Amid odd Toulon statements, speculation mounts around club's two biggest signing
It’s no huge surprise, given the huge amount of money sloshing about, that the Top 14 is a storm-tossed maelstrom of rumour and speculation. Some of it is way off the mark. Some of it turns out to be entirely accurate.
Right now, little more than a month before the new Top 14 season kicks off, two clubs are at the centre of three player mysteries in Malakai Fekitoa, Semi Radradra, and Johan Goosen.
Much of the current rugby talk in France – despite some fairly heavy and insistent denials from his agent – is all about whether sometime All Black Malakai Fekitoa will head to Toulon at the end of the Super Rugby season.
It’s no secret that the player has been a long-term target for the club. A deal seemed set in unofficial stone until the player’s 14-minute cameo in the third Test against the Lions. Then, doubt, apparently, crept in.
President Mourad Boudjellal reignited the Fekitoa speculation fire at a fan event earlier this week when he declared that the ‘imminent arrival of a world champion All Black centre’, would be ‘the biggest coup of the summer transfer market’.
Forty-eight hours later, the club poured cold water on its owner’s provocative come-on, insisting in an official statement that no player news can be officially considered official until it is officially announced – which Boudjellal’s comments, apparently, were not – and that anything prior to an official announcement, should one be made officially, was nothing more than wild and unsubstantiated speculation.
Following Toulon’s Fekitoa logic, there is no official news, either, about forgotten signing, Parramatta flyer Semi Radrada.
The player’s management team are clear that he will head to France in September.
Incorrecte, Radradra venu a Toulon en Septembre. @RugbyramaFR
— Next_G_Sports_Mgmt. (@Next_G_Sports) July 18, 2017
So is Radradra. He told Australia’s Daily Telegraph that he was looking forward to heading to France at the end of the NRL season, when he also shattered Fijian hopes that he would join the national side for the rugby league World Cup.
So far, however, Toulon have remained stonily silent. And Radrada’s name was noticeably absent from the list of squad players announced at the same fan event that prompted the new feeding frenzy over Fekitoa. Official announcements, etc…
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Paris, there’s a hint that Racing 92 and South African utility back Johan Goosen may have mended the bridges they had apparently not just burned but nuked, dissolved in acid and buried in concrete midway through last season.
Unlike Fekitoa and Radrada, no agents are visibly involved. Like Toulon, the club has made no official announcement. But the player’s bio is on the squad page of club’s website for the 2017/18 season.
The 24-year-old – who was voted Top 14 player of the 2016/17 season following a Brennus-winning campaign – suddenly quit Racing in December, despite earlier signing a contract extension to remain at the club until 2020.
He announced his retirement rather than continue to pick up the reported €40,000 a month his five-year Racing contract would have earned him, and became commercial director of a stud farm in his native South Africa for a reported 10% of his previous salary.
In March, rumours surfaced that Goosen was reconsidering his decision. Some even speculated he was ready to make a shock return to the Top 14 and the club he had suddenly quit. That never happened. But last month, French sports newspaper L’Equipe tracked him down in Bloemfontein, where they took photographs of him practising his kicking while sporting the shorts of his former (and possibly future) club.
It’s worth repeating that, as with the Toulon duo, there is no official news from the club on Goosen’s future. And French rugby media would have exploded if he had been spotted at the club’s Plessis-Robinson training ground. They got excited enough over the Bloemfontein pictures.
The image on the website may be there in error. But it has been up a while. It may be a subtle reminder to other clubs and rugby agencies that there’s – officially at least – unfinished legal business over Goosen’s December departure.
It may be that there is some huge news still to come.
Such is the Top 14. Such is modern, professional rugby. The only truth is that, sometimes, we just have to wait and see.
Comments on RugbyPass
Irish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
4 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
4 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to commentsSimple reason for wanting him back. Robertson wants him as captain. Otherwise he wouldn’t be bothering chasing him. Not enough reason to come back just to mentor.
10 Go to commentsI had not considered this topic like this at all, brilliant read. I had been looking at his record at the Waratahs and thought it odd the Crusaders appointed him, then couple that with all that experience and talent departing and boom. They’ve got some great talent developing though, and in all honesty I don’t think anyone would be over confident taking them on in a playoff match, no matter how poor the first half of their season was. I think they can pull a game out of their ass when it counts.
2 Go to commentsNot a bad list but not Porecki and not Donaldson. Not because they are Tahs, or Ex Tahs, they are just not good enough. Edmed should be ahead. Far more potential. Wilson should be 8 and Valentini 6. Wilson needs to be told by his father and his coach, stop bloody running in to brick wall defence. You’re not playing under the genius Thorn any more. He’s a fantastic angle runner. The young new 8 from the Brumbies looks really good too. The Lonegrans are just too small for international rugby as is Paisami, as is Hamish Stewart at 12. Both great at Super Rugby level. Stewart could have been a great 10 if not for Brad Thorn. Uru should be there and so should Tupou. Tupou just needs good Australian coaching which he hasn’t been getting. I don’t think Schmidt will excite him.
3 Go to commentsIf he wants to come back then he should. He will be a major asset to the younger locks and could easily be played as an impact player off the bench coming on in the last 30. He is fit, strong and capable and has all the experience to make up for any loss in physical prowess. He could also be brought back with a view to coaching within the structures one day. Duane Vermeulen played until he was 37 or 38. He is now a roaming coach within the South African coaching structures. He was valuable in the last world cup and has been a major influence on Jasper Wiese and other young players which has helped and accelerated their development and growth. Whitelock could do the exact same thing for NZ
10 Go to commentsBrett Excellent words… finally someone (other than DC) has noted that Hanigan is very hard and very good at doing what Backrow should do… his performance via the Drua sauna was quite daunting for those on the other side… very high tackle count… carries with good end result… constant threat to make a good 20-25 meters with those long legs… providing his mass effectively to crunching the Drua pack… Finally he is returning to quality form… way to much injury time over the last 2 years… smart-strong-competent in his skills… caught every lineout throw aimed at him and delivered clean pass to whoever was down below… and he worked hard for the whole 80 minutes… Ned has to be in the top 5 for backrow honors… He knows what is required as he has been there before…
20 Go to commentsI think Sam Whitelock should not touch a return with a bargepole. He went out on a high, playing in the RWC Final. He would be coming back into a team that will be weaker than last years, and might even be struggling to win games, especially against the Boks. Stay in France, enjoy another year with Pau, playing alongside his brother.
10 Go to comments