Top 14: Heymans and Estebanez at centre of transfer rumours; DNACG eye up Bourgoin

07 June 2010

Toulon are reportedly on the verge of yet another major transfer coup as they seek to make up for the disappointment of seeing Sonny Bill Williams return home to New Zealand.

The cash-rich club is not used to being snubbed and, according to Midi Olympique, is now courting Stade Toulousain and France winger Cédric Heymans to join their roster of international stars.

Heymans, 32, still has two years left on his contract with the European champions but as with George Smith - who signed for Toulon last week - he was recently in close contact with head coach Philippe Saint-André as part of the Barbarians squad which played against England and Ireland.

Top 14 Transfers 2010/11

Heymans, capped more than 50 times by France, may feel it is time for a change after being dropped to the bench by Toulouse for the Heineken Cup final in preference for Maxime Médard. The 17-time French champions also bolstered their wing resources at the end of last season by signing Fijian flyer Vilimoni Delasau from Montauban.

While Heymans is clearly not a direct replacement for Williams, several other major names are also being linked with Toulon. These include South African Nico Breedt - who played three seasons with the Cote d'Azur club between 2006-08 - as well as Australian Ryan Cross and South African Wynand Olivier.

Stade Toulousain, meanwhile, are reportedly interested in Brive's French international Fabrice Estebanez as they seek to strengthen their fly-half options. The European champions ended 2009/10 with just one fit fly-half - recalled French international David Skrela - and are seeking to bolster their No 10 options for the new campaign following the retirement of Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, who could play at either scrum or fly-half.

They do, of course, have Frédéric Michalak, but he is unlikely to be back in first-team action until after Christmas as he continues to recover from ruptured knee ligaments.

Guy Noves has already moved to strengthen his scrum-half options with the capture of Dax's Argentine international Nicolas Vergallo, and now it seems he is keen to add Estebanez, who earned a France call-up last season due to his outstanding form.

Brive's own fly-half options have been swelled by the arrivals of Montauban's Regis Lespinas and former Stade Toulousain youngster Mathieu Belie, but the Corrèze outfit is understood to favour a player exchange if Estebanez is to depart, with France Under-20 international Remi Lamerat their preferred option.

Should Toulouse fail in luring Estebanez this summer it seems they may try and get through 2010/11 with their current squad, meaning Yannick Jauzion or Florian Fritz could be drafted into the fly-half position if required, before they move for any one of a number of fly-halves who will be out of contract after the World Cup. Those include current France incumbent Francois Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), Lionel Beauxis (Stade Francais) and Nick Evans (Harlequins).

Brive, meanwhile, are thought to be keen on trying to sign Bourgoin's Arnaud Tchougong after the player's proposed move to Perpignan fell through on medical grounds.

Bourgoin had already moved to replace Tchougong (and fellow departing props Karena Wihongi and Pablo Cardinali) by signing South African Ruuan du Preez (from Griquas), Rodney Blake (from Bayonne) and Julian Florini (from Mont-de-Marsan), but their transfer activity is once more on hold due to concerns over their budget for 2010/11.

Australian Blake has now thrown in his lot with the new Super 15 franchise Melbourne Rebels, while all other transfers - plus contract extensions - are once again under threat following interventions from the DNACG, the league's financial watchdog.

President Gaston Maulin has called a press conference for Wednesday "to address the dissemination of false information on the current situation of the club", but there is an uneasy sense of déjà vu at the Isère club after they were forced to start last season with 14 players' licences blocked.

Several clubs are waiting in the wings to see how the current situation plays out, with Toulon thought to be ready to pounce should the transfer of Oyonnax full-back Sylver Tian now fall through.

Toulon's capture of Australian flanker Smith, meanwhile, has had an immediate knock-on effect at the Cote d'Azur club with Argentine Esteban Lozada, 28, leaving to join Edinburgh. They could also see a further departure in the next few days with South African lock Ross Skeate currently weighing up offers from Montpellier and Top 14 newcomers La Rochelle.

One other confirmed transfer sees Montauban full-back Julien Laharrague, 31, joining Italian outfit Viadana, who will play in the Celtic League next season.

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