MunsterMan
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- Jun 15, 2007
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Top 14 transfer wrap
Gentlemen, close your cheque books! The Top 14 transfer window officially closed at midnight on Tuesday with late flurry of signatures.
Top flight newcomers La Rochelle and Agen have been given an extra month to recruit reinforcements as they try to avoid the drop back to the ProD2.
As the dust settles on the French transfer market, most clubs have been less active than usual due to the difficult financial climate and the pending salary cap - the exception, once again, being Racing-Métro and Toulon, who have continued to grab the headlines.
Those two biggest spenders have nabbed the biggest names in this closed season with Racing acquiring Pumas fly-half Juan-Martin Hernandez from the Sharks and Toulon bagging Wallaby veteran George Smith.
Other big names on the move including former All Blacks number eight Sione Lauaki, who heads to Clermont, Stade Français prop Sylvain Marconnet, who joins Biarritz, Benjamin Kayser going to Castres and France wing Benjamin Fall leaving Bayonne for Racing.
Toulon, who will hope to compete for silverware in both France and Europe, have bolstered their squad accordingly with England star Paul Sackey, former All Blacks heavyweight Carl Hayman and Blues wing Rudi Wulf heading to the Mediterranean coast.
Not everyone has been shopping however. Brive for example have had their budget slashed and say good-bye to England trio Riki Flutey, Steve Thompson and Andy Goode.
Montauban have made such a hash of their finances that they've been kicked out of professional rugby all together, meaning that their squad is now being scattered across the country, Bayonne being the principal buyers (which is ironic considering the Basques should have been relegated instead of Montauban from a pure sporting point of view).
News from the last day of transfers includes Racing signing Montauban hooker Grégory Arganese. Former France U21 prop Mehdi Merabet however leaves Paris to return to his hometown - you guessed it - Toulon.
Stade Français have signed 23-year-old Tucuman lock and former Argentina U20 captain Santiago Guzman, who is in the Pumas squad fro Saturday's second Test against Scotland.
Bourgoin have signed Queensland Reds wing Brando Va'aulu, Griquas prop Ruan du Preez and young hooker Jordan Merle, who returns from second division club Oyonnax.
Meanwhile, Toulouse have extended the contract of forwards coach Yannick Bru by three years. The Heineken Cup champions' biggest signing is Pumas scrum-half Nicolas Vergallo, who will replace the retired Jean-Baptiste Elissalde and back up the aging Byron Kelleher.
Amongst the departures are former League stars Marc Gasnier, who leaves Stade Français, and Sonny Bill Williams, who has turned his back on a fortune at Toulon. Neither has announced a final destination.
Top 14 Transfers:
Agen:
In: Mosese Moala (Biarritz), Valentin Courrent (Biarritz), Kevin Swiryn (USA, VII), Osea Kolinisau (FID, VII), Brice Mach (Montauban), Beka Cheklashvili (Montauban), Manu Ahotaeiloa (Toulouse), Karim Kouider (Pau), Maxime Machenaud (Bordeaux-Bègles), Florent Cazeaux (Mont-de-Marsan), Miguel Avramovic (Pampas XV)
Out:: Yoann Huget (Bayonne), Romain Sola (Albi), Maxime Carabignac (Albi), Guitoune (Albi), Peikrichvili (Castres), Synaegel (Dax)
Bayonne:
In: Julien Audy (Montauban), Abdelatif Boutaty (Montauban), Joe Pietersen (Stormers), Cameron Treolar (Prato), Yoann Huget (Agen), Benjamin Boyet (Bourgoin), Troy Flavell (Mitsubishi Dynaboars), Clément Baïocco (Racing-Métro 92), Yohan Huguet (Agen), Garth Ziegler (Venise), Lea'aetoa (Toulon), Thomas Lièvremont (coach, Dax)
Out:: Benjamin Fall (Racing-Métro 92), Many Edmonds (retired), Vincent Inigo (Castres), Pierre Bernard (Castres), Benat Arrayet (Mont-de-Marsan), Salvatore Pérugini (Viadana), Deen (Dax), Rodney Blake (Melbourne Rebels), Tewhata (Dax), Filimoni Bolavocu (Dax)
Biarritz:
In: Sylvain Marconnet (Stade Français), Erik Lund (Leeds)
Out:: Mosese Moala (Agen), Valentin Courrent (Agen), Karmichael Hunt (Australia), Nicoas Brusque (retired), Hugues (Dax)
Bourgoin:
In: Mickaël Campeggia (Oyonnax), Silvère Tian (Oyonnax), Alex Tulou (Hurricanes), Jordan Merle (Oyonnax), Nemani Nadalo (Waratahs), Ruan Du Preez (Griquas, South Africa), Toderasc (Brive), Brando Va'ahulu (Queensland Reds)
Out:: Benjamin Boyet (Bayonne), Pablo Cardinali (Brive), Albert VuliVuli (Racing-Métro 92), Arnauld Tchougong (Perpignan), Karena Wihongi (Toulon), Jean- Philippe Genevois (Toulon), Sylvain Nicolas (Toulouse)
Brive:
In: Pablo Cardinali (Bourgoin), Régis Lespinas (Montauban), Mathieu Bélie (Montauban), Julien Ledévédec (Toulouse), Julien Caminati (Nice), Benoit Cabello (Clermont, lone).
