Freddie Burns' message to prompt transfer scramble?

Out-of-contract Freddie Burns has confirmed that this season will be his last at the newly-crowned Japanese Second Division champions, Toyota Shokki Shuttles.

Burns has had a brilliant season with the Tokyo-based club, finishing as the league’s top points and try scorer. The former Gloucester, Bath, Leicester and Highlanders playmaker was named man of the match in last weekend’s 61-24 win at Hino Red Dolphins, scoring 26 points through two tries and eight conversions.

The win secured the Shokki top spot with a round to spare and they will now play Israel Folau’s club Urayasu D-Rocks, who are rooted to the bottom of League One, in a promotion/relegation play-off.

However, even if they do go up, Burns won’t be there to guide them around the pitch, as his three-season stay in Japan is about to come to an end.

 

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“I have decided I’ll be moving on from Shokki. I’ve loved my time playing alongside my teammates and making memories that’ll last a lifetime. I am focused on the team’s ultimate goal of achieving promotion,” he wrote on his Instagram account.

Despite being 35, the Bathonian is still clearly able to do a job, and despite the squeeze on squad sizes in England, there is bound to be interest now that he’s available again.

Burns is still idolised at Leicester for his match-winning drop goal in the 2022 Premiership Final, and the Tigers need to bolster their options at 10, even if it is a stop-gap solution, while Worcester Warriors is an obvious option as they are busy building a squad capable of competing in the new-look Championship next season and are close to his West Country roots.

Alternatively, given the success of his Japan venture, the five-times capped former England international might fancy another overseas move and chase one last big pay day in France.