Fissler Confidential: Ex-England star shutdowns talk of PREM return

Lewis Ludlam has shut down talk of a return to the Gallagher PREM to play in the 2027 World Cup and has pledged his future to Toulon, where he is under contract until June 2027.

Ludlam, 29, who has been capped 25 times by England, told a fan on X who feared the Ipswich-born flanker could be tempted home by the World Cup: “Shout it from the mountains. I’m a Toulon player, let me stay here.”

The former Northampton Saints ace has started 29 of 35 appearances for Toulon since leaving Franklin’s Gardens two years ago and could even be offered an extension to his current deal to keep him on the Côte d’Azur even longer.

Brisbane Broncos are battling to keep Samoan powerhouse Payne Haas out of the clutches of R360, who have offered him a life-changing A$3m (£1.48m) to switch codes.

The 2025 NRL Grand Final winner Haas, who has Samoan, Swiss and Filipino descent, is due to pick up A$1.1m (£543,000) and has been offered around A$1.2m a year to sign a new deal, but it’s small change compared with R360’s offer.

Haas, 25, faces a ten-year ban from the NRL if he joins the breakaway competition, which has been enough to force players into changing their minds, but according to Sydney’s Daily Telegraph, a decision on his future is imminent.

Gloucester are closing in on a deal that will keep homegrown star Jack Clement at Kingsholm and out of the clutches of rival PREM Rugby clubs, who are showing more than a passing interest in signing him.

Clement, who can play anywhere across the back row, has been out of the Cherry and Whites side since the defeat at Sale Sharks in September after needing an operation on an ankle injury.

He is set to be out of action for “months,” according to Gloucester boss George Skivington, but is expected to put pen to paper on the new deal imminently.

Ben White has become the latest scrum-half to be linked with Sale Sharks, despite Raffi Quirke still having another year left to run on the contract he signed in March after Exeter Chiefs made a move to lure him away from Manchester.

The Sharks did make a move for England and Lions star Alex Mitchell before he opted to stay at Northampton Saints, and whispers suggest they are interested in signing White.

Toulon remain the favourites to retain White, who has attracted interest from Perpignan, Saracens, Newcastle Red Bulls, Edinburgh and R360 when his contract runs out at the end of the season.

Ealing Trailfinders, who are threatening to race away with the Championship title again this season after winning all six of their opening games, have moved to strengthen their squad.

Ealing have an incredible points difference of 213 after conceding only 96 points and are seven points clear of second-place Worcester Warriors after picking up a maximum of 30 points.

Fissler Confidential understands from Kiwi sources that Otago back-row Harry Taylor and Tasman Makos winger Brodie Robinson are the players they have in their sights, and that talks are at an advanced stage.

Bristol Bears have confirmed that second row James Dun will leave the club when his contract runs out at the end of the season, with Harlequins set to snap him up on a long-term contract.

Fissler Confidential reported three weeks ago that Dun was set to depart his boyhood club for the capital, and he has admitted that it’s the hardest decision that he has had to make.

“This has been one of the toughest decisions I’ve ever had to make. From coming through the Academy to running out at Ashton Gate, the Bears have shaped me as both a player and a person,” he said.

Four Gallagher PREM clubs have sounded out Highlanders fly-half Cameron Millar about a potential switch to the Northern Hemisphere when his contract runs out next season.

Former New Zealand under-20 star Millar, 23, who plays for Otago in the NPC, has made 24 appearances for the Highlanders and has been exploring his options outside of New Zealand.

But it is understood that he has been waiting to see if he can secure another Super Rugby deal before giving the PREM clubs interested in signing him a definitive answer on whether he will join them.

James Finegan, whose dad Owen famously scored an injury-time try to win the 1999 Rugby World Cup, has pledged his future to the Sydney Roosters after signing a two-year extension to his contract.

It would appear that James, who was the Player of the Year in the SG Ball under-19 competition, isn’t keen to follow in the footsteps of flanker Owen, who played for the Brumbies, Newcastle Falcons, Leinster and Leicester Tigers.

He had offers from NRL rivals but has pledged his future to the Roosters. He is rated among the best 50 schoolboy league players in Australia and is tipped as a future superstar.

Argentine flanker Bautista Stavile has signed a new three-year deal with United Rugby Championship outfit Zebre Parma until 2028.

The 27-year-old from Mendoza joined Zebre in June 2023 and has scored six tries in 28 games for the club and has won under-20 honours for the Pumas.

The former Selknam, Viadana and Rovigo Delta ace played in the opening two games of the URC before getting injured and has been praised by sporting director George Biagi as “electric and unpredictable.”

Pierre Koffmann, who turned out for Toulon during his military days in the 1960s before becoming a mentor to the likes of Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsay, has launched a competition to find the UK’s best rugby kitchen.

Koffmann, whose nephew James Martin plays for Northampton Saints, says that “The rugby kitchen is the heartbeat of the rugby club. The people who run them are always very passionate about their club.”

To enter, clubs need to submit an image or video of their rugby kitchen together with a brief explanation as to why they think their kitchen should win. Entries close 31.12.25. Enter your rugby kitchen now via therugbyjournal.com/rugbykitchenoftheyear.