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Fissler Confidential: The possible sting in the tail for Felix Jones amid shock exit
By Neil Fissler
Racing 92 are the latest club to be linked with a move for Gloucester and England back row Zach Mercer, who is out of contract at the end of the forthcoming season.
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French website Rugby Prime has reported that Mercer is a target for Stuart Lancaster, while rumours reached Fissler Towers this week suggesting that he could be set for an immediate move to France, but they are unsubstantiated.
Toulon are known to be long-time admirers of Mercer, who won the Top 14 title and was named the league’s player of the year in two seasons with Montpellier, but Racing is supposed to want him as a replacement for Siya Kolisi.
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Ireland and South Africa could have to wait a year to land England defence guru Felix Jones as the RFU are prepared to make him work out his year’s notice following his shock resignation earlier this weekend.
Jones became the latest of Steve Borthwick’s team to quit following on from highly rated strength and conditioning guru Aled Waters leaving to take a job with Ireland under Andy Farrell.
The whispers coming out of Twickenham are that the RFU, who are reeling from Jones’ decision to quit after only seven months, are going to play hardball and hold him to his full notice period, which would thwart any bids to sign him up.
Former Scotland international outside centre Nick Grigg is currently on fire for Hawkes Bay, which could help him secure a gig for when his contract ends at the conclusion of the NPC.
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Wellington-born Grigg, 31, was the Players Player of the Year for Miami in the MLR. He made 96 appearances for Glasgow and won the last of his nine Scotland caps against England in March 2019.
The former Scotland sevens ace can also operate at inside centre and even played a game as a blindside flanker. He has picked up a couple of Man of the Match awards recently, which will help his chances of finding another gig.
Stormers English qualified lock Gary Porter has been linked with a move to the Premiership after spending the last two seasons playing in the United Rugby Championship.
Porter, who hails from the Garden Province KwaZulu-Natal, made six appearances for Ealing Trailfinders before returning to South Africa, where he has played 13 games for the Stormers in the last two seasons.
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Exeter Chiefs, who last week landed his Stormers team-mate loosehead Kwenzo Blose, are in the market for a lock to cover for the loss of Dafydd Jenkins, according to boss Rob Baxter.
Rugby Australia could only have one obstacle to clear to land Zach Fiddler, the son of NRL legend Brad after the Roosters said they were not going to enter into a bidding war for his services.
Fiddler, 18, a centre in both codes [in union for Scot’s College and league for the Roosters, where his dad spent nine years] favours a career in the superior 15-a-side code.
He has been approached by the NSW Waratahs and a Japanese club offering him the chance to start his career away from the spotlight of being the son of one of the finest players to have stepped out onto a rugby league pitch Down Under.
The jinx of the child’s visa has struck Semi Radradra for the second time in less than a year, preventing him from reporting back to Lyon to join their pre-season training camp at La Plagne.
Dual code international and Olympic gold medalist Radradra, 32, experienced the same delay after his World Cup holidays and didn’t play the first of his ten games for Lyon until facing former club Bristol Bears in December.
Radradra, who is under contract for the next two years, has been on holiday and made an appearance for Fiji against the All Blacks. After the red tape was cleared, he is set to arrive in France later this week.
Ealing Trailfinders have got another Premiership player on their radar as they prepare for a fresh tilt at winning the Championship and could swoop before the start of the season.
Ealing are keen on making a move for Harlequins second-row Matas Jurevicius, 24, who has made 23 appearances and scored four tries in his four seasons at the Twickenham Stoop.
Jurevicius, who was born in Lithuania but has won England Counties under-18 international caps, came through the ranks at London Scottish before being snapped by Quins can also play as a blindside flanker as well as lock.
The word from inside the Sharks dressing room is that Springbok outside centre Lukhanyo Am will be leaving Durban when his contract runs out at the end of the season.
Fissler Confidential reported last week that the Sharks were preparing for life without Am, and we have now been told that it’s an open secret among his team-mates that a switch to France is definitely on the cards.
Am has made 98 appearances for the Sharks and spent time in Japan with Kobelco Steelers, attracting interest from two or three Top 14 clubs who are already looking at their recruitment for 2025.
A familiar voice will be missing from Sandy Park this season after Exeter Chiefs decided to part company with long-serving match-day MC James Chubb, who is considered one of the best in the business.
Chubb posted on LinkedIn that last season was his 12th and last season as the voice of Sandy Park after the club decided to take their match days in a different direction.
But what’s not good enough for the Chiefs will, however, still be good enough for the RFU, and Chubb will return to duty at Twickenham as MC for England’s autumn international programme.
Felix should definitely go back to South Africa, going to English chaotic culture of mediocrity was a mistake
Last thing English rugby needs. If Felix wants to leave, better sooner than later.
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Oh goody. So RFU in their wisdom are going to force Felix to work out his notice.
I wonder what a disengaged, hostile defence coach does for a team over 12 months.
Very bright idea.
Looks like England looking hot to contest the wooden spoon next 6N.
To be clear- do you think england will finish 6th in the 6n next year?
I can understand RFU wanting Jones to participate in a transition with a new defense coach. I assume that's what would be required here.
If the RFU are playing 'hardball' to punish Jones for leaving then it would be a very grave error. Who want want to work for them?
I assume it will be an amicable departure with Jones cooperating in a smooth transition.
With 3 coaches gone in just over a month maybe a wee word with Borthwich is in order?