Fissler Confidential: Stormers star's exit, PREM giants nail down Lion

Northampton Saints are set for a pre-Gallagher PREM Final boost with the news that they are on the verge of holding off a bid from Top 14 giants Toulouse to hang on to England star Tommy Freeman, who has another year left to run on his contract.

Toulouse were preparing a very large offer for Freeman, who has scored 22 tries in 25 games for club and country this season, but it would have come at the cost of him having to end his international career.

Fissler Confidential understands that Freeman, who has played on the wing and at outside centre this season, will sign a one-year extension to his current deal and will stay at Franklin’s Gardens until the summer of 2028.

Stormers inside centre Dan du Plessis is leaving Cape Town this summer to play in the Top 14 and has signed a deal with back-to-back Champions Cup winners Bordeaux-Bègles on Friday.

Du Plessis, 31, who also plays at outside centre, has made almost a century of appearances for the Stormers and comes from South African rugby royalty as the son of former Bok centre Michael, nephew of the ‘Prince of Wings’ Carel, and Bok centre Willie.

Bordeaux have been very active in signing South Africans in the last few weeks, after signing lock Robbie Combrinck to their academy from Niort RC, Wales-qualified fly-half Owen Erasmus from Western Province, and Oakdale Landbou lock Diaan Augustyn.

Western Force are closing in on a deal to sign Leicester Tigers outside centre Izaia Perese, whose career at Welford Road came to an end last weekend with the Gallagher PREM semi-final defeat at the hands of Northampton Saints.

The 29-year-old, who scored five tries in 16 appearances for Geoff Parling’s side this season, is also in line for a recall to the Wallabies set-up for the first time in three years.

Perese won six caps in his time with the NSW Waratahs and is in advanced talks with the Western Force, who have lost utility back Bayley Kuenzle to United Rugby Championship semi-finalists Glasgow Warriors when his contract ends later this year.

France head coach Fabien Galthie has broken his silence on the shock axing of defence coach Shaun Edwards despite helping guide them to a third Six Nations title earlier this year.

The French media have claimed that Galthie was concerned by the number of tries his side had conceded, so decided to bring in Gerald Bastide, who worked with the French women’s team, to replace him.

“I made the decision to modify the organisation that has been in place for six or seven years now. (Edwards) brought us his knowledge of the highest level, he brought us his expertise, he brought us his motivation, he brought us his loyalty and his commitment,” he said this week.

Bristol Bears boss Pat Lam has this week launched a search for an English-qualified lock to bolster his squad ahead of next season, with James Dun heading to Harlequins and Steele Barker moving to Cornish Pirates.

Lam recently told Fissler Confidential, “You look at our second rows, and you know, we probably still have a space for one more person there, potentially.”

The Bears haven’t done much business in the transfer market this season, with only Sol Moody, Tobi Wilson, Ethan Staddon and Louie Sinclair so far due to arrive at Ashton Gate next season.

The Scarlets announced this week that former Western Province back row Jerrod Taylor is leaving Parc y Scarlets when his contract ends later this month, and we understand that he is joining Ealing Trailfinders.

Former South African under-18 international Taylor, 25, who was born in East London in the Eastern Cape and can play anywhere across the back row, has made 43 appearances in his three seasons with the Scarlets, scoring five tries.

Fissler Confidential sources in South-West Wales have told us that Taylor is heading to West London to play next season after signing a two-year contract with the Champ Rugby semi-finalists.

Exeter Chiefs back rower Christ Tshiunza is set to plead with Wales bosses not to end his international career when he moves to Sale Sharks on a one-year contract at the start of next month.

The 24-year-old, who has been in superb form for the Chiefs in the last few weeks, has been capped 15 times by Wales and falls 10 short of the 25-cap rule to remain eligible for international selection.

Tshiunza turned down Cardiff and the Ospreys earlier this year, and will argue that Jarrod Evans, who is leaving Harlequins to return to Wales this summer, and Saracens’ Rhys Carre have been allowed to continue their international careers despite not having 25 caps.

Canadian back row star Tyler Ardron has agreed to join Provence Rugby when his contract with Castres runs out later this month, according to Midi Olympique.

The 34-year-old, who has scored four tries in 21 appearances for the Top 14 outfit this season, can play anywhere across the back row, and lock, has won 16 caps for his country.

And the French publication has said that he has shaken hands on a “short-term contract” with Provence, and he will be joined by Fijian Drua blindside flanker Etonia Waqa, who has signed a two-year contract.

PREM Rugby have turned to boxing ring announcer David Diamante to welcome Exeter Chiefs and Northampton Saints onto the pitch ahead of tomorrow’s final at Twickenham.

Diamante, who works big fights for Matchroom Sport on DAZN, will ensure the finalists receive an entrance worthy of the occasion, according to PREM Rugby.

Meanwhile, Saints have already won the media battle. A member of Exeter’s media team forgot to plug in their laptop, which ran out of charge midway through a Zoom call with players, having already missed 10 minutes of Rob Baxter’s media conference because of IT issues.