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Toulon face battle to keep Guirado as rival plans massive offer - reports

By James Harrington
Guirado walks off the pitch (Getty Images)

Billionaire-bankrolled Top 14 giants Montpellier are working to prise France captain Guilhem Guirado from Toulon after next year’s Rugby World Cup, reports in France say.

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Guirado, who missed the June tour of New Zealand after being rested by national coach Jacques Brunel in the summer, is in the final year of his current contract with the three-time European champions, after joining the club from Perpignan when they were relegated in 2014.

It is expected that next year’s tournament in Japan will be the 32-year-old hooker’s international swansong – and Montpellier’s owner Mohed Altrad appears to be hoping that it will also prompt him to switch clubs for a second time.

The rumours on Guirado’s future at Toulon started swirling after early contract talks with officials at the club reached no definitive conclusion, according to twice-weekly rugby newspaper Midi Olympique.

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The paper claims that Montpellier are determined to tempt the 60-cap French international to the GGL Stadium, even though South Africa’s 74-cap international Bismarck du Plessis has a contract with the club through to June 2020.

Guirado, who hails from Céret, in the southwestern department of Pyrénées-Orientales, which neighbours the Hérault, of which Montpellier is the capital, is expected to receive an offer ‘commensurate with his international status’, Midi Olympique said.

His arrival ‘would send a strong signal on the market, both in sporting and symbolic terms’ the paper said, suggesting it could indicate a – partly rule-oriented – shift away from the club’s apparent reliance on South African players.

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Under increasingly strict player quota regulations, an average of 15 players in a Top 14 club’s matchday squad of 23 must be qualified to play for France. While Montpellier has consistently hit the required mark, the number of imported players – notably those from South Africa – has regularly been commented on in France.

As the rules get tighter, and the punishments for failing to maintain the required average more severe, the premium on France qualified players is set to go through the roof. And one of Guirado’s standing will be one of the highest-valued players on the market.

It may well be time for him to cash in.

Altrad has form when it comes to splashing the cash in his continuing search for silverware.

In 2017, he paid English Premiership side Northampton €1million to bring Louis Picamoles back to France. Earlier in 2018, he stumped up a reported €1.4million to get Johan Goosen off the books at Racing 92 and end his two-year ‘retirement’ from rugby. And he has made young flanker Yacuba Camara one of the highest paid homegrown players in France.

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Meanwhile, English papers have reported that a number of Top 14 clubs may be chasing the signature of a certain Maro Itoje.

So, Midi Olympique asked Montpellier’s Mohed Altrad the obvious question. And he gave the obvious non-response: “It depends on the opinion of our coach Vern Cotter, but we would be interested because he is a very high level player.”

Read into that what you will.

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john 51 minutes ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

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A
Adrian 2 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

14 Go to comments
T
Trevor 5 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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B
Bull Shark 9 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

29 Go to comments
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