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Fissler Confidential: Racing 92 pressing ex-Bok for answer
By Neil Fissler
Racing 92 are pressing Rob Du Preez for an answer after making him a huge offer to leave Sale Sharks and join his brother Jean-Luc playing in the Top 14 next season.
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RugbyPass revealed in June that Racing 92 had launched a shock move for Du Preez, 31, following the departures of Owen Farrell to Saracens, Dan Lancaster to Glasgow Warriors and Tristan Tedder to Perpignan.
Racing have only one recognised fly-half, Antoine Gibert, and have been waiting for Du Preez, while Sharks sources believe it’s in the balance whether he will take the money and move to the French capital.
Rugby’s Peter Pan, Ma’a Nonu is set to continue playing until after his 44th birthday after agreeing to a one-year deal with Toulon, after Toulon failed to lure Italy international Tommaso Menoncello away from Benetton.
The URC outfit insisted that Menoncello, also a target for La Rochelle, see out the remaining 12 months of his contract, so Toulon will keep Nonu, whose four appearances last season took his tally to 97.
The former All Blacks inside centre returned to the club this year after spending three seasons playing for MLR outfit San Diego, and started his first spell at the Stade Mayol after scoring a try in the 2015 World Cup Final win over Australia.
Georgia’s scrum-half Mikheil Alania signed a two-year deal with Vannes after a whole host of other Pro D2 clubs were scared off from making him an offer after making himself available for more international appearances.
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Alania, 24, who played 25 games for Aurillac last season, was on the bench for Georgia in yesterday’s defeat at the hands of Ireland. He had been in talks with Stade Montois, who had only offered a €4,000-per-month, one-year deal.
However, he joined Vannes, who will be bidding next season for a quick return to the Top 14, and had a return to Georgia to play for Black Lion as a contingency plan.
Northampton Saints boss Phil Dowson has bolstered his options outside after signing Coventry winger James Martin, who had scored 44 tries in 82 appearances for the Championship outfit.
Martin, 25, caught the eye of Saints bosses after scoring a try against the Black, Green and Gold in a 50–23 defeat for Coventry, having earlier come off the bench in the reverse fixture at Butts Park Arena.
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He becomes Saints’ sixth signing ahead of next season and will help provide cover when England stars Tommy Freeman and Ollie Sleightholme, who are first-choice wingers, are away on international duty.
Former Springbok back rower Uzair Cassiem, who was due to join Nice next season, is reportedly trying to back out of the deal, according to Olympique Midi, and had wanted to remain on the Basque Coast.
Cassiem, who moved to Bayonne in 2021, helped them win promotion to the Top 14 after leaving the Scarlets, has been demanding a two-year deal from Biarritz and Oyonnax, while Nice are asking for a €200,000 payment to release him.
To further complicate matters, Nice announced his signing on their social media networks, even though the move is on the brink of collapse if one of the interested clubs meets their asking price.
Rugby Australia have lined up former All Black Tom Donnelly to replace line-out coach Geoff Parling when he moves to Leicester Tigers following the Lions series.
Donnelly, a former lock who won 15 Test caps, is working for the Western Force but will join the Wallabies coaching staff in time for the Rugby Championship, which started against South Africa at Ellis Park on August 16.
It looks like that won’t be the only change, with the Sydney Daily Telegraph reporting that scrum coach Mike Cron is tipped to step down and Zane Hilton, who works with Les Kiss at the Queensland Reds, is set to replace him.
Paul Deacon, who left Sale Sharks in June, could return to Rugby League in a cross-code switch as the new head coach of Super League outfit Catalans Dragons.
Deacon spent a decade working for the Sharks, with the final five years as head coach, following a glittering league career that saw him win four Super League Grand Finals, two Challenge Cups, and one World Club Challenge.
“It’s been a rollercoaster ride over the last 10 years, but I’ve loved every minute. I came to the club not knowing too much about the game, but I wanted to test myself,” he said after leaving the Sharks.
Leinster transfer target Josh Neill is among the cream of South African schoolboy talent that will be on show at the prestigious U18 Craven Week, which gets underway this week.
Rondebosch Boys High School and Springbok under-18 back row, Neill, who has an Irish passport, is also on Munster’s radar, but the United Rugby Championship side are in pole position if he leaves South Africa.
He could be in action for Western Province, who start their campaign against Sanlam Boland on Tuesday and want to keep him out of the clutches of Leinster when he leaves school.
Romanian lock Adrian Motoc could find himself out of favour at Biarritz next season, which could open the door for a late move to Nice, who have been busy building a squad to make an immediate return to Pro D2.
Biarritz are planning a complete overhaul of their front five this summer, which is set to make Motoc, who is keen to stay and fight for his place, surplus to requirements.
Nice are keeping a close eye on developments and are keen on a deal for Motoc, 29, who started his career with Racing 92 ten years ago and made 13 appearances last season.
Former Italy under-20 lock Alessandro Ortombina is returning home to play for Zebre after spending two seasons in France with Perpignan.
Ortombina, 22, who can also play anywhere across the back row, made six appearances for Perpignan last season, including four starts in their Challenge Cup campaign.
He will now look to press his claims for a full cap by joining Zebre, having started his career with Valorugby Emilia before moving to the Catalan club in 2023.