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Exception to the rule:
Juan Martin Hernandez
Photo: Michael Paler |
The final
day of the Top 14 transfer window provided few shocks apart from
Juan-Martin Hernandez’s departure from Stade Francais to South Africa’s
Natal Sharks.
Official
confirmation is still to be announced by either club, although media outlets
are reporting that Hernandez has signed a one-year contract with the Super
14 side as he follows in the footsteps of Frederic Michalak.
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It is understood the Sharks have partly
financed the deal with the proceeds of the transfer fee of Francois Steyn to
Stade’s Paris rivals Racing-Metro 92.
Intriguingly the French press is also
suggesting that Hernandez could yet return to Top 14 at the conclusion of
his season in South Africa, with big-spending Toulon apparently his most
likely destination.
The quiet final day of transfer
dealings is thought to be a direct response to the current financial
climate, with between 70 to 80 players from the top two divisions being left
without a contract for next season. These include players such as Stade
Francais’ Nicolas Jeanjean, Dax’s Julien Brugnaut and Castres’ Alexandre
Bias.
The official list of players without
clubs will be published at the end of the week, with many hoping to pick up
contracts abroad or with ProD2 teams, but Provale – the French players’
union – said the number without clubs was double that of last year.
While it said there was no need to
panic it did say the situation was reflective of the current financial
hardships hitting all sports. Provale president Sylvain Deroeux also said
clubs were acting more prudently, especially with the DNACG – the league’s
financial watchdog – keeping an eagle eye on budgets.
“The market, which was already tense,
has shrunk again. But this is a characteristic of a true professional sport,
where there’s no time to wait and profitability must be immediate,” said
Deroeux.
Perpignan, Castres, Montauban,
Biarritz, Bayonne and SU Agen have all reduced their budgets for next
season, with Toulon’s increase (by €1m) being seen as an exception. Deroeux
said the large salaries agreed for players such as Lionel Nallet, Sebastien
Chabal, Francois Steyn (all at Racing-Metro 92) and Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon)
also bucked a general trend of lower player wages, adding that the biggest
beneficiaries of the current cut backs would most likely be clubs in
Federale 1.
Only last week Federale 1 side
Marseille-Vitrolles announced they
had signed former All Black Jonah Lomu.
There is, however, still time for
further transfer activity in Top 14 with the two promoted clubs – SCA Albi
and Racing-Metro 92) given until July 10th to finalise their
squads – the same date that all Top 14 clubs have for completing their
Espoirs’ squads.
ProD2 newcomers Lannemezan and
Aix-en-Provence have until July 15 to complete their squads.
