TIM TAYLOR signs permanent deal with Gloucester

Tim Taylor - Gloucester

He may only have been at the club for a few weeks having initially signed on loan from Nottingham until the end of the season, but Tim Taylor has impressed sufficiently to earn a two year deal with Gloucester Rugby.

Taylor, a former England U21 international and product of the Leicester Tigers Academy, joined from Nottingham towards the end of January until the end of the season as a replacement for Carlos Spencer who left the club to take up a player coach role with South African Super 14 franchise the Lions.

He made his first team debut as a replacement against Worcester in the LV=Cup tie at Kingsholm but really announced his arrival a week later in the same competition against Harlequins at the Stoop.

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Warriors swoop for sevens star Cracknell

Worcester Warriors have announced the signing of England Sevens star Chris Cracknell until the end of the 2009/10 season. The highly-rated Windsor-born back row, recently on England Sevens duty in Dubai, will link up with his new team-mates at Sixways Stadium from Monday.

The 25-year-old has previously played at Bath Rugby, Exeter Chiefs, Cornish Pirates, Newbury and Harlequins.

A hugely gifted Sevens performer, Cracknell earned rave reviews just last week as he scored two tries as England were narrowly beaten in the IRB Dubai Sevens, where he played alongside new Worcester team-mate Jake Abbott.

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