Out:: Steve Thomson (Leeds), Riki Flutey (Wasps), Horacio Agulla (Leicester), Scott Zimmermann (Racing-Métro 92), Arnaud Pic (Oyonnax), Short (Lyon), Jaulhac (Bordeaux-Bègles)
Castres:
In: Seremiai Baï (Clermont), Benjamin Kayser (Stade Français), Jamel Fakir (Dragons, XIII), Jannie Bornman (Dax), Martial (Narbonne)
Out:: Bourret (Dax), Phil Christophers
Clermont:
In: Sione Lauaki (Chiefs), Ti'i Paulo (Crusaders)
Out:: Seremaï Baï (Castres), Christophe Samson (Toulon), Benoît Cabello (Lone, Brive)
La Rochelle:
In: Seru Rabeni (Leeds), Sefulu Gaugau (Racing-Métro 92), Manoël Dall'Igna (Montpellier), Quentin D'Aram de Valada (Toulouse)
Montpellier:
In: Eric Béchu (Albi, coach), Fabien Galthié (coach), Santiago Fernandez (Hindu Club), Giorgi Jgenti (Oyonnax), Raphaël Lagarde (Bordeaux-Bègles), Aliki Fakate (Lyon), Timoci Nagusa (Ulster), Sébastien Chobet (Perpignan),
Out:: Olivier Sarraméa (Retired), Frederico Todeschini (Retired), Manoël Dall'Igna (La Rochelle), Thierry Brana (Toulon), Alister Campbell (Melbourne Rebels), Eugene Van Staden
Perpignan:
In: Arnauld Tchougong (Bourgoin), Kevin Boulogne (Albi)
Out:: Sébastien Chobet (Montpellier), Nicolas Durand (Racing-Métro 92), Christophe Manas (retired)
Racing-Métro 92:
In: Juan Martin Hernandez (Sharks), Nicolas Durand (Perpignan), Benjamin Fall (Bayonne), Julien Brugnaut (Munster), Benjamin Sa (Montauban), Scott Zimmermann (Brive), Karim Ghezal (Montauban), Antoine Battut (Montauban), Albert VuliVuli (Bourgoin), Mirco Bergamasco (Stade Français),Grégory Arganese (Montauban)
Out:: Nic Berry (Wasps), Clément Baïocco (Bayonne), Sefuli Gaugau (La Rochelle), Fabien Fortassin (Tarbes), Olivier Diomandé, Andrew Mehrtens, Mehdi Merabet (Toulon),
Stade Français:
In: Michael Cheika (Leinster, coach), Martin Rodriguez Gurruchaga (Atlético del Rosario), Gonzalo Tiesi (Harlequins), Goderdzi Chvelidze (Montauban), James Hamilton (Edimbourg), Santiago Guzman (Tucuman)
Out:: Geoffroy Messina (Toulon), Benjamin Kayser (Castres), Marc Gasnier (Australie), Mirco Bergamasco (Racing-Métro 92), Sylvain Marconnet (Biarritz), Jacques Delmas (coach), Mathieu Blin (retired), Pierre Vigouroux (Lyon), Marc Gasnier (Australia)
Toulon:
In: Christophe Samson (Clermont), Carl Hayman (Newcastle), Benjamin Lapeyre (Albi), Dean Schofield (Sale), Rudi Wulf (Blues), Thierry Brana (Montpellier), George Smith (Brumbies) , J-P.Genevois (Bourgoin), Tonga Lea'aetoa (Bayonne), Mehdi Merabet (Racing-Métro 92)
Out:: Sonny Bill Williams (New Zealand), Ross Skeate (Sharks), Luke Rooney (Melbourne), Tana Umaga (Counties Manukau), Philippe Fitzgerald (retired), Esteban Lozada (Edimbourg), Tim Ryan (Newcastle)
Toulouse:
In: Nicolas Vergallo (Dax), Vilimoni Delasau (Montauban), Pierre-Gilles Lakafia (Albi), Sylvain Nicolas (Bourgoin)
Out:: Manu Ahotaeiloa (Agen), Julien Ledévédec (Brive), Quentin D'Aram de Valada (La Rochelle), Mathieu Bélie (Brive), Jean-Baptiste Elissalde (retired)
http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16016_6209105,00.html
Gentlemen, close your cheque books! The Top 14 transfer window officially closed at midnight on Tuesday with late flurry of signatures.
