Smith heads to Montpellier

Leicester and England centre Ollie Smith will join Top 14 club Montpellier next season, according to the Leicester Mercury.

Leicester and England centre Ollie Smith will join Top 14 club Montpellier next season, according to the Leicester Mercury.

The 25-year-old, who has been subject of transfer speculation for some time, has scored 38 tries for the Tigers in 180 appearances over his eight-year tenure at the club.

Smith, who has also found a first-team spot hard to come by this season and has struggled with a chest injury, cited the need for a 'new challenge' as his reason for leaving.

“I needed a new challenge and I needed to get away from Leicester,” said the England and Lions star.

“I supported this club as a boy, have enjoyed my time here and made many great friends.

“I have been lucky enough to play with the likes of Martin Johnson, Neil Back and Richard Cockerill – all legends at this club. But now is the right time to leave. Montpellier is a bit different from Leicester, that's for sure. They have a brand new stadium and their training facilities are as good as Tigers.

“They have got a lot of money and are trying to spend it wisely to keