News: Perpignan sign
Mieres to replace Carter; Van Niekerk extends with Toulon
07 February 2009
Perpignan are trying to come to terms with life after Dan
Carter and have now pinned their hopes on 21-year-old
Argentine Ignacio Mieres.
On the
day when Carter underwent successful surgery for his
ruptured achilles tendon Perpignan confirmed they had signed
Mieres as emergency cover for the crocked fly-half.
In an
ironic twist it was Stade Francais - the club against which
Carter sustained his injury - which provided the solution as
Mieres was contracted to them.
The
young fly-half had struggled to make the first team due to
the presence of Juan-Martin Hernandez and Lionel Beauxis and
his with Stade Francais runs out in June.
The
final details on his switch to Perpignan are expected to be
ironed out over the weekend with Mieres due at the Catalan
club on Tuesday.
Carter,
meanwhile, can now start his lengthy rehabilitation after
the surgeon who performed the operation on his ruptured
achilles in Lyon said everything had gone to plan.
"The
operation went very well and lasted half an hour. We were
able to repair the rupture of the achilles tendon," said
David Dejour.
"Daniel
Carter could walk immediately, but will not really set foot
on the ground in the four to six weeks before a
rehabilitation programme that should enable him to resume in
six months," he added.
Carter
is expected to rest at his Perpignan home before flying back
to New Zealand.
Toulon have confirmed that recently appointed club
captain Joe Van Niekerk signed a contract extension at the
Top 14 strugglers.
It
appears that the guiding hand of Philippe Saint-Andre is
beginning to steer Tana Umaga's side towards more solid and
professional foundations, following news earlier this week
that the club's training facilities are also set for a
comprehensive overhaul.
Club
president Mourad Boudjellal has confirmed that South African
Niekerk has extended his contract, with rugby league convert
Sonny Bill Williams due to likewise within the next few
days.
"He [Van
Niekerk] should be the captain of Toulon's project in the
years to come," said Boudjellal.
Saint-Andre, meanwhile, has shed some light on the club's
problems and how he plans to address them.
"Let's
say they are good at being disorganised," he said. "The team
has not yet reached maturity. There are some strong
individuals, but there's a big problem when it comes to goal
kicking. With just a 60 per cent success rate, the team
should have eight or nine more points."
Saint-Andre also admitted the squad was currently too large
and that he planned some summer pruning. And the players
that do remain are likely to face increased fitness tests
and expectations, with Saint-Andre saying he would introduce
"Anglo-Saxon style pre-season, with enormous amounts of
physical training".
The
current Sale boss does not take over until July, but he met
with Umaga this week and among the other topics up for
discussion was reportedly the "life style" of players.
Sounds
like Monsieur Saint-Andre means business, whether Toulon are
in Top 14 or Pro D2 next season.
Elsewhere, Pierre-Henry Broncan, the coach of Pro D2 outfit
FC Auch Gers, has been suspended after being sent-off
the pitch by referee Eric Darriere during the match against
LA Rochelle on January 31.
He was
found guilty of "indiscipline" by the LNR and has now been
suspended for 10 days, barring him from the touchlines for
this weekend's match against basement club Bourg-en-Bresse.
Stade
Francais' Mathieu Bastareaud was also up before the
disciplinary committee following his two yellow cards
against Perpignan last weekend. Bastareaud, who was sent off
by referee Chris White, has also picked up a 10-day
suspension, but as Stade do not have a fixture during that
time it is a complete irrelevance.
France Under-20s lost 9-6 away to Ireland under-20s at
Dubarry Park on Friday evening, with Ian Madigan landing a
late penalty to seal the result.
All six
of France's points came from the boot of Bayonne fly-half
Pierre Bernard - with a penalty and a drop-goal - but
captain Alexandre Lapandry, of Clermont, was unable to
inspire his team to an opening victory in their Under-20s
Six Nations campaign.
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