Top flight newcomers La Rochelle and Agen have been given an extra month to recruit reinforcements as they try to avoid the drop back to the ProD2.
As the dust settles on the French transfer market, most clubs have been less active than usual due to the difficult financial climate and the pending salary cap - the exception, once again, being Racing-Métro and Toulon, who have continued to grab the headlines.
Those two biggest spenders have nabbed the biggest names in this closed season with Racing acquiring Pumas fly-half Juan-Martin Hernandez from the Sharks and Toulon bagging Wallaby veteran George Smith.
Other big names on the move including former All Blacks number eight Sione Lauaki, who heads to Clermont, Stade Français prop Sylvain Marconnet, who joins Biarritz, Benjamin Kayser going to Castres and France wing Benjamin Fall leaving Bayonne for Racing.
Toulon, who will hope to compete for silverware in both France and Europe, have bolstered their squad accordingly with England star Paul Sackey, former All Blacks heavyweight Carl Hayman and Blues wing Rudi Wulf heading to the Mediterranean coast.
Not everyone has been shopping however. Brive for example have had their budget slashed and say good-bye to England trio Riki Flutey, Steve Thompson and Andy Goode.
Montauban have made such a hash of their finances that they've been kicked out of professional rugby all together, meaning that their squad is now being scattered across the country, Bayonne being the principal buyers (which is ironic considering the Basques should have been relegated instead of Montauban from a pure sporting point of view).
News from the last day of transfers includes Racing signing Montauban hooker Grégory Arganese. Former France U21 prop Mehdi Merabet however leaves Paris to return to his hometown - you guessed it - Toulon.
Stade Français have signed 23-year-old Tucuman lock and former Argentina U20 captain Santiago Guzman, who is in the Pumas squad fro Saturday's second Test against Scotland.
Bourgoin have signed Queensland Reds wing Brando Va'aulu, Griquas prop Ruan du Preez and young hooker Jordan Merle, who returns from second division club Oyonnax.
Meanwhile, Toulouse have extended the contract of forwards coach Yannick Bru by three years. The Heineken Cup champions' biggest signing is Pumas scrum-half Nicolas Vergallo, who will replace the retired Jean-Baptiste Elissalde and back up the aging Byron Kelleher.
Amongst the departures are former League stars Marc Gasnier, who leaves Stade Français, and Sonny Bill Williams, who has turned his back on a fortune at Toulon. Neither has announced a final destination.
Top 14 Transfers:
Agen:
In: Mosese Moala (Biarritz), Valentin Courrent (Biarritz), Kevin Swiryn (USA, VII), Osea Kolinisau (FID, VII), Brice Mach (Montauban), Beka Cheklashvili (Montauban), Manu Ahotaeiloa (Toulouse), Karim Kouider (Pau), Maxime Machenaud (Bordeaux-Bègles), Florent Cazeaux (Mont-de-Marsan), Miguel Avramovic (Pampas XV)
Out:: Yoann Huget (Bayonne), Romain Sola (Albi), Maxime Carabignac (Albi), Guitoune (Albi), Peikrichvili (Castres), Synaegel (Dax)
Bayonne:
In: Julien Audy (Montauban), Abdelatif Boutaty (Montauban), Joe Pietersen (Stormers), Cameron Treolar (Prato), Yoann Huget (Agen), Benjamin Boyet (Bourgoin), Troy Flavell (Mitsubishi Dynaboars), Clément Baïocco (Racing-Métro 92), Yohan Huguet (Agen), Garth Ziegler (Venise), Lea'aetoa (Toulon), Thomas Lièvremont (coach, Dax)
Out:: Benjamin Fall (Racing-Métro 92), Many Edmonds (retired), Vincent Inigo (Castres), Pierre Bernard (Castres), Benat Arrayet (Mont-de-Marsan), Salvatore Pérugini (Viadana), Deen (Dax), Rodney Blake (Melbourne Rebels), Tewhata (Dax), Filimoni Bolavocu (Dax)
Biarritz:
In: Sylvain Marconnet (Stade Français), Erik Lund (Leeds)
Out:: Mosese Moala (Agen), Valentin Courrent (Agen), Karmichael Hunt (Australia), Nicoas Brusque (retired), Hugues (Dax)
Bourgoin:
In: Mickaël Campeggia (Oyonnax), Silvère Tian (Oyonnax), Alex Tulou (Hurricanes), Jordan Merle (Oyonnax), Nemani Nadalo (Waratahs), Ruan Du Preez (Griquas, South Africa), Toderasc (Brive), Brando Va'ahulu (Queensland Reds)
Out:: Benjamin Boyet (Bayonne), Pablo Cardinali (Brive), Albert VuliVuli (Racing-Métro 92), Arnauld Tchougong (Perpignan), Karena Wihongi (Toulon), Jean- Philippe Genevois (Toulon), Sylvain Nicolas (Toulouse)
Brive:
In: Pablo Cardinali (Bourgoin), Régis Lespinas (Montauban), Mathieu Bélie (Montauban), Julien Ledévédec (Toulouse), Julien Caminati (Nice), Benoit Cabello (Clermont, lone).
