The ears of nearly 100 out-of-contract players in France pricked on Monday as the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) announced clubs can sign two extra players on short term contracts as cover for France call-ups during the extended end-of-year international window.
In a normal season, professional clubs in France can add a maximum of two so-called ‘additional players’ to their squads. These new, one-off ‘international jokers’, whose initial contracts cannot run beyond December 20, 2020, can then sign longer-term deals, which will not be considered part of the additional player limit.
In theory, that means clubs could sign up to four additional players this season, as long as they remain within the salary cap.
There’s plenty of Top 14 experience looking for a club, with close to 100 players currently out of work – including Tongan international Edwin Maka, Ulster flyer Rory Scholes, South African centre Robert Ebersohn, France international Maxime Mermoz, hooker Jean-Charles Orioli, and injury-plagued winger Benjamin Fall.
Fall had been expected to join Beziers as part of the Emirati takeover of the club, but was left without a job to go to after the deal collapsed.
The LNR had earlier threatened to sue World Rugby over player release and the extended international window, which will run from late-October to December 5. In its statement, it repeated its criticism of the ‘unbalanced and unilateral’ decision to create a window that allows for six international weekends, when it had previously – and unilaterally – decided to allow for a five-week one.
Esta historia es de la edición August 09, 2020 de The Rugby Paper.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición August 09, 2020 de The Rugby Paper.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Unbeaten Lymm put the Tykes on a leash
LYMM maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign, taking the major scalp of Leeds Tykes and ending the visitors' unblemished start.
Dramatic late win boosts leaders
A LAST-minute converted try saw Tonbridge Juddians snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at Barnes.
England need to be more consistent
I WAS at last week's game against the All Blacks and as much as I enjoyed my first visit to the stadium since the Six Nations, I couldn't help noticing a different attitude of those in control of the stadium's notification system which puts out messages to the crowd.
Cuthbert: Wales have to deliver
ALEX Cuthbert says the pressure on Wales is huge ahead of their opening Autumn Nations Series game against Fiji today.
Anyanwu heads the list of star attractions
TOP 14 transfer speculation is always thoroughly entertaining, and this season has so far been no exception.
Goldthorp can challenge Kildunne for No.15 spot
LOUGHBOROUGH Lightning head coach Nathan Smith is backing Fran Goldthorp to compete with Ellie Kildunne, right, for England's No.15 jersey.
Four-try David calls the shots for Bears
MILLIE David helped Bristol blow Leicester away after scoring four of their 10 tries at Welford Road.
Scott-Young keen to follow his father
TYPICAL of most Australians, Scott-Young Angus has fairly sunny disposition and the loose forward is confident that Saints can soon start to turn things around on the road.
When value for money is not part of the deal
ENGLAND'S bench strategy against New Zealand - goodbye \"bomb squad\", hello \"squib squad\"-has been investigated, psychoanalysed, convicted on all charges and mercilessly sentenced by the entire rugby world and its maiden aunt, so there is no earthly point in returning to the scene of the crime.
'I want to prove my worth to Bath'
OUT-OF-FAVOUR winger RuBath aridh McConnochie is hoping to use the Premiership Cup to lay down a challenge to Johann van Graan and make his selection claims impossible to ignore.
