6 Players Returning to their old Premiership Clubs

When the whistle blows at Twickenham Stoop on Friday, it will have been 159 days since the last Premiership Rugby game, the longest hiatus ever between Premiership matches.

Harlequins will take on Sale Sharks to mark the return of the tournament, but that won't be the only return that can be expected as the halt has seen a number of players sign to return to their old clubs.

Here is a look at a few Premiership players who have signed to go back to their futures:

Will Spencer - Bath

An imposing figure on the field, Spencer came through the Bath Rugby Academy spending four years developing with the club.

He made his senior Bath debut in the 2012-2013 season before making the move to local rivals Worcester Warriors from the 2016-17 season following 22 appearances at the Blue, Black and Whites. 

Since then, he has also turned out for Leicester Tigers, making 33 appearances before making a return to the South West in July 2020.  

Jonny May - Gloucester

One of the most electrifying backs to grace the English premiership, May came through the Gloucester academy and played for England Under-20s before becoming a first-team regular in 2011/12 when he also won the LV= Breakthrough Player award and a Premiership Player of the Month award while celebrating a call-up to the England Saxons squad.

He made his first start for Gloucester in a pre-season friendly against Bath in August 2009, and went on to make 138 appearances with the Kingsholm club before joining Leicester Tigers in the summer of 2017. He announced his arrival at Welford Road with 11 tries in his first 10 games for the club.

He ended that debut season as the club’s top try-scorer with 12 in 20 appearances and was the stand-out success in England’s summer tour to South Africa where he scored in all three Tests.

July 2020 saw him return to the club that groomed him.

Joe Marchant - Harlequins returning from loan at Blues

Marchant, who has played for Harlequins since 2014, was contracted with the Auckland-based Blues franchise from January 1 to June 30 in a revolutionary move made possible through the Club’s ongoing relationship with New Zealand Rugby.

During his time with the Blues, Marchant made seven appearances scoring three tries.

Tom Homer - London Irish

Having earned himself a reputation as a dead-eye goal kicker, Homer was awarded the Premiership Golden Boot in 2011/12.

He made his London Irish debut in 2008, and went on to make 113 appearances before agreeing to join Bath Rugby in February 2015.

The full-back became equally prolific with the boot in Bath colours when called upon. In the absence of George Ford during the 2016 Autumn Internationals, Homer recorded 11 out of 12 successful kicks in three games.

He made 49 appearances for Bath before returning to London Irish following their promotion. 

Ryan Bower - Leicester Tigers

2010 was the year Bower became a Leicester Tigers' cub, making 9 appearances for the side before answering a call from the Worcester Warriors in 2014. 

He played a vital role in his first season at the Club as Warriors won the British & Irish Cup and promotion to the Aviva Premiership.

He went on to make 87 appearances with the Sixways club and was also handed the captain's armband.

Matt Kvesic - Worcester Warriors

In May 2020, Kvesic agreed to a return to where his professional career started by signing for Worcester Warriors.

Kvesic made his senior debut for Worcester in the Anglo-Welsh Cup against the Scarlets in November 2009, becoming the youngest player to represent the Warriors in the professional era at 17. 

He went on to make 63 appearances for the Sixways club before signing a deal with Gloucester Rugby in 2013, turning up 85 times for them until Rob Baxter wanted a piece of his talent in 2017.

Kvesic spent three years at Sandy Park, making 47 appearances before he signed to return to Sixways.