A star-studded Top 14 'new entrants' XV
While broadly speaking clubs across Europe have tightened their belts over the course of a locked-down 2020, the Top 14 have managed to get out their checkbooks out to land a boat full of big fish, fresh to the league.
Here’s a composite XV of big-name signings, who are new to the French top flight:
15 Telusa Veainu – Stade Francais
The Tongan joins from Leicester Tigers after failing to come to new terms with the English club over a proposed 25 per cent cut in his salary.
14 Kotaro Matsushima – Clermont
The Japanese flyer signs from Suntory Sungoliath following a massive Rugby World Cup campaign last autumn.
13 Izaia Perese – Bayonne
Signs from the Broncos NRL side after an unsuccessful code-hope from the Queensland Reds. The Wallaby is on a redemption mission in the fifteen man code.
12 Kurtley Beale – Racing 92
Maybe the biggest Top 14 signing of the pandemic? A decorated Wallaby, Beale is back in Europe for the first time in three years after a one-season stint at Wasps that ended in 2017.
11 Ben Lam – Bordeaux Begles
It’s a surprise it’s taken this long for Lam to be snapped up by a European side. The 6’4, 105kg wing ousted Julian Savea at the Canes and is a ready-made repalcement for Semi Radradra, who left for Bristol Bears.
10 Alex Lozowski – Montpellier
The utility back that can play pretty much any position outside nine was one of Saracens’ most high profile departures, but fighting for England recognition ultimately gave way to the riches on offer in France.
9 Cobus Reinach – Montpellier
A cult favourite at Franklin Gardens, the Springbok is maybe the most exciting prospect at scrumhalf to enter the Top 14 this year.
8 Tyler Ardron – Castres
The Canadian forward proved a hit at the Chiefs, and while he is frequently found in the second row as opposed to the back row these days, the one-time Osprey is likely to make a success of his latest adventure in global rugby.
7 Marcos Kremer – Stade Francais
The 6’5, 115kg Jag can cover both the second and the back row, although he seems to have found a home at blindside in recent years. At just 22 years of age is already being feted as a potential Argentinian centurion, having already amassed 24 caps.
6 Guido Petti – Bordeaux Begles
Petti joins from the Jaguares. Despite being just 25-years-old, the super athletic Pumas lock has been capped 49 times for Argentina, and can also play in the troisième ligne.
5 Will Skelton – La Rochelle
The outsized Wallaby joins La Rochelle after shedding weight and re-discovering himself at Saracens. La Rochelle are known to love big forwards, so an increase in body mass could be on the cards for Will.
4 Izack Rodda – Lyon
Another giant Wallaby lock, Rodda left the Reds after refusing to take a cut-price contract at the Brad Thorn coached Super Rugby side.
3 Pietro Ceccarelli – Brive
Signing from Edinburgh, Italian tighthead Ceccarelli has fifteen caps to his name and has sought out more regular first-team action in France.
2 Joseph Dweba
The powerfully built hooker joins Bordeaux from the PRO14’s Cheetahs. An impressive ball carrier who told RugbyPass earlier this year that he wants to dominate the Top 14.
That ain’t a bad team ? #ProD2https://t.co/tWEmdae3ag
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 13, 2020
1 Titi Lamositele – Montpellier
One of the many to depart Saracens, US Eagle Lamositele can play both sides of the scrum and at 25-years-old, is only just coming into his propping prime.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS:
Semi Kunitani – Castres via Harlequins, Ryno Pieterse – Castres via Bulls, Dillyn Leyds – La Rochelle via Stormers
Comments on RugbyPass
All I can say after reading this bitter, sour, sad piece is… Thank you very much! This will be read in the change room just before kick off on 31 August…
169 Go to commentsLook, we know contradicting opinions and wacky comments bring readers and clicks, so well done to RP for allowing always-wrong-Ben to say something here. However RP needs to put a disclaimer next to his comments for their own credibility. NZ was and is incapable of acknowledging their opp beating them. They refused so with Ire and with Arg in 2022 and also the Boks in 2023 x 2. Nothing Ben says here holds water, NZ attacked backwards, except when Kolisi and Kolbe was off And cyncialy took out Bongi, we played without lineouts for 75mins. Kolisi and Kurt-Lee almost scored twice. Thats 3 vs 2 for Boks, but the Boks opportunities was legal. Boks should have been 16-3 up by half time. Tacticaly the Boks attacked better defended better scrummed better (without a hooker) kicked better and crossed the whitewash more times. Boks beat Fr Eng Nz to win in 23, comeon give some credit at least. Even Federer Verstappen NY Mets, Mamoa, was able to see a great human sport achievement by the Boks and their DNA Boks #RWC27 !🏉
169 Go to commentsForget the 85kg bit, that can become something else. However I do like the one off test on ANZAC day idea. SR plays Fri/ Sat, test players travel Sunday and the squads have the full week together before playing Saturday. Rest of SR has a week off. Either involve women's teams in same location or in the other country and rotate annually. Herbert is right in that change is needed.
