Of all the high-profile English players moving to France - and the Top 14 season starts next weekend for those of you nodding off at the back there - former Sale centre Sam James will prove the biggest success. Or, put it another way, nobody will prove a better signing than the former Sale stalwart.
James' move to Racing, only confirmed right at the end of last season, had gone massively under the radar compared with the likes of Owen Farrell - also now finishing his pre-season at Racing alongside James Courtney Lawes at Brive, Will Collier at Castres, Alex Moon at Bordeaux and the dynamic duo of Kyle Sinckler and Lewis Ludlam who are looking to make some noise at Toulon.
When James announced he was leaving Sale at the end of last season - but before he confirmed any details -I wrongly assumed he would be sought out by an ambitious Pro D2 side as was the case with Provence making George North an offer he couldn't refuse. Or Lawes at Brive where the England and Northampton legend has been tasked with being the Pied Piper figure to lead the Brivistes back to the top flight.
Or perhaps newly promoted Vannes would come in- they could surely benefit from the experience and class of a player like James with his all-court skills.
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Denne historien er fra August 25, 2024-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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