14 of the biggest transfer flops in rugby union history
RG Snyman was branded the worst signing ever following Munster’s Champions Cup at the hands of Northampton Saints last weekend.
This article is by no means just a critique of the players listed: rugby transfers don’t always yield the expected outcomes for various reasons, including internal politics, injuries and clashing personalities.
With that said, here are 14 other transfers that RugbyPass don’t believe will be remembered fondly by fans.
Sam Burgess – South Sydney Rabbitohs to Bath 2014
Earmarked as England’s answer to Sonny Bill Williams when the RFU financed a £500,000 move from the NRL ahead of England hosting the 2015 World Cup. But less than a month after crashing out of the Pool Stages, he was back at the Rabbitohs as the highest-paid league player of all time.
Dan Carter – Crusaders to Perpignan (loan) 2008
The greatest player in the modern era got the rock star treatment when he arrived in the Languedoc-Roussillon to take up a €700,000 six-month deal, but it didn’t work as intended after Carter played just five games before partially tearing his Achilles tendon in a draw with Stade Francais.
Willie Mason – Free agent to Toulon 2011
Big Willie enjoyed an illustrious career as an NRL enforcer but was released by Hull KR after just six games into a three-year contract. That didn’t stop Toulon from splashing the cash, but after playing just 74 minutes, he was shown the door with Toulon fans describing him as a “Brad Thorn wannabe” in the club’s history.
RG Snyman – Bulls – Munster 2020
The giant South African might have picked up two World Cup winners medals but his time at Munster has been nothing short of a disaster. He has spent more time on the surgeon’s operating table than the pitch-playing, just 432 minutes in four years. Bath really have dodged a bullet.
Chris Jack – Crusaders – Saracens 2007
The All Blacks lock branded Northern Hemisphere rugby as “easy” after he was released from his expensive contract a year early. But the truth was that despite his arrogance, Jack, who was a world-class player, struggled to make a major impact and his time at Vicarage Road with much fondness.
Justin Marshall – Crusaders to Leeds Tykes 2005
Leeds, who had always been prudent with spending, decided to open the chequebook after winning the last-ever Powergen Cup Final. But the scrum-half didn’t see eye to eye with coach Phil Davies, and the club got relegated at the end of his only season and Marshall joined the Ospreys.
Mathieu Bastareaud – Toulon to Rugby United New York 2020
The transfer of Bastareaud was supposed to be a massive coup for the MLR, but instead, it turned out to be a massive flop. The centre-turned No. 8 was visibly overweight and looked slow and cumbersome, struggling to keep on with the pace of the game.
Chiliboy Ralepelle – Bulls to Toulouse 2013
The Springbok hooker joined an exodus of players from South Africa when he moved to Toulouse. But it turned into a disaster after just nine games when he damaged knee ligaments, and then in March 2014, he failed an out-of-competition drugs test for the anabolic steroid drostanolone and was banned for two years.
Nico Matawalu – Bath to Exeter Chiefs 2016
The Fijian scrum-half left The Rec in search of more game time after being restricted to just 13 appearances because of injury. Sadly, within a month of arriving at Sandy Park, he was arrested and charged with sexual assault, and even though he was cleared was released without playing a game.
Waisake Naholo – Highlanders to London Irish 2019
The All Blacks World Cup-winning winger was one of several expensive big-name signings costing around £4m made by the Exiles when they won promotion back to the Premiership. But a persistent knee injury restricted him to just four appearances in his two years in the capital.
Christian Cullen – Hurricanes to Munster 2003
The All Black icon will feature on almost every list of the best full-backs to have played the game. But his spell in Ireland after John Mitchell dropped him was blighted by injury problems, and, by his own admission, not being able to fulfil his potential remains a regret.
Marika Vunibaka – Fiji to Leicester Tigers 1997
The Fijian sevens winger was a world-class player who would have carved up the Premiership after scoring a hat-trick against Loughborough Students in a friendly when he was on trial. But a permanent move to Welford Road fell through when he was turned down for a work permit.
Gavin Henson – Ospreys to Saracens 2010
One of the best generational talents had been on 18 months unpaid leave from the Ospreys when it was announced he would join Saracens after completing his commitments with the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing. He only made four appearances before being released from his contract and joining Toulon.
Chris Ashton – Harlequins to Worcester Warriors 2021
The former England winger won’t want to remember 2021 with any great fondness. After exiting Quins mid-season after only making two appearances, he joined Worcester. But his stay at Sixways only lasted four games. He was sent off against Northampton Saints before picking up knee and calf injuries.
Jason Jones-Hughes – Newport to Munster 2003
Wales won a tug-of-war with Australia for the highly-rated centre, but he suffered from injuries. After failing to win a contract with any of the Welsh regions, he tried his luck across the Irish Sea. But a lower back injury forced him to retire a year later, aged 27.
Comments on RugbyPass
Great role model.
2 Go to commentsOne significant tell, not a single Waratahs player stopped to whinge to the ref about Finau’s tackle. They got on with playing the game. Great tackle.
8 Go to commentsWouldn’t be a bad move if Ireland pulled into SA with a young side. Particularly in Pretoria. Invaluable experience getting thumped in the bosveld.
59 Go to commentsIreland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
59 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
59 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
59 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
2 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
59 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
59 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
59 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
59 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
59 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
59 Go to commentsNot sure how Karl Dickson can ever ref a Quins game, he played for the club for 8 years as understudy to Care and is still close friends with half the team
3 Go to commentsAre bookies taking bets on how many times Vunipola's eventual statement will use the term “elders"? My money is on at least 4 times.
4 Go to commentsSo Ireland will be tired, despite having the most rested test squad in the world. They only play tests, champions cup and urc play off games ffs! Case in point; Leinster sent a B squad to SA for their last two games while their first xv rested up and trained at their leisure for the sf vs Saints at the so called ‘neutral venue’ of Croke Park. So tired? Do me a favour… And as for “people’s champions”? Seriously??? Outside of Ireland they are respected for their ability to win 6N. And of course plenty of inconsequential test friendlies without any real pressure. WC ko games when the pressure is white hot? Not so much…
59 Go to comments