Reinforcements.

After a couple of difficult years, it’s pretty safe to say the so-called ‘weaker’ PRO14 is in a pretty good place heading into the 2018/19 season.

Leinster and Cardiff were crowned Champions Cup and Challenge Cup champions respectively last season, and Ireland won the Six Nations in some style. The introduction of South African teams has proved to be a huge success with attendances up and television revenue after more than doubling thanks to deals with eir Sport and Premier Sports.

And those extra funds are already being put to good use – with every single team strengthening ahead of next season.

Here is your definitive guide to every transfer completed so far:

Benetton

Players In
Marco Zanon from Italy Mogliano
Fiji Iliesa Ratuva Tavuyara from Waikato
Derrick Appiah from London Scottish
Giuseppe Di Stefano from Fiamme Oro
Giovanni Pettinelli from Calvisano
Antonio Rizzi from Petrarca
Dewaldt Duvenage from South Africa

Players Out
Filippo Filippetto – Retired
Marty Banks to NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes
Whetu Douglas to Crusaders
Francesco Minto – Released
Michael Tagicakibau – Released
Matteo Zanusso – Released

Cardiff Blues

Players In
Dmitri Arhip from Ospreys
Jason Harries from Edinburgh
Rory Thornton from Ospreys
Samu Manoa from Toulon
Liam Belcher from Dragons

Players Out
Alex Cuthbert to Exeter Chiefs
Damien Welch to Cross Keys
Taufa’ao Filise – Retired
Sam Warburton – Retired

Cheetahs

Players In
Dian Badenhorst from Free State Cheetahs
Aidon Davis from Bayonne
Louis Fouché from Kubota Spears
Lloyd Greeff from Free State Cheetahs
Sibabalo Qoma from Free State Cheetahs
Clinton Swart from Toyota Verblitz
Boan Venter from Free State Cheetahs
Henco Venter from Toshiba Brave Lupus
Tian Schoeman from Bordeaux
Dries Swanepoel from Bulls

Players Out
Francois Venter to Worcester Warriors
Johan Goosen to Montpellier
Uzair Cassiem to Scarlets
Clayton Blommetjies to Scarlets
Tom Botha to Wales Ospreys
Reniel Hugo to Toyota Verblitz
Niel Marais to Japan Yamaha Júbilo
Clinton Swart to Toyota Verblitz
Henco Venter to Toshiba Brave Lupus
Carl Wegner to Toyota Verblitz

Connacht

Players In
Peter Claffey promoted from Academy
Cillian Gallagher promoted from Academy
Conán O’Donnell promoted from Academy
Robin Copeland from Munster
Kyle Godwin from Brumbies
David Horwitz from Melbourne Rebels
Joe Maksymiw from Leicester Tigers
Jonny Murphy from Rotherham Titans
Sevu Reece from Waikato
Colby Fainga’a from Melbourne Rebels

Players Out
Jake Heenan to England Bristol Bears
John Muldoon – Retired
Pita Ahki to France Toulouse
Andrew Deegan to Australia Western Force
Cormac Brennan – Released
Denis Coulson – Released
Steve Crosbie – Released
Naulia Dawai – Released
Stacey Ili – Released
Pat O’Toole – Released
JP Cooney – Released
Andrew Browne – Retired

Dragons

Players In
Jordan Williams from Bristol Bears
Rhodri Williams from Bristol Bears
Ross Moriarty from Gloucester
Rhodri Davies from Rotherham Titans
Richard Hibbard from Gloucester
Huw Taylor from Worcester Warriors
Josh Lewis from Bath
Ryan Bevington from England Bristol Bears
Aaron Jarvis from Clermont
Dafydd Howells from Ospreys
Tiaan Loots from RGC 1404
Jacob Botica from RGC 1404
Rhys Lawrence from Ealing Trailfinders
Brandon Nansen from Stade Francais

Players Out
Sarel Pretorius to Southern Kings
Phil Price to Scarlets
Scott Andrews to Neath
Luke Garrett to Neath
Adam Hughes – Retired
Pat Howard to Ealing Trailfinders
Rhys Buckley to Bargoed
Barney Nightingale to Bargoed
Keagan Bale to Bargoed
Angus O’Brien to Scarlets
Nicky Thomas to ScarletS
Dorian Jones to Angoulême
Charlie Davies to Northampton Saints
Lloyd Lewis to Pontypool
Sam Beard to Canterbury
Sam Hobbs – Released
Thomas Davies – Released
Liam Belcher – Released
Ashley Sweet – Released
Robson Blake – Released
Carl Meyer – Released

Edinburgh Rugby

Players In
John Barclay from Scarlets
Simon Hickey from Bordeaux
Scotland Matt Scott from Gloucester
Juan Pablo Socino from Newcastle Falcons
David Cherry from Stade Niçois
Pietro Ceccarelli from Oyonnax
Pierre Schoeman from Bulls
Senitiki Nayalo from London Irish
Luke Hamilton from Leicester Tigers
Henry Pyrgos from Glasgow Warriors

Players Out
George Turner to Glasgow Warriors
Jordan Lay to Bristol Bears
Cornell du Preez to Worcester Warriors
Junior Rasolea to Grenoble
Neil Cochrane – Retired
Duncan Weir to Worcester Warriors
Elliot Millar-Mills to Ealing Trailfinders
Jason Tovey to Cross Keys
Sam Hidalgo-Clyne to Scarlets
Jason Harries to Cardiff Blues
John Hardie – Released
Kevin Bryce – Released
Glenn Bryce – Released
Phil Burleigh – Released
Robbie Fruean – Retired
Scotland Tom Galbraith – Released
England Matt Shields – Released

