Toulouse, Montpellier, Stade Français, Bayonne, Castres… The latest rugby transfer info
By Simon Galinier
Published on
Toulouse locks out Emmanuel Meafou
Leader of the Top 14, the Toulouse stadium made a nice move, this Thursday, January 4, by formalizing the contract extension of his second line Emmanuel Meafou (24) until 2024. The Australian-born bulldozer is still waiting for his French passport to apply with the Blues. He has established himself as an important part of Ugo Mola’s squad. This season, he has played 12 Top 14 matches and 2 Champions Cup matches, mostly as a starter. Helped by his power and his impressive size of 2.03m for 145 kg, “Manny” Meafou also proved decisive by scoring 4 tries in the league.
Montpellier recruits a 2e english line
The reigning French champion Montpellier has just been reinforced in the second row with the arrival of the English second row from Bristol, Elliott Stooke (29 years old) as an additional player for the end of this 2022-2023 season. Arrived this Thursday January 4 in the Hérault, he was present in training this week and applied for the reception of Racing 92 Sunday January 8 (9:05 p.m.) in the Top 14. Also passed by Gloucester, the London Irish and the Wasps, Elliott Stooke (1.98m; 122kg) had only played 3 games this season with Bath. “Player with a jumping and dynamic profile, he will bring all his freshness and his knowledge of the touch to the Cistes and will contribute to make up for the injury of Florian Verhaegheabsent for several months”, indicates the MHR.
French Stadium. An All Black and a Rochelais signed
2e of the Top 14 after 14 days, the French Stadium is already preparing for next season which will be that of a new era with the duo Laurent Labit and Karim Ghezal who will replace Gonzalo Quesada. For this, the club of the capital recruits hard and clever. Indeed, according to L’Équipe, the Parisian leaders have obtained the agreement of the scrum half of the All Blacks, Brad Weber (31 years old; 17 selections). Chiefs player (Super Rugby) since 2014, he will discover the Top 14 at the end of the year, after the 2023 World Cup in France which he could play with New Zealand, since he notably participated in the test- match against the XV of France in November 2021 settled on a victory of the blues (40-25) at the Stade de France.
In addition to Weber, Stade Français have also secured the services of the centre-winger Pierre Boudéhent (24 years), still according to the team. At the end of the contract at Stade Rochelais at the end of the season, he signed for 3 seasons with the Soldats Roses, i.e. until 2026. Trained in Angers then in Nantes, he arrived in 2015 in Charente-Maritime (with a loan to Vannes during the 2019-2020 season). Conversely, Alex Arrate, at the end of the contract, will not be retained and could bounce back to Castres.
Clermont retains Alexandre Fischer
According to Rugbyramathe third line Alexander Fischer (24) will extend his contract to Clermont. At the end of the contract in June 2023 and courted by Bordeaux-Bègles, he will stay in Auvergne until the end of next season. While ASM had 19 players at the end of their contract before the start of the season, the Jaunards have already obtained extensions for Cristian Ojovan (2025), Étienne Falgoux (2025) and Rabah Slimani (2024). As a reminder, the All Black Pita-Gus Sowakula, the French international Mohamed Haouas and the Wallaby Folau Fainga’a have already initialed their contract to join ASM next July.
Castres extends Antoine Tichit
According to The Teamthe left pillar of Castres, Antoine Tichit (33 years old), at the end of the contract next summer, has extended his one-season contract with the CO, i.e. until June 2024. The player trained in Gaillac (Tarn), then passed by Albi and Oyonnax, is arrived at Castres Olympic in 2015, where he won a French championship title in 2018 before attending the stands of the Stade de France at the final lost against Montpellier in June. Competing with Quentin Walcker, Wayan de Beneddtis and the young Loïs Guérois-Galisson (21), Antoine Tichit has played 8 games with Castres this season, half as a starter.
Bayonne. Jean Maribot announces his end of career
In an interview with Rugbyramathe emblematic third line of Bayonne, Jean Monribot (35), announced that he would end his career next June, at the end of this 2022-2023 season. The native of Lalinde (Dordogne), played 173 Top 14 matches and 106 Pro D2 matches with Agen, Toulon and Aviron Bayonnais. “I met manager Grégory Patat and the president to tell them of my choice to draw a line under my career,” explained Monribot. “It’s something logical for me, well thought out. There are plenty of things to do outside of rugby. I have projects, on the side, which will allow me to switch to another life. But before that, I really want to give my all for this club, because I lived very great moments, as well as difficult moments, but they allowed me to build myself as a man. »
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