Balmain agrees one-year deal with Saracens
GLOUCESTER prop Fraser Balmain has moved to Saracens on a oneyear contract. The experienced 32-year-old has played 231 matches for Gloucester and Leicester.
He made 11 top-flight appearances last season as the Cherry and Whites finished the season second from bottom in the Premiership.
“I’m really looking forward to joining Saracens, and am very excited for a new challenge,” said tighthead Balmain, who will be a direct replacement for Christian Judge, who is heading off to the south of France to join Beziers.
Balmain began his career at Leicester in 2011, coming on as a replacement in the Tigers’ 2013 Premiership final win against Northampton.
He moved to Gloucester in 2017, where he helped the team to two Challenge Cup finals, in his first and last seasons, and won the Premiership Cup this season, beating Leicester in the final.
Balmain is the sixth new signing at Saracens, along with Sam Spink from the Western Force, Wales loosehead Rhys Carre, Crusaders fly-half Fergus Burke and the Newcastle Falcons pair, loosehead Phil Brantingham and fly-half Louie Johnson.
Gloucester have signed Alfie Petch on a deal of undisclosed length to replace Balmain. The 24-year-old spent last season at French ProD2 side Biarritz where he made 17 appearances.
Petch began his career in Exeter’s academy and played for Championship side Cornish Pirates before spending 2022-23 with Northampton.
“He’s already had plenty of experience at Exeter, Northampton, Cornish Pirates and Biarritz, and he’s still got plenty of development left in him,” Gloucester director of rugby George Skivington said.
“Trevor Woodman [forwards coach] has done a great job with our front row and we’re excited to see how Alfie develops under him. We’ve got a good group of props here and I’m looking forward to seeing that competition drive each other’s game forward.”