Glasgow Warriors

Players In
George Turner from Edinburgh
D.T.H. van der Merwe from England Newcastle Falcons
David Tameilau from France Narbonne
Nick Frisby from Queensland Reds

Players Out
Finn Russell to Racing 92
Ryan Grant – Retired
Pat MacArthur – Retired
Richie Vernon to London Scottish
Leonardo Sarto – Released
Henry Pyrgos to Edinburgh

Leinster

Players In
Jordan Larmour from Academy
Vakh Abdaladze promoted from Academy
Caelan Doris promoted from Academy
Josh Murphy promoted from Academy
Joe Tomane from Montpellier
Will Connors promoted from Academy

Players Out
Jordi Murphy to Ulster
Jamie Heaslip – Retired
Isa Nacewa – Retired
Richardt Strauss – Retired
Oisin Heffernan to Nottingham
Joey Carbery to Munster
Cathal Marsh – Released
Peadar Timmins – Released

Munster

Players In
Tadhg Beirne from Scarlets
Calvin Nash promoted from Academy
Liam O’Connor promoted from Academy
Fineen Wycherley promoted from Academy
Mike Haley from Sale Sharks
Neil Cronin from Garryowen
Arno Botha from London Irish
Joey Carbery from Leinster

Players Out
Simon Zebo to Racing 92
Robin Copeland to Connacht
David Johnston to Ealing Trailfinders
Gerbrandt Grobler to Gloucester

Ospreys

Players In
Scott Williams from Scarlets
Aled Davies from Scarlets
Lesley Klim from Doncaster Knights
Tom Botha from Cheetahs
George North from Northampton Saints
Gheorghe Gajion from France Trelissac
Guido Volpi from France Narbonne
Giorgi Nemsadze from Bristol Bears
Luke Morgan from Wales Sevens

Players Out
Brian Mujati – Retired
Dan Biggar to Northampton Saints
Rhys Webb to Toulon
Kieron Fonotia to Wales
Ashley Beck to Worcester Warriors
Ben John – Sabbatical
Eli Walker – Retired
Rowan Jenkins to Yorkshire Carnegie
Guy Mercer to Bath
Dafydd Howells to Dragons
Hugh Gustafson – Retired
Dmitri Arhip to Cardiff Blues
Jeff Hassler – Released
Jay Baker – Released
Brendon Leonard – Released

Scarlets

Players In
Kieron Fonotia from Ospreys
Blade Thomson from Hurricanes
Uzair Cassiem from Cheetahs
Clayton Blommetjies from Cheetahs
Phil Price from Dragons
Sam Hidalgo-Clyne from Edinburgh
Kieran Hardy from Jersey Reds
Angus O’Brien from Dragons
Ed Kennedy from Randwick
Matthew Davies from Neath

Players Out
Tadhg Beirne to Munster
John Barclay to Edinburgh
Scott Williams to Ospreys
Aled Davies to Ospreys
Billy McBryde to RGC 1404
Jack Condy – Retired
Tom Grabham – Retired
Emyr Phillips – Retired
Tom Varndell to Angouleme
Tom Williams – Released
Geraint Rhys Jones – Released

Southern Kings

Players In
Sarel Pretorius from Dragons
Meli Rokoua from AEIS Agronomia
JC Astle from Mont-de-Marsan
Schalk Oelofse from Mont-de-Marsan
Tertius Kruger from Cheetahs
Ulrich Beyers from Blue Bulls
Bjorn Basson from Oyonnax

Players Out
Piet-Louw Strauss to Maties
Siya Mdaka to South Africa Eastern Province Elephants
Rowan Gouws to South Africa Eastern Province Elephants
JP Smith to South Africa Eastern Province Elephants
Joe Smith to South Africa Leopards
Njabulo Gumede to South Africa Free State XV
Anthonie Volmink to South Africa Golden Lions XV
Jacques Nel to France Aurillac
Martin du Toit to South Africa SWD Eagles
Alshaun Bock to South Africa SWD Eagles
Dayan van der Westhuizen to South Africa Blue Bulls XV

Ulster

Players In
Marty Moore from Wasps
Jordi Murphy from Leinster
Nick Timoney promoted from Academy
Will Addison from Sale Sharks
Alexander Thompson from Terenure
Billy Burns from Gloucester
Alan Bennie from Landsdowne
Henry Speight from Brumbies (short-term)

Players Out
Charles Piutau to Bristol Bears
Tommy Bowe – Retired
Callum Black to Worcester Warriors
Brett Herron to Jersey Reds
Paul Marshall – Retired
Callum Patterson to Cornish Pirates
Andrew Trimble – Retired
Stuart Olding to Brive
Jared Payne – Retired
Paddy Jackson to Perpignan
Robbie Diack – Released
Aaron Cairns – Released

Zebre

Players In
Edoardo Padovani from Toulon
Nicolas De Battista from Cornish Pirates
Massimo Ceciliani from Viadana
Samuele Ortis from Rovigo Delta
Giovanni Licata from Fiamme Oro
Giosuè Zilocchi from Calvisano
Daniele Rimpelli from Calvisano
Jimmy Tuivaiti from Calvisano
Paula Balekana from Sydney Rays
Apisai Tauyavuca from Fijian Drua
Matu Tevi from North Harbour
Francois Brummer from Blue Bulls

Players Out
James Tucker to New Zealand Waikato
Failaga Afamasaga to Italy Colorno
Andrea Manici – Retired
Andrea De Marchi to I Medicei
Valerio Bernabò – Retired
Jacopo Sarto to Colorno
Rory Parata to Cornish Pirates
Matteo Pratichetti to Verona
Tommaso D’Apice – Released
Serafin Bordoli– Released
Derick Minnie – Released