The 2014 / 2015 season of Top 14, France’s premier rugby competition, kicks off tomorrow as reported earlier today here on rugby-talk.com. In this day of professional rugby we have become accustomed to the movement of many players between clubs and in a way rugby has seemed to catch up with football regarding the whole transfer market business. For many years we have been used to the constant speculation of football players changing clubs and the rumours about the exorbitant transfer fees and players salaries abound.
Rugby still has some way to go on the financial front to get anywhere near the world’s biggest sport – for example a £75 million price tag has been thrown about in the move of disgraced striker Louis Suarez from Liverpool to Barcelona. However, in terms of sheer volume of players and coaching staff moving about things are advancing at an ever-increasing rate.
A comprehensive list of the various transfers in the Top 14 between last season and this season which shows how many players have been moving about in and around the Top 14.
While many of the movements are between Top 14 clubs and there are some retirements what will be concerning to South African authorities is the arrival of many newcomers to the Top 14 from South African clubs, at least there are some players returning from France to South Africa.
Rugby365 with the help of AFP have published this list of Top 14 player and coaching staff transfers, and we have highlighted the South African players involved, including the likes of players like Antonnie Claasen who have now represented France:
Bayonne
Coming in: Patricio Noriega (Australia/manager/Stade Français), Giorgi Jgenti (Georgia/Perpignan), Lucas Pointud (Tarbes), Blair Stewart (New Zealand/Grenoble), Pelu Taele (Samoa/Biarritz), Thibault Visensang (Albi), Rob Linde (South Africa/lineout coach)
Going out: Stephen Brett (New Zealand/Lyon), Mathieu Belie (Perpignan), Manu Ahotaeiloa (Tonga/Lille), Sam Gerber (South Africa/retired), Guillaume Bernad (Oyonnax), Julien Puricelli (Lyon), Abdellatif Boutaty (Morocco/Pau), Neemia Tialata (New Zealand/Toulouse), Pierre-Philippe Lafond (coach Montauban), Vitolio Manukula (Beziers)
Bordeaux-Begles
Coming in: Sofiane Guitoune (Perpignan), Sebastien Taofifenua (Perpignan), Bertrand Guiry (Perpignan), Julien Ledevedec (Brive), Lionel Beauxis (Toulouse), Yann Lesgourgues (Biarritz), Francisco Gomez Kodela (Argentina/Biarritz), Berend Botha (South Africa/Mont-de-Marsan)
Going out: Poutasi Luafutu (Australia/Brive), Alikisio Fakaté (retired), Gilen Queheille (Tarbes/loan), Robert Lilomaiava (Samoa/Massy/loan), Bruce Reihana (New Zealand/retired), Rafael Carballo (Argentina), Nicolas Sanchez (Argentina), Emmanuel Saubusse (Mont-de-Marsan), Gautier Gibouin (Montauban), Cameron Treloar (Australia/retired), Silviu Florea (Romania/retired), Jean-Baptiste Lamotte (Tarbes), Jean-Charles Fidinde (Narbonne)
Brive
Coming in: Damien Jourdain (Bourg-en-Bresse), Thomas Acquier (Carcassonne), Russlan Boukerou (Auch), Peet Marais (South Africa/Natal Sharks), Marco Lazzaroni (Italy/Mogliano), Poutasi Luafutu (Australia/Bordeaux-Begles), Nicolas Bezy (Grenoble), Paul Ah Him (Samoa/Marist College/USA), Benito Masilevu (Fiji/Fiji VII)
Going out: Victor Laval (Carcassonne) Tamato Leupolu (Samoa/no club) Julien Le Devedec (Bordeaux-Begles), Laurent Ferreres (Lormont)
Castres
Coming in: Johnnie Beattie (SCO/Montpellier), Thomas Combezou (Montpellier), Julien Dumora (Lyon), Antoine Dupont (Auch), Paea Fa’anunu (New Zealand/Montpellier), Yohan Montes (Toulouse), Sitiveni Sivivatu (Fiji/Clermont)
Going out: Seremaïa Baï (Fiji/Leicester), Paul Bonnefond (Lyon), Antonie Claassen (Racing-Metro), Michael Coetzee (South Africa/no club), Brice Dulin (Racing-Metro), Pierre-Gilles Lakafia (VII), Anton Peikrishvili (Georgia/no club), Romain Teulet (retired), Julien Tomas (Stade Francais), Pedrie Wannenburg (South Africa/Oyonnax)
Clermont
Coming in: Jono Gibbes (coach New Zealand/Leinster/Ireland), Nick Abendanon (England/Bath), Jonathan Davies (Wales/Llanelli), Zac Guildford (New Zealand/Crusaders), Camille Lopez (Perpignan), John Ulugia (Australia/Bourg-en-Bresse), Sebastien Vahaamahina (Perpignan)
Going out: Vern Cotter (coach New Zealand/SCO), Benoit Cabello (Perpignan), Nathan Hines (Scotland/Sale/ENG), Arthur Roulin (Aurillac), Elvis Vermeulen (retired), Gerhard Vosloo (South Africa/Toulon), Regan King (New Zealand/Llanelli/WAL), Sitiveni Sivivatu (Fiji/Castres), Lee Byrne (Wales/Newport)
Grenoble
Coming in: Gio Aplon (South Africa/Stormers), Jonathan Wisniewski (Racing-Metro), Chris Farrell (Ireland/Ulster), Arnaud Héguy (Biarritz), Jackson Willison (New Zealand/Auckland Blues), Xavier Mignot (Bourgoin), Charl McLeod (South Africa/Sharks), Mahamadou Diaby (Oyonnax), Rory Grice (New Zealand/Waikato), Rémy Hugues (Dax), Ross Skeate (South Africa/Agen), Jono Owen (New Zealand/Queensland Reds), Dylan Hayes (New Zealand/Old Boys Marist), Paul Willemse (South Africa/Bulls).
