Fissler Confidential: Smith, Morgan and Suaalii linked with mega moves

England and Lions fly-half Fin Smith has emerged as a leading target for R360 now that he has entered the final year of his deal with former Premiership champions Northampton Saints.

“He’s with us next year, and obviously we’re desperate to keep him because he’s one of the best players in the world,” Saints boss Phil Dowson told BBC Radio Northampton’s Saints Show earlier in the summer.

Smith, who is set to become one of the hottest properties on the transfer market, is represented by Wasserman Rugby, where one of the rebel league’s founders, Mark Spoors, was Executive Vice President and Managing Executive.

Wallabies superstar Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, who is the highest-paid player in either code in Australia, has already been linked with a move away from the NSW Waratahs.

The outside centre, 22, signed a three-year deal with Rugby Australia worth around A$5 million (£2.4m), with a clause for two additional years worth A$4 million, when he switched codes from the Sydney Roosters.

Sydney’s Daily Telegraph reports that it is by no means certain that Suaalii, who has won eight Wallabies caps, will move to another Super Rugby franchise from the Tahs, who finished eighth in the 11-team competition.

Jac Morgan, the only Welshman on the Lions tour in Australia, is out of contract with the Ospreys at the end of this season and is already being linked with a potential move across the English Channel.

The Wales flanker, who moved to the Swansea-based side from the Scarlets in 2021, signed an extension with the Ospreys in January and is also reported to be a target for the rebel R360 league.

It has been reported that the 25-year-old, who attracted interest from the Premiership and France before signing his extension, is again being offered to Top 14 sides for a move in July 2026.

Former Harlequins lock George Hammond is off to play in Japan’s League One next season after leaving the Premiership side when his contract ran out at the end of last season.

Worthing-born former England under-20 international Hammond, 25, who was educated at Whitgift School, made 83 appearances in all competitions for Quins, scoring a try on his last appearance against Bristol Bears.

Hammond, who had a couple of spells in the Championship with London Scottish, will be plying his trade in Japan when the new season kicks off in December.

Argentina star fly-half Tomas Albornoz has been linked with a shock move to Top 14 side Toulon when his contract with United Rugby Championship outfit Benetton runs out at the end of next season.

Albornoz, 27, who has won 21 Test caps, scoring five tries, has been playing in Italy since 2021 after the Jaguares were disbanded and has scored 18 tries in 67 games for Benetton.

A try-scorer for Argentina when they beat the Lions in June, he extended his contract with Benetton in 2024, but now Toulon, who have Enzo Hervé in the final year of his contract, have been linked with a move for Albornoz.

Much-travelled fly-half Tim Swiel could be about to return to Europe next season and tick off France, with Brive and Grenoble both battling to get his signature on a contract.

Taunton-born Swiel, 32, began his career in South Africa with Western Province and has since played in England, Japan, Scotland, and the United States, where last season he played for the Chicago Hounds.

Grenoble and Brive, who are again expected to be among the Pro D2 pace-setters this season, are both said to be keen on bolstering their squads for next season by offering Swiel a contract and the chance to play in another country.

Major League Rugby outfit Seattle Seawolves will find out next week whether assistant coach Ian Watson, who joined the club last November, will be returning to Super League as the new head coach of Castleford Tigers.

The former Salford City Reds and Huddersfield Giants boss is on the Tigers’ five-man shortlist to replace head coach Danny McGuire. They have started interviews and are expected to conclude them early next week.

The Tigers want to have their preferred candidate in place ahead of a board meeting next Friday, which is expected to rubber-stamp the appointment, and Watson, who left the Giants twelve months ago, is one of the front-runners.

Leicester Tigers have been looking to sign another tighthead after former England and Lions star Dan Cole hung up his boots at the end of last season, and could Tomoaki Ishii be the answer to their prayers?

The Tigers have announced that Mitsubishi Dynaboars ace Ishii has joined them for pre-season training as part of the Performance Partnership, which was unveiled between the two clubs at the start of the year.

Ishii, 29, has clocked up over 50 appearances for the Dynaboars in Japan’s Rugby League One since joining them four years ago and helping them win promotion from the second tier.

Nathan Langdon looks set to return to his former club, Sale Sharks, after being freed by Premiership rivals Northampton Saints at the end of June.

Hooker Langdon, 24, started his career with Leicester Tigers, making one appearance – a six-minute cameo against the Sharks in the Premiership Cup in September 2022.

He made five appearances for Saints last season and also played for Bedford Blues in the Championship, following a similar stint with Caldy during his first spell in the North-West.

Former dual-code international Barrie-Jon Mather is joining the NSW Waratahs as their new Director of Performance, replacing Simon Raiwalui, who now works at Rugby Australia.

Mather will join the Waratahs from the NSW Institute of Sport, where he has been the Director of High Performance, following a spell with the Fiji Rugby Union and a stint as General Manager of Football at the NSW Rugby League.

Wigan-born Mather won his only England cap against Wales at Wembley Stadium in April 1999 and had spells as a player for Sale, Kubota Spears in Japan, and Coventry.