Out:: Steve Thomson (Leeds), Riki Flutey (Wasps), Horacio Agulla (Leicester), Scott Zimmermann (Racing-Métro 92), Arnaud Pic (Oyonnax), Short (Lyon), Jaulhac (Bordeaux-Bègles)
Castres:
In: Seremiai Baï (Clermont), Benjamin Kayser (Stade Français), Jamel Fakir (Dragons, XIII), Jannie Bornman (Dax), Martial (Narbonne)
Out:: Bourret (Dax), Phil Christophers
Clermont:
In: Sione Lauaki (Chiefs), Ti'i Paulo (Crusaders)
Out:: Seremaï Baï (Castres), Christophe Samson (Toulon), Benoît Cabello (Lone, Brive)
La Rochelle:
In: Seru Rabeni (Leeds), Sefulu Gaugau (Racing-Métro 92), Manoël Dall'Igna (Montpellier), Quentin D'Aram de Valada (Toulouse)
Montpellier:
In: Eric Béchu (Albi, coach), Fabien Galthié (coach), Santiago Fernandez (Hindu Club), Giorgi Jgenti (Oyonnax), Raphaël Lagarde (Bordeaux-Bègles), Aliki Fakate (Lyon), Timoci Nagusa (Ulster), Sébastien Chobet (Perpignan),
Out:: Olivier Sarraméa (Retired), Frederico Todeschini (Retired), Manoël Dall'Igna (La Rochelle), Thierry Brana (Toulon), Alister Campbell (Melbourne Rebels), Eugene Van Staden
Perpignan:
In: Arnauld Tchougong (Bourgoin), Kevin Boulogne (Albi)
Out:: Sébastien Chobet (Montpellier), Nicolas Durand (Racing-Métro 92), Christophe Manas (retired)
Racing-Métro 92:
In: Juan Martin Hernandez (Sharks), Nicolas Durand (Perpignan), Benjamin Fall (Bayonne), Julien Brugnaut (Munster), Benjamin Sa (Montauban), Scott Zimmermann (Brive), Karim Ghezal (Montauban), Antoine Battut (Montauban), Albert VuliVuli (Bourgoin), Mirco Bergamasco (Stade Français),Grégory Arganese (Montauban)
Out:: Nic Berry (Wasps), Clément Baïocco (Bayonne), Sefuli Gaugau (La Rochelle), Fabien Fortassin (Tarbes), Olivier Diomandé, Andrew Mehrtens, Mehdi Merabet (Toulon),
Stade Français:
In: Michael Cheika (Leinster, coach), Martin Rodriguez Gurruchaga (Atlético del Rosario), Gonzalo Tiesi (Harlequins), Goderdzi Chvelidze (Montauban), James Hamilton (Edimbourg), Santiago Guzman (Tucuman)
Out:: Geoffroy Messina (Toulon), Benjamin Kayser (Castres), Marc Gasnier (Australie), Mirco Bergamasco (Racing-Métro 92), Sylvain Marconnet (Biarritz), Jacques Delmas (coach), Mathieu Blin (retired), Pierre Vigouroux (Lyon), Marc Gasnier (Australia)
Toulon:
In: Christophe Samson (Clermont), Carl Hayman (Newcastle), Benjamin Lapeyre (Albi), Dean Schofield (Sale), Rudi Wulf (Blues), Thierry Brana (Montpellier), George Smith (Brumbies) , J-P.Genevois (Bourgoin), Tonga Lea'aetoa (Bayonne), Mehdi Merabet (Racing-Métro 92)
Out:: Sonny Bill Williams (New Zealand), Ross Skeate (Sharks), Luke Rooney (Melbourne), Tana Umaga (Counties Manukau), Philippe Fitzgerald (retired), Esteban Lozada (Edimbourg), Tim Ryan (Newcastle)
Toulouse:
In: Nicolas Vergallo (Dax), Vilimoni Delasau (Montauban), Pierre-Gilles Lakafia (Albi), Sylvain Nicolas (Bourgoin)
Out:: Manu Ahotaeiloa (Agen), Julien Ledévédec (Brive), Quentin D'Aram de Valada (La Rochelle), Mathieu Bélie (Brive), Jean-Baptiste Elissalde (retired)
http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16016_6209105,00.html
