He first joined Harlequins as a 15 year old in 1992 where he played until he was released by the club after being receiving a two month sentence for assault in 2000. Dean Richards then signed Nebbett and he played for Leicester Tigers until the end of the 2003/4 season when he moved over the Irish Sea to play for Leinster.

At Leicester Nebbett had a hard time securing a regular starting position, he was always up against first Garforth and then White for the number three shirt. Even so he received a call up to the England tour of Canada and America in 2001 while the majority of the first choice players were in Australia with the british Lions. He didn't get a cap on the tour.

With Maurice Fitz Gerald having to retire because of injury, Mark Lambert possibly not being able to play again and Jon Dawson moving out of London to Wasps Quins certainly needed to make signings at tighthead.

Nebbett is well known to both Dean Richards and forwards coach John Kingston and sources close to the management described his signing as "good news as he's experienced and is a hard little bugger who takes no 'rubbish'".

He has certainly played alongside some excellent front row forwards in recent years: Jason White, Daren Garforth, Graham Rowntree, Dorian West, Shane Byrne, Reggie Corrigan etc., and while he was at Quins the likes of Keith Wood and Jason Leonard were here too.

There are rumours that there may be as many as three more signings in the pack - probably another tighthead and one or two more locks hopefully of the dasypygal type.

Here's hoping that Ricky Nebbett has a long and happy second spell with Quins.

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