Fissler Confidential: Joey Carbery move, England rookie PREM swap?

Former Ireland fly-half Joey Carbery could be on the move when his contract runs out next summer, with his name already circulating around clubs in an attempt to drum up some interest.

Carbery, who was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and moved to Athy, County Kildare, when he was 11, had spells with Leinster and Munster before joining Bordeaux at the start of last season.

The playmaker, who has won 38 Ireland caps, will be 30 in November and is playing second fiddle to Matthieu Jalibert, only got five minutes off the bench in the Top 14 opening weekend win over La Rochelle and is weighing up his future.

Sale Sharks are looking at England new boy Max Ojomoh, despite him being under contract to Premiership champions Bath until the summer of 2027.

The 25-year-old inside centre, who also plays at outside centre, fly-half and winger, made his England debut against the USA in the summer and was a key player for Bath last season.

He scored tries in the Challenge Cup Final victory over Lyon and then the Premiership semi-final against Bristol Bears, and the final success over Leicester Tigers, which has won him fans with whispers that the Sharks are thought to be among them.

Wallaby hooker Folau Fainga’a, who has been granted an early release from his contract by Clermont Auvergne, is set to return home to join the NSW Waratahs.

Fainga’a, 30, who has won 28 Wallaby caps, had another year remaining on his contract with the Top 14 club, but is now expected to join the Waratahs for the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season.

This is a positive development for the Waratahs, who will be without Angus Bell, taking a sabbatical to play for Ulster next year, and Taniela Tupou, who is moving to France to play for Racing 92.

Bath legend Mike Catt is a surprising name linked with a potential return to the Rec to replace Lee Blackett, who is close to joining Steve Borthwick’s England coaching staff on a permanent basis.

The Premiership champions are already conducting a worldwide search for Blackett’s replacement, and one of the early contenders is Catt, who spent 12 seasons playing for the West Country giants.

Catt, who turns 54 next week, is currently attack coach at the NSW Waratahs, following spells with London Irish, England, Italy and Ireland, and moved Down Under after their summer tour to South Africa.

Steve Diamond has added 12 players to his Newcastle Red Bulls squad this summer and still has money to spend on players if the right ones become available over the course of the season.

RugbyPass understands that he wants two more players to complete his squad and is in the market for a winger and back-three player, and has been paying attention to the New Zealand and South African markets.

“The funds are at our disposal if we need them. Recruiting in July is always a drama because there are not too many people available, but we are in a fortunate position if players become available during the season,” he said.

Exeter Chiefs boss Rob Baxter believes that former Bristol Bears inside centre Harry Ascherl is reaping the rewards of taking a chance and moving to Sandy Park on trial this summer.

Ascherl, 24, made ten appearances for the Bears and also spent time with Hartpury before moving to Australia to play for Sydney University in the Shute Shield, but now has the chance to win a contract with the Chiefs.

“We knew he was coming back to this country, and he was looking for an opportunity. We have offered him the opportunity to come on trial. Hopefully, this can develop into something longer-term for him,” said Baxter.

French clubs will be tuning into the Springboks’ clash with the All Blacks this weekend and will be paying close attention to the performance of Bath tighthead Thomas du Toit.

Du Toit is in the final year of his contract with the Premiership champions and has already turned down an approach from Bordeaux to join them next summer.

However, RugbyPass sources in France have indicated that more Top 14 clubs are interested in signing him, and a powerful performance against the All Blacks will do no harm to his chances of landing a move.

Montpellier fly-half Hugo Reus will be leaving the club when his contract runs out at the end of the season and will sign a two-year contract with Top 14 rivals Bordeaux.

Former French under-20 international Reus, 22, started his career with La Rochelle before joining Montpellier earlier this year, making eight appearances and scoring a try.

He is signing for Bordeaux until 2028 and is the first sign of the French market kicking into life for the 2026-2027 season, when clubs traditionally look to finalise their business early.

Worcester Warriors are still looking to build their squad ahead of their return to the Championship and have raided Premiership clubs for two more players.

Former Wales under-20 lock Tom Golder has left Harlequins, for whom he made three Premiership Cup appearances a couple of years ago, to join the Sixways outfit.

Fijian winger and former Hull Super League star Ratu Siva Naulago has left the Bristol Bears, where he scored 20 tries in 43 appearances, to make the short move to Worcester.