Top 14 giants enter the race for Manu Tuilagi, forgotten Springbok and All Blacks flyer in mass overhaul
Manu Tuilagi continues to attract interest from French Top 14 teams, and two rival clubs are set to battle it out for his signature.
Perpignan have already been linked with signing Tuilagi, where he would join up with his nephew Posolo Tuilagi and represent the same club his brother Henry did.
However, there is competition for the England and Sale Sharks centre as the Premiership club wishes to retain his services, while Perpignan’s rivals Montpellier are keen to swoop for the powerful back and prize him away.
Montpellier are plotting a mass overturn of their playing squad and are set to release several stars and allow others to negotiate with clubs to secure an early departure.
Montpellier eye Tuilagi and Vunipola
According to a report by L’Equipe, Montpellier director of rugby Bernard Laporte and head coach Patrice Collazo are keen to add Tuilagi to their squad.
The club have reportedly already tabled an offer to the England centre, one that they are “confident” could persuade the 32-year-old.
A move to France would make Tuilagi unavailable to England head coach Steve Borthwick beyond the June internationals, a further blow to the playing stocks with Henry Arundell, Jack Willis, Lewis Ludlam, Kyle Sinckler, and Owen Farrell all set to be plying their trade in France next season.
However, the Montpellier bosses are hedging their bets as they are also lining up a move to sign Fijian Drua star Iosefo Masi in case they do not land Tuilagi’s signature, the report adds. The centre scored nine tries in 14 appearances for the Drua last season and won a gold medal with the Fijians during the 2021 Olympics.
The moves for Tuilagi and Masi come after they missed out on signing Scotland star Huw Jones.
It was also recently reported that Montpellier were one of the clubs that reached out to Zach Mercer following his England snubs. The Englishman represented Montpellier and won the Top 14 with the side before returning to England with Gloucester. While the club reached out to him, it was noted that he did not respond, and Montpellier shifted their focus to Saracens number eight Billy Vunipola.
L’Equipe state that Laporte recently held talks with Vunipola as they plot a rebuild of the club that is still under threat of being relegated to the Pro D2.
Why Scotland star Huw Jones rejected ‘tempting’ French Top 14 offers
Springbok and All Black on Montpellier’s radar
Fly-half Louis Foursans is still under contract until the end of the 2024/25 season, but another report suggests that the club are willing to let him go at the end of the current campaign.
Having already allowed Paolo Garbisi to join Toulon, Montpellier are in the market for another fly-half and L’Equipe reports that three-Test Springbok and Sharks playmaker Curwin Bosch is on their radar.
Bosch has never really fulfilled his potential and could leave Durban to revive his career, with many suggesting that a change of scenery could do the 26-year-old a world of good.
Foursans is not the only player the club is willing to let go with former All Black George Bridge set to depart along with Ben Lam. Bridge has already been linked with a move to Bath to join Johann van Graan’s charges and was also in line for a return to the Crusaders to cover their back-three crisis, but the Canterbury-based side signed Johnny McNicholl instead.
With Lam and Bridge heading out the door, Montpellier are keen to sign All Blacks and Crusaders star Sevu Reece. The winger was a regular starter for Ian Foster but missed the 2023 Rugby World Cup through injury and could well be in the selection mix for Scott Robertson if he opts to remain in New Zealand.
Several reports also state that Titi Lamositele will leave Montpellier and is set to join Premiership outfit Harlequins.
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