Going out: Shaun Sowerby (South Africa, retired), Blair Stewart (New Zealand/Bayonne), Franck Corrihons (coach), Olly Barkley (England/Scarlets), Matthieu Nicolas (no club), Vincent Campo (Pau), Kenan Mutapcic (BIH/Nevers), Romain David (Dax), Eudi Coetzee (South Africa/retired), Rida Jaouher (retired), Cyril Veyret (Tarbes), Andrew Farley (Australia/retired), Shane O’Leary (Ireland/Connacht), Nicolas Bezy (Brive), Mathieu Loree (Lyon), Cedric Beal (Mont-de-Marsan), Altestadt Hulme (Saint-Nazaire), Florian Lescadieu (Aix-en-Provence), Roland Bernard (South Africa/Libourne), Dan Palmer (Australia/retired), Gregory Fabro (Aurillac), Olivier Chaplain (Massy)
La Rochelle
Coming in: Romana Graham (New Zealand/Exeter Chiefs/ENG), Jason Eaton (New Zealand/NTT Shinning/JPN), Benoît Guyot (Biarritz), Jone Qovu (Fiji/Racing-Metro), Peter Grant (South Africa/Stormers), Jean-Pascal Barraque (Toulouse), Alofa Alofa (Australia/Warathas/Australia), Vincent Pelo (Bourgoin), Thomas Synaeghel (Biarritz), Benoit Bourrust (Cardiff Blues/WAL)
Going out: Stephane Clement (Biarritz), Franck Jacob (retired), Thomas Soucaze (Niort), Clement Marienval (Biarritz), Maxime Le Bourhis (Oyonnax), Christophe Lafoy (Albi), Francois Herry (Albi/loan), Jason Marshall (CAN/Hawkes Bay/New Zealand), Gaetan Guyon (Perpignan), Johannes Wessels (South Africa), Pierre Santallier (Macon)
Lyon
Coming in: Paul Bonnefond (Castres), Stephen Brett (New Zealand/Bayonne), Mickaal De Marco (Montpellier/loan), Fabrice Estebanez (Racing-Metro), Emmanuel Felsina (Toulon), Deon Fourie (South Africa/Stormers), Karim Ghezal (Racing-Metro), Pierrick Gunther (Toulon/loan), Mathieu Loree (Grenoble), Charles Malet (Narbonne), Vincent Martin (Toulon), Sakiusa Matadigo (Fiji/Racing-Metro), Jerome Porical (Stade Francais), Julien Puricelli (Bayonne), George Smith (Australia/Suntory/JPN), Hoani Tui (New Zealand/Exeter/ENG), Horatiu Pungea (ROM/Llanelli/WAL)
Going out: Juan Manuel Leguizamon (retired), Willy Ambaka (retired), Nicolas Bontinck (retired), Thomas Bordes (Mont-de-Marsan), Jerome Bosviel(Bourgoin), Sebastien Chabal (retired), Arthur Dentressangle (Carcassonne), Julien Dumora (Castres), Alipate Fatafehi (Colomiers), Xavier Fiard (retired), Sven Holtzinger (Bourgoin), Jean-Etienne Dimitri (Rodez), Viktor Kolelishvili (Clermont), Jean Sousa (Bourgoin), Laurent Tranier (Angouleme), Nicolas Bergallo (Tarbes), Vinaya Wakanivuga (retired)
Montpellier
Coming in: David Attoub (Stade Francais), Chris King (New Zealand/Highlanders), Pat Cilliers (South Africa/Stormers), Nahuel Lobo (Argentina/Pampas XV), Tom Donnelly (New Zealand/Auckland Blues), Antoine Battut (Racing-Metro), Ben Mowen (Australia/Brumbies),Akapusi Qera (Fiji/Toulouse), Teddy Iribaren (Tarbes), Benjamin Fall (Racing-Metro), Samisoni Viriviri (Fiji)
Going out: Juan Figallo (Argentina/Saracens/ENG), Mickael De Marco (Lyon/loan), Jim Hamilton (SCO/Saracens/ENG), Johnnie Beattie (Scotland/Castres), Mamuka Gorgodze (Georgia/Toulon), Eric Escande (Toulon), Thomas Combezou (Castres/loan), Hamish Gard (New Zealand/La Rochelle), Ilian Perraux (Dax/loan), Yoan Audrin (Racing-Metro), JP Du Plessis (South Africa/Cheetahs), Paul Grant (South Africa,Nottingham/ENG), Paea Fa’anunu (New Zealand/Castres), Barry Faamausili (New Zealand)
Oyonnax
Coming in: Guillaume Bernad (Bayonne), Olivier Missoup (Stade Francais), Maurie Fa’Asavalu (Samoa/Harlequins/ENG), Riaan Smit(South Africa/Cheetahs), Pedrie Wannenburg (South Africa/Castres), Yves Donguy (Toulouse), Soane Tonga’uiha (Tonga/Racing-Metro), Julien Clement (Clermont), Yohan Domenech (Narbonne), Maxime Le Bourhis (La Rochelle), Leon Power (Australia/Brumbies)
Going out: Salim Tebani (retired), Nemia Soqeta (New Zealand/Biarritz), Chad Slade (Samoa/Bourg-en-Bresse), Joe El Abd (England/retired), Scott Newlands (SCO/Carcassonne), Johann Authier (retired), Conrad Barnard (South Africa/retired), Jonathan Traini (Macon), Samu Wara (Fiji), Tikiko Koroivoutu (Fiji), Jonathan Bousquet (Perpignan), Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino (Argentina), Mahamadou Diaby (Grenoble), Erwan Iapteff (Massy)
Racing-Metro
Coming in: Luke Charteris (Wales/Perpignan), Antonie Claassen (Castres), Thibault Dubarry (Biarritz), Johan Goosen (South Africa/Cheetahs), Yoan Audrin (Montpellier), Casey Laulala (New Zealand/Munster), Teddy Thomas (Biarritz), Brice Dulin (Castres)
Going out: Juan Martin Hernandez (Argentina/no club), Virimi Vakatawa (France VII), Benjamin Fall (Montpellier), Fabrice Estebanez (Lyon), Jonathan Wisniewski (Grenoble), Antoine Battut (Montpellier), Masi Matadigo (Fiji/Lyon), Karim Ghezal (Lyon), Jone Qovu (Fiji/La Rochelle), Soane Tonga’uiha (Tonga/Oyonnax)
Stade Francais
Coming in: Sofiane Chellat (Rodez), Adrien Oléon (Clermont), Hugh Pyle (Australia/Melbourne Rebels), Raphael Lakafia (Biarritz), Julien Tomas (Castres), Krisnan Inu (New Zealand/Canterbury Bulldogs)
Going out: Jerome Porical (Lyon), Andrea Cocagi (Fiji/Tarbes), Olivier Missoup (Oyonnax), Anton Van Zyl (South Africa/retired), Benjamin Chabert (Cognac), Michael Van Vuuren (South Africa/Eastern Province Kings), David Attoub (Montpellier)
Toulon
Coming in: Fabien Barcella (Biarritz), Guilhem Guirado (Perpignan), Karim Bougherara (Pau), Alexandre Menini (Biarritz), Romain Taofifenua (Perpignan), Andy Cramond (SCO/Edinburgh), Mamuka Gorgodze (Georgia/Montpellier), Gerhard Vosloo (South Africa/Clermont), Eric Escande (Montpellier), Nicolas Durand (Perpignan), Jimmy Yobo (Aurillac), James O’Connor (Australia/London Irish), Ulupano Seuteni (Australia/Reds), Leigh Halfpenny (Wales/Cardiff), Paul Stridgeon (England/trainer)
Going out: Emmanuel Felsina (Lyon), Benjamin Noirot (Biarritz), Danie Rossouw (South Africa/retired), Joe Van Niekerk (South Africa/retired), Pierrick Gunther (Lyon/loan), Jonny Wilkinson (England/retired), Alexis Palisson (Toulouse), Vincent Martin (Lyon), Steve Walsh (trainer/ENG/London Irish)
Toulouse
Coming in: Toby Flood (England/Leicester), Corey Flynn (New Zealand/Crusaders), Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz), Alexis Palisson (Toulon), Neemia Tialata (New Zealand/Bayonne)
Going out: Jean-Pascal Barraque (La Rochelle), Lionel Beauxis (Bordeaux), Bastien Chalureau (Perpignan), Yves Donguy (Oyonnax), Antoine Guillamon (Oyonnax), Yohan Montes (Castres)