TRU's Transfer Round Up

With 2015 now well under the way, transfers across the rugby world will start being announced thick and fast, as players plan their post-Rugby World Cup futures.

It’s often difficult to keep up with the abundance of rumours that are circulating at this time of the year, so we’ve put together a brief round-up of the more high-profile transfers to have been confirmed, some of the under-the-radar moves that deserve praise and a handpicked selection of prospective deals that are inching closer to reality.

Big Names, Big Expectations

Dan Carter, Crusaders to Racing Métro 92
Undoubtedly the headline signing of the season, Carter’s arrival will do as much commercially for Racing as it will impact their on-field performances. The Kiwi will be 33 when he arrives later this year and will likely have a remit of playing primarily in the big home encounters, with Johan Goosen charged with shouldering the less glamorous fixtures. Carter will be hoping this stint in France goes better than his previous one with Perpignan, but with his international aspirations likely over after the RWC, the talismanic fly-half will be able to focus 100% on adapting to life in Paris and making a success of the swansong to his career.

James Horwill, Reds to Harlequins
Quins seem to have realised that they cannot rely on their academy talent alone and the signing of Horwill brings some much-needed grunt to their tight five and a leadership presence that will remain available during international windows. His arrival will likely see a drop in game time for Charlie Matthews and Sam Twomey, but the former Australian captain could serve as an important mentor for the young duo.

Adam Ashley-Cooper (and Sekope Kepu), Waratahs to Bordeaux-Bègles
Admittedly, the Kepu deal has not been confirmed just yet, but the word seems to be that he will soon be signing on the dotted line and joining teammate Ashley-Cooper in Bordeaux. The Top 14 side have been highly impressive under the coaching duo of Raphaël Ibañez and Joe Worsley and the arrival of two talents such as Ashley-Cooper and Kepu should help them take the next step and genuinely compete with the likes of Toulon and Clermont at the summit of the Top 14.

Ma’a Nonu, Hurricanes to Toulon
Nonu’s second stint with the Hurricanes will be a short one, after the All Black agreed to become the latest of Toulon’s Galacticos following the 2015 RWC. It may not be the most balanced midfield to ever grace the Stade Mayol, but a Nonu and Mathieu Bastareaud combination will certainly cause a lot of opposition teams to wince. Nonu’s arrival could facilitate a full-time move to fly-half for Matt Giteau, or he could find himself shifted to 13 to accompany the playmaking Australian in a must-watch midfield pairing.

Jonathan Sexton, Racing Métro 92 to Leinster
The coaching staff at Leinster are taking a lot of flak for the province’s poor performances this season, but much of the criticism also needs to be laid at the feet of the players, making Sexton’s return to Dublin the perfect tonic for the ailing Leinster fans. Sexton is a proven winner in the blue of Leinster and his ability as a skilled facilitator that can get the best out of a back line is something that has been desperately missing for Leinster so far this season.

Salesi Ma’afu and Samu Manoa, Northampton Saints to Toulon
On the surface, these signings seem like another example of talent-hoarding from Mourad Boudjellal, but with both Carl Hayman and Chris Masoe possibly on their way out of Toulon next season, both Ma’afu and Manoa could play significant roles for the current European champions. The duo’s arrival continues Toulon’s current policy of signing powerful carriers who can break the gain line at will.

Under-the-radar

Luke Braid, Blues to Bordeaux-Bègles
Luke, the younger of the two Braid brothers, is a versatile back rower who has only been denied All Blacks caps by the exceptional trio of Liam Messam, Richie McCaw and Kieran Read. Like his brother, Dan, Luke is underrated player, but unlike his brother, Luke is moving to Europe just as he approaches the prime of his career, rather than as swansong. The flanker should be every bit as important to Bordeaux’s plans as the higher profile signings of Ashley-Cooper and Kepu and his defensive energy will certainly earn him the approval of Bordeaux’s defence coach, Joe Worsley.

Tom Marshall, Chiefs to Gloucester
The Gloucester back line has looked thin this season, especially with Henry Trinder out injured, and Marshall’s versatility will be a welcome addition to a unit that has struggled to live up to its potential thus far. Competent at any position in the back line outside of the fly-half, it will be interesting to see where Marshall ends up with Gloucester, but an initial role at full-back could be a nice fit, particularly if the Cherry and Whites persist with James Hook at 10.

Nikola Matawalu, Glasgow Warriors to Bath Rugby
A wonderfully talented player, Matawalu fills a rather large need for Bath at scrum-half, even with the veteran Peter Stringer continuing to defy the passing of time. Chris Cook has developed well, but neither Cook nor Stringer, if he stays on for another year, offer the same enticing skill set that Matawalu does. With the equally-instinctive George Ford playing outside of him, Matawalu might be the key for Bath stepping up from a noisy Premiership side to a genuine European heavyweight.  

Paul Alo-Emile, Rebels to Stade Français
Australian props rarely get much recognition, particularly ones who play for the Rebels, but Alo-Emile certainly has potential. Scrummaging in the Top 14 will be the toughest challenge of his career yet, but the influence that Davit Kubriashvili will have on Alo-Emile could be the making of his career. Don’t expect Alo-Emile to start too many of Stade’s bigger games, but it could be a signing that is widely applauded a year or two down the road.

Probables

Julian Salvi and Mathew Tait, Leicester Tigers to Bayonne
Salvi and Tait have been linked with Welford Road departures all season long and reports in France suggest that Bayonne are in fairly advanced negotiations with both players. Both players have played important roles for Leicester over the last couple of seasons and their absences would be keenly felt, but with Aaron Mauger’s imminent arrival, Leicester may be willing to hit the reset button somewhat and attempt to allow the Kiwi to create a new dynasty in the East Midlands.

Willem Alberts, Sharks to Stade Français
Rumoured to also be a target of Leicester, Alberts seems to be edging closer to a move to Paris and according to Midi Olympique, has a verbal agreement to join Stade. The powerful Springbok could join Sergio Parisse in the Parisian side’s back row, or pack down alongside fellow southern hemisphere imports Gerhard Mostert and Hugh Pyle in the engine room. Either way, Alberts arrival would be a big boon for the Top 14 heavyweights.

Will Genia, Reds to Stade Français
The Australian scrum-half did have a pre-contract agreement with Bath, but seems to have his head turned since by the financial lure that the Top 14 has to offer. The deal seems to be currently held up by Stade being unwillingly to pay compensation to Bath, instead insisting Genia pays it himself, but it looks to only be a stumbling block and a compromise could soon be found between the Stade management, Genia himself and Bath’s Bruce Craig.

Danny Cipriani, Sale Sharks to Toulon
Sale’s fly-half is due to meet with Boudjellal over the next week to discuss a possible move to the south of France and barring late interest from Quins, who were reportedly keen on Cipriani, it seems as if the English fly-half could be on his way across the channel. The move would be a blow to Sale, who have developed considerably with Cipriani, but the prospect of what he could offer alongside the likes of Giteau and Nonu for Toulon is truly salivating.

That’s about it for the moment on transfer news, but with the likes of Eben Etzebeth (Toulon), Duane Vermeulen (Bath and Toulon) and Willie le Roux (Saracens and Toulouse) all believed to be deep in negotiations about prospective post-RWC moves, there could well be a rush on signings over the next couple of weeks.