Transfer news: Up for grabs - Wales and Scotland now feel the power of the French

22 February 2009

The combined strength of the euro and French clubs' spending power continued to dominate the rugby pages of Sunday's sports papers in Britain.

With Wasps - and English clubs generally - still reeling from the triple signing of James Haskell, Tom Palmer and Riki Flutey, it seems that no player is now off-limits as the aftershocks continue to rumble.

The initial reaction to the midweek swoop was a predictable angst at the cheek of the French, then - as reporters scrambled around for the next big signing - a trickle of players saying 'non' to joining Top 14.

Wasps and England star Paul Sackey was among those denying he would be sampling 'la vie en France', but as ever it was the players remaining silent who spoke loudest, as it were.

Today's papers are full of speculation and rumour, with a veritable who's who apparently being drawn up as French clubs prepare for yet more raiding parties.

And, unlike earlier in the week, it seems Welsh and Scottish players are now being targeted, with Glasgow's highly rated Evans brothers - Thom and Max - and Cardiff's Welsh international centre Jamie Robinson among the names being touted for moves.

All three are reported to be on big-spending Toulon's shopping list, with Robinson apparently set to announce his departure this week.

The South Wales Echo reported that Robinson, 28, is "on the verge" of agreeing a two-year deal with Toulon as he is set to emulate the cross-Channel path previously taken by the likes of fellow internationals Gareth Thomas and Stephen Jones.

Robinson, capped 23 times by Wales, appears frustrated that his club and international prospects are currently being barred by the Cardiff duo of Tom Shanklin and Jamie Roberts.

Cardiff coach Dai Young appeared to confirm Robinson's imminent departure when he told the BBC the club would release a statement shortly.

"We don't want an exodus over to France" - Dai Young

"It goes without saying that you always want to keep your better players and he is certainly one of our better players," said Young. "The club may want to keep them, but it's up to the players as well to decide on where they feel their future lies best.

"They [French clubs] are certainly flooding the market with a lot of money and it turns players' heads, really. I'm sure England are worrying about it and licking their wounds at the minute, and let's hope it doesn't come too thick and fast here as well because we don't want to lose players anywhere... we don't want an exodus over to France," he warned.

Toulon - financed by comic millionaire Mourad Boudjellal - have had a torrid time of it in their first season back in Top 14, but Sale's director of rugby Philippe Saint-Andre is joining in the summer and is already guiding the club's future recruitment policy. His knowledge of the British game - and vice versa - is bound to result in more players crossing the Channel.

Other England internationals now being linked with French moves include Newcastle's international centre Jamie Noon, London Irish's highly-regarded Shane Geraghty and the Bristol pair of scrum-half Shaun Perry and number eight Dan Ward-Smith.

Noon, Perry and Ward-Smith are all apparently on Brive's shopping list, while Geraghty is allegedly a target for Max Guazzini's Stade Francais.

Pro D2 leaders Racing Metro are also being linked with a phalanx of British-based players as their continued pursuit of Sebastien Chabal, Jonny Wilkinson and Iain Balshaw testifies.

All three have long been lined up to join the wealthy Paris club - on the proviso that promotion is achieved - and the club's owner Jacky Lorenzetti is also said to be ready to back a serious raid on top South African talent too.

According to South African paper Die Burger the French club are lining up Peter Grant, Frans Steyn and Jaque Fourie for a potential triple swoop.

Grant and Steyn are both reported to have met recently with Racing officials, while fellow Saffers Schalk Brits and Willie Wepener are also said to be attracting French interest.

Grant's agent, Chris de Beer, confirmed Racing had offered his client a contract worth "a lot more" than the R10m deal he turned down last year from a Japanese club.

Meanwhile, one England international already plying his trade in Top 14 has spoken up for those wishing to join him in the 'French revolution'.

Magnus Lund swapped Manchester life with Sale Sharks last summer for a spell with south west coastal giants Biarritz, and he says the whole experience has improved him as a player.

The 25-year-old flanker told Sky: "A lot has been said about the money involved but a team like Stade Francais is a huge club in Europe, Why shouldn't Haskell try his luck there? He has achieved a lot at Wasps, he might want to do the same in France. It's not all about money.

"I think that French rugby offers you a different experience, if you really want to take advantage of it."

Lund added: "It has definitely helped me. It helps you evolve as a player and allows you to develop your style. You have to adapt and that can only be good. It obviously depends on the person, but it has definitely been a positive for me."

And Lund found support from former England centre Will Greenwood, who spent six years in France when his family moved there in his childhood.

"There's lots of things that go into the pot. As a life experience it's the best thing the Greenwoods ever did," he told Sky.

"If the guys go over there and have a great time, improve their rugby and enjoy their lifestyle then that's good. There is more to life than just kicking an oval ball around the field.

"James Haskell quite rightly says the most important thing for him is to continue playing for England. He's two hours on a train from Paris to London - it's easier to get there than it is from Newcastle!

"If he plays well in the Top 14 in front of 80,000 people in the Stade de France every week, it might improve him as a player," added Greenwood.

Finally, in an all-too-predictable response to the current speculation, Britain's News of the World tabloid carried a Sunday story headlined 'French blackmail Twickers', claiming Top 14 clubs now want a slice of the RFU cash handed out to clubs to compensate for the loss of international players for training sessions and match preparation.

It quoted England's elite director of rugby Rob Andrew saying it was imperative the national squad was not "compromised" in its preparations by the non-release of French based players.

"Is it worth paying out for players who are leaving the Premiership and playing in France? Two years ago England were strong, the economy was strong and clubs were paying all this money. It was the best league in the world," said Andrew.

"Well, the roller-coaster goes the other way sometimes and right now this is a new dynamic which suggests France has more money than England," he added.

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