3 Go to commentsI’ve read loads of nonsense before but this article takes the cake. Or perhaps someone changed the date for April Fool's Day.
3 Go to commentsReally Rugbypass? Ben Smith I think you forgot what the Springboks did to the All Blacks at Twickenham 8 weeks earlier? Springboks 35 All Blacks 7. There is alot of ifs and buts in your article. The All Blacks threw the sink at the Springboks and unfortunately they were not good enough regardless if they played with 14 men or not. It was the Springboks who forced the All Blacks to make mistakes! Sorry but not Sorry the Springboks is the best ever Rugby World Cup Nation in the world. 4 Cups baby!
169 Go to commentsYou just backed the Boks with that fantastic review! Well done! Have some cake!
169 Go to commentsBen Smith please write up something better than this. The Springboks would have won the world cup if you were 15 men on the field. They would have found a way, they always find a way to beat the All Blacks.
169 Go to commentsWow, there is a lot of “could have” and “ should have” in this waist of time dribble. I love the deportation in this story to search for a glimpse at a silver lining. Here are the facts, NZ was a badly coached and undisciplined shadow of their former glory. They never took the lead in a game they were never going to win.
169 Go to commentsGOTTA MAKE ‘THE GEORGE’ HAPPEN!!!! That’s a great idea! A trans Tasman midget battle on ANZAC Day. I don’t think the ABs Wallabies game should be a one off winner takes all though, just the first match with the other two later in the year with the RC. Reason being, no one will ever shut up about how aussies couldn’t win it when it was a 3 match series.
3 Go to comments@Ben smith. Thats knock out rugby. So honeslty who cares?
169 Go to commentsIt will interesting to know which Irish players said that…
2 Go to commentsNaaaww boys will be boys! Now run along ya wee scamp! Don’t let us catch you at again😏
1 Go to commentsGreat to have Ethan Blackadder back in the Crusaders in the last few weeks. One of the best all round loose forwards around. He played so well last week against the Rebels. Fantastic attitude Ethan has and his comments are spot on.
2 Go to commentsThe author is 100% right. The Springboks know that they don't have near the natural attraction, mana, skill and mystic the All Blacks have. So, Chasing the sun 1 & 2 was concocted to overblow the Boks image on the back of a corruptly obtained “win". It's marketing ploy to force the Boks delusion as the World's Best. I guess World Rugby is also not to be believed when it came out with an apology about how the final was officiated. And if the 2023 final such a superb game by the Boks, then the Boks crying about Referee Bryce Lawrence for decades is also deserves a laugh. Chase the sun and get burned like a moth. A very well written literary piece that tore the Boks and Chasing the sun farce to shreds. 🖤All Blacks🏉
169 Go to commentsI’d say France was far more hard done by in the 2011 final than the All Blacks in this game. Joubert simply refused to call a penalty against the All Blacks in the last quarter even directing an All Black to drop a ball he picked up in an offside position rather than penalizing him. This article also totally discounts the efforts of PSTD. Ask Jordie how well he played. Or the backup flank who played hooker for the entire game. Siya was also a brilliant tackle by Richie from scoring a blinder. Pollard was also fantastic. Look I don’t like the boks style but the only thing more questionable than the content of this article is the timing of it. Get over it already
169 Go to commentsDad Marty was also a handy rugby player for Linwood back in the day. Great bloke. Sensational softball career.
2 Go to commentsWhat ifs are always dangerous. If you look at the game before Sam cane got sent of SA was dominating. You could make the argument the going down to 14 men rallied the troops and made them have to play to win which is always dangerous.
169 Go to commentsOmg… you are bruised And battered Benny. Stop crying … the scoreboard speaks. What a pathetic lover you are.. 🤣🤣🤣
169 Go to commentsThis is the single worst piece of journalism I have ever seen since your last one. As a neutral, who really states that there should be an asterisk next to a win? You are an utter embarrassment to real AB fans, journalism and that joke of a house which pays you for this nonsense. Get a life, Ben.
169 Go to commentsGuys. Cancel the World Cup champions after this analysis. It changes everything. Ben knows. We’ll have to unengrave the Bokke off the trophy and hand it to the ABs, now that I’ve been enlightened about this illegitimate win. This needs to be done. Now!
169 Go to comments