Fissler Confidential: Huge flex for one PREM club as rumours hit another

Northampton Saints are set to announce that England stars Fin Smith and George Furbank, who are in the final year of their contracts, will be the first of their high-profile players to sign new long-term deals to stay at Franklin’s Gardens.

Smith, who was signed from Worcester Warriors and has been a Lions tourist, was a potential target for Newcastle Red Bulls. Meanwhile, centre Fraser Dingwall is in advanced negotiations for a new contract, with no issues expected. Saints will also seek to agree terms with other England internationals: winger Tommy Freeman, scrum-half Alex Mitchell, and lock Alex Coles, all of whom are out of contract at season’s end.

Bristol Bears are battling to keep hold of highly rated young full-back Benjamin Elizalde, who is attracting serious interest from Top 14 clubs wanting to sign him when his contract runs out at the end of the season.

Elizalde, 21, who played for Tigre Rugby Club and then Deportiva Francesa, joined the Bears in July 2024 after starring in the 2024 Junior World Cup and made 18 appearances and scored three tries last season.

The former Argentina under-20 international has won four full caps and is attracting interest from Castres and Clermont Auvergne, who are both keen to lure him away from Ashton Gate next summer.

Provence Rugby are battling to keep hold of scrum-half Arthur Coville when his contract runs out at the end of the season, according to Midi Olympique.

Coville, 27, is wanted by his hometown club Vannes, where he started his career, and they have put a tempting offer on the table which he is now studying closely.

Coville had a loan spell at the Stade de la Rabine when he was on the books of Stade Français and joined Provence in 2023 after leaving the Paris-based outfit, but it could be that an offer from Vannes is too tempting to turn down.

Northampton Saints could lose a member of Phil Dowson’s backroom team, with Lee Radford on the Scottish Rugby Union’s shortlist to become their new defence coach.

The former Super League star, who was head coach of Castleford Tigers before working with Samoa, joined the Saints in 2023 and is now in the final year of his contract with the club.

Gregor Townsend has been looking for a new defence coach since Steve Tandy left to become the new Wales head coach, and one of the names understood to be on the shortlist is Pete Murchie, now with the Kobelco Kobe Steelers.

Newcastle Red Bulls boss Steve Diamond admits that the chequebook is finally closed and that he doesn’t expect any more new arrivals at Kingston Park, at least for the time being.

Diamond has been busy assembling a new squad since the club were taken over by the energy drinks giants, but says that Pumas full-back Stefan Coetzee and veteran Wales star Liam Williams will be the last two through the door.

“I don’t think there will be any more signings. We are wrapped up. I think we have got a good enough squad to be coached by the people here,” Diamond told RugbyPass earlier this week.

Former Springboks and Leicester Tigers boss Heyneke Meyer is in advanced talks about securing an emotional return to the South Western District Eagles, where he started his coaching career almost 30 years ago.

Meyer, 57, is the director of rugby at Houston SaberCats in the United States, but is in advanced discussions about returning to Outeniqua Park in George.

He first arrived at the Eagles in 1997 as an assistant coach before becoming head coach from 1998 to 2000, when he transformed their fortunes, and the hope is he can sprinkle some stardust on them once again.

Cardiff Rugby has confirmed that club stalwart Leigh Halfpenny has signed a short-term contract and will initially serve as kicking coach at the Arms Park, but he has no plans to retire yet.

Halfpenny, who turns 37 in December, spent last season with Harlequins but has spent the past month with Cardiff recovering from a calf injury and wants to continue playing before fully moving into coaching.

“Being a kicking coach is where I see my future, but I’m still hugely motivated to play and believe I have a lot to offer on the pitch,” said the former Wales and Lions star.

The whispers coming out of the Exeter Chiefs camp are that the upheaval in the Sandy Park coaches’ offices hasn’t quite finished yet and that skills coach Ricky Pellow could be the next member of the staff to leave.

Long-serving Cornishman Pellow joined the Chiefs coaching staff in 2009 and is the last remaining assistant coach at the Devon club from when they won the Premiership and Challenge Cup double.

Pellow, who played for Worcester Warriors, Manchester, Cornish Pirates, Mounts Bay and Bath, was working at Truro College when he was introduced to the Chiefs’ new head coach, Rob Baxter, and has been at the club ever since.

Mark Nawaqanitawase remains in the running to become a dual-code international for two decades, according to Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters, despite him planning to turn his back on the NRL in 2026.

The Sydney Roosters star, who was this year’s top try scorer in the NRL, is prepared to leave league when his contract expires at the end of next season, but Walters is willing to include him in the tour of the UK.

“It doesn’t change what happens at the end of this year, certainly not. He’s still in contention,” he told the Coaches Triple M podcast.