"This is one of the hardest decisions that I have ever had to make in my career," he said. "I spoke with my family about it at length, but I feel that the end of this season is the best time to make a new start. I have played some of the best years of my career with Leinster. They are the team that I have also played with the longest in my career."

"I've thoroughly enjoyed my time with Saracens over the past three seasons and my wife and I have made a lot of friends at the club," said Graham. "But the chance to return home and work with the national team in the build-up to the World Cup in two years time was too good to turn down and I'm really excited by the challenge."

Robinson will leave the club that he has served for his entire career, and will follow his brother Jamie who is joining French side Toulon at the end of the season.

"To decide to leave my hometown club; somewhere where I dreamt of playing, and spent a large part of my career was always going to be hard," said Robinson. "However, it's something I felt I needed to do. I wanted to experience playing in a different environment and a different league. I also wanted to test myself and try to improve as a rugby player and as a person, and Gloucester will give me that opportunity."

"I'll be floating around here next season," said Hayman. "I haven't had any more phone calls at three in the morning, so thankfully that rumour seems to have died a natural death."

Newcaslte fullback Alex Tait has also signed a one-year contract extension with the club. Tait, 21, has been a fixture of a resurgent Falcons side in recent weeks after missing the early exchanges of the Guinness Premiership season with an ankle injury.