking teams on a bigger field, generally you'll get bigger scorelines."
Bristol's Key Threat
Gilmore specifically highlighted the threat posed by Bristol Bears' powerful South African centre, Benhard Janse van Rensburg, who is set to qualify for England next year. "He's a collision guy in that midfield, there's no shying away from it," Gilmore warned. "You can't dip your toe in the water against him. You've got to match him and go head-on, one-for-one. How you nullify him is you've got to go at him. If you're passive and you let him run, that's when he has a field day."
Gloucester Confirm Williams Departure
In other Premiership news, Gloucester's director of rugby, George Skivington, has expressed his disappointment at the impending departure of Wales scrum-half Tomos Williams. The club confirmed on Tuesday that Williams will leave next summer, though his destination remains undisclosed.
"We did our best but that's rugby, that's sport," Skivington said. "There's no hard feelings and he's in here for the rest of the season – I know he'll give everything. We put our best foot forward and Tommy's got to make the decision he thinks is right for him. We're not going to fall out over it."
Gloucester also announced the signing of scrum-half Dan Robson from Pau for next season and confirmed the high-profile acquisitions of Wales captains Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake. Skivington praised the new signings, calling them "honest, hard-working, tough characters who really want to do something" and stating they are "the right age profile to drive the club forward."
