Jokers at the ready to cover Test calls
The Rugby Paper|August 09, 2020
Forget a week – the last five days has been a long time in French rugby. Less than a month before the season is due to kick-off, and less than a week before the pre-season friendly calendar begins, there has been plenty to keep watchers of the game in water-cooler conversation.
JAMES HARRINGTON
Jokers at the ready to cover Test calls

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.

This story is from the August 09, 2020 edition of The Rugby Paper.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the August 09, 2020 edition of The Rugby Paper.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM THE RUGBY PAPERView All
Unbeaten Lymm put the Tykes on a leash
The Rugby Paper

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.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 10, 2024
Dramatic late win boosts leaders
The Rugby Paper

Dramatic late win boosts leaders

A LAST-minute converted try saw Tonbridge Juddians snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at Barnes.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 10, 2024
England need to be more consistent
The Rugby Paper

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.

time-read
4 mins  |
November 10, 2024
Cuthbert: Wales have to deliver
The Rugby Paper

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.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 10, 2024
Anyanwu heads the list of star attractions
The Rugby Paper

Anyanwu heads the list of star attractions

TOP 14 transfer speculation is always thoroughly entertaining, and this season has so far been no exception.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 10, 2024
Goldthorp can challenge Kildunne for No.15 spot
The Rugby Paper

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.

time-read
1 min  |
November 10, 2024
Four-try David calls the shots for Bears
The Rugby Paper

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.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 10, 2024
Scott-Young keen to follow his father
The Rugby Paper

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.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 10, 2024
When value for money is not part of the deal
The Rugby Paper

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.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 10, 2024
'I want to prove my worth to Bath'
The Rugby Paper

'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.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 10, 2024