Top 14 Transfers: Michalak to sign for the Waratahs; Contepomi to reunite with Cheika
26 April 2011
Frédéric Michalak will leave Stade Toulousain and sign for Australia's Waratahs, according to reports in France.
The 28-year-old international stalled on new contract talks with Toulouse as he wanted to play at fly-half, but head coach Guy Noves preferred to use him at scrum-half.
Last week's announcement that Toulouse had signed Australian scrum-half Luke Burgess (from the Waratahs) was widely seen as confirmation that Michalak would leave, and it now appears he will head down under.
Toulouse have also signed All Blacks star Luke McAlister - who can play at centre of fly-half - as well as Stade Francais No 10 Lionel Beauxis.
Michalak is set to confirm his decision on Wednesday.
He had been courted by several French clubs interested in signing him, with Biarritz, Bayonne and Lyon OU all linked to the French international, but the player himself always maintained he would find it difficult to play for another team in France other than Toulouse.
He has previously played in South Africa with Natal Sharks - although injury cut that experience short - and he has made no secret of his desire to give Super 15 rugby another go. Now it seems the Waratahs will fulfill that ambition for him.
Elsewhere, Argentine international Felipe Contepomi is set to leave Toulon for Stade Francais.
The Pumas star has had limited game time since joining Toulon two years ago - primarily as cover for Jonny Wilkinson - and will now re-unite with his former coach at Leinster Michael Cheika.
Contepomi's arrival will plug the fly-half gap left by Lionel Beauxis' summer move to Stade Toulousain, with Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal sanctioning the early release of the Argentine a year ahead of the end of his contract.
Top 14 Transfers for 2011/12
The 33-year-old spent five seasons at Leinster before moving to Toulon in 2009, but his early release could in part be a sweetener to help facilitate the transfer of Mathieu Bastareaud in the other direction.
Toulon should have sufficient cover in the fly-half position with the Cote d'Azur club having already signed Australian international Matt Giteau - who can play at 10 or 12 - as well as young French prospect Julien Dumora from Pau.
Contepomi is not the only player leaving Toulon, with Philippe Saint-André's team once more undergoing a major revamp during the off-season to make way for new arrivals. Another confirmed departure is that of former Wallaby captain George Smith, who is leaving to take up a hugely lucrative contract with Suntory in Japan - where he will be reunited with ex-Australia coach Eddie Jones - while others bidding 'adieu' include Australian centre Mafileo Kefu, Samoan Fotu Auelua (who is joining the Brumbies), Kiwi prop Saimone Taumoepeau (to Castres), former England international Tom May (to Northampton), and winger Clément Marienval (to Montpellier). There is further speculation that Paul Sackey could be leaving as well (possibly to Stade Francais) after failing to impress sufficiently following his move from London Wasps last summer. Little used prop Mehdi Merabet has also recently signed for ProD2 outfit Oyonnax, while first-choice scrum-half Pierre Mignoni is retiring at the end of the season to take up a coaching position with Toulon.
All of these departures will help make room for the growing galaxy of incoming stars with confirmed arrivals so far including Springbok lock Bakkies Botha, Australian centre Giteau, French internationals Alexis Palisson and Sébastien Tillous-Borde, and Welsh prop Eifion Lewis-Roberts. Pau's Dumora has also signed, while Toulon recently announced the capture of England flanker Steffon Armitage from London Irish, although the Exiles remain adamant no deal will be finalized until they have signed a "suitable" replacement.
There is little doubt more big name arrivals will be announced over the coming days and weeks, with the Bastareaud deal reported to be close to completion, while rumours persist that All Blacks sensation Sonny Bill Williams could be set for a return to the club he left just one season ago - on a massively increased salary.
Toulon are further being linked with Williams' former Bulldogs team-mate Willie Mason, who is currently experiencing registration with English rugby league side Hull KR.
In other transfer news, Brive has confirmed four new signings for next season having finally secured their Top 14 status. The Limousin club had already announced that Biarritz duo Yann Fior and Arnaud Mignardi had signed, and they will now be joined by a third player from the Basque club with prop Alexandre Barozzi, 24, agreeing to join.
Other new arrivals include former France Under-21 lock Olivier Caisso (from Colomiers), South African back-rower Petrus Hauman (from Aurillac) and former Queensland Reds flanker Poutasi Luafutu (from Tasman).
English fly-half Shane Geraghty apparently visited the club last week with a view to a possible transfer, but no deal has yet been announced.
Brive's new signings will in part help offset the departures of Fabrice Estebanez (to Racing-Métro), Alexis Palisson (to Toulon), Gerhard Vosloo (to Clermont Auvergne), Shaun Perry (to Worcester Warriors) and Damian Browne (to Leinster).
It has also been reported in the French press that Bayonne are interested in signing England lock Simon Shaw. The 34-year-old is seen as ideal replacement for Ross Filipo, who has signed for Shaw's current club London Wasps.
Relegated Bourgoin, meanwhile, have announced that SCA Albi prop Benjamin Sore, 24, has joined them on a two-year deal.
