French profit from Sanzar exodus
17 Jul 2008
More than a score of players based in South Africa and Australasia have signed with Top 14 French clubs ahead of the 2008/09 European season.
Big spenders Toulon top the list having attracted eight new signings from South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. Joe van Niekerk (Lions, Springboks), Francois van der Merwe (Stormers), Ross Skeate (Stormers) and Tiaan Liebenberg (Stormers, Springboks) all hail from South Africa while Jerry Collins (Hurricanes, All Blacks) and Ben Castle (Chiefs) have been imported from New Zealand. Matt Henjak (Western Force, Wallabies) and Aussie league player Luke Rooney make up the rest of the Toulon contingent from Down Under.
Bourgoin and Stade Francais have two new acquisitions apiece while every other club has one bar Top 14 winners Toulouse. However, Toulouse already have players such as Shaun Sowerby and Byron Kellerher on their books.
Once described as the answer to the Wallabies’ scrumming woes, Reds prop Rodney Blake has found a new home at Bayonne. Fellow Queenslander Ben Coutts is also a new addition to the Top 14 with Mont de Marsan.
Other promising players who have opted for the European experience include Lachlan McKay (Force) and Campbell Johnstone (Crusaders).
The lowly Valke even have a representative in the French melting pot with fullback Jacques Schutte joining Montpellier.
By Jon Cardinelli
15 Comments
17 Jul 2008, 16:48 pm
Dragons!
17 Jul 2008, 17:05 pm
If only one the Frog clubs would buy Luke.
17 Jul 2008, 17:11 pm
Money talks.
17 Jul 2008, 17:13 pm
man, these clubs are signing anyone these days
Rodney Blake???..the guy is a big fat useless prop
Jacques Schutte ? Who?
jump on the gravy train boys..why hasn’t anyone picked up Steady eddie?
17 Jul 2008, 17:17 pm
Looks like the Stormers will be playing in both NH and SH competitions next year.
17 Jul 2008, 17:25 pm
These guys are the Journeymen. No Hopers. Top Guys like Vic, Collins, Carter need to be rewarded for their loyalty in something they can count.
17 Jul 2008, 18:00 pm
Just wondering how good all these overseas players are for European rugby teams. The national teams will struggle to build depth with so many foreigners in their provincial/ regional teams.
17 Jul 2008, 18:51 pm
#7 Kietzphat:
I was wondering the same thing. They are helping to destroy the SH depth but at the same time ******** their own national teams depth.
About a year ago, I remember an agent warning that props were a major target and one of the highest paid positions as quality props were in short supply in the NH. When you look at the proportion of front row players moving from north to south against all other positions, these were prophetic words.
17 Jul 2008, 19:16 pm
How many players of “colour” have joined the French clubs in recent years. Breyton Paulse is the only one that I can think of. Why is the French scooping of SA Rugby talent not representative of the racial make-up of South Africans?
17 Jul 2008, 20:02 pm
I am available to play in France. But I don’t come cheap. I will accept 10 Million GBP a year though.
18 Jul 2008, 00:46 am
when i see all the packed stadia in france week in week out i get worried. it looks like the gap in money between north and south is becoming increasingly wider. it’ll become more and more difficult for the sanzar nations to keep their players playing domestically against the euro.rugby could be about to change drastically. i dont think its fair to to say players are not loyal when accepting such offers. players have a limited rugby career. i’d also want to stack up while i can
18 Jul 2008, 08:38 am
Matt Henjak got banned after kicking Koukas (or some small, fury animals) around. Being the cuisine experts of the world the French must see this as a new way of tenderizing meat and would like Matt to come and teach them.
18 Jul 2008, 08:40 am
#9 Hier kom groot k..: Sephaka het ook n tyd in Frankryk gespeel en hulle het ons verlos van Ashwin Willemse.
18 Jul 2008, 10:57 am
#11 mr_ruga_luva: It could also be seen as a benefit to SA, as we have excess palyers who are plying their trade for money not lifestyle as they would in Oz/NZ. They can always come back and generally do when they are in contention ..
18 Jul 2008, 13:22 pm
We have a huge defection from the south. However, this is not all bad news. With the depth that SA has, there are always good players waiting in the wings. The big problem is if you have team that lacks experience. Lions are a case in point.
As Keizpah has said, they are ruining their own team. SA, Aus & NZ could field a decent team from their players playing in NH leagues, and still be competetive against the NH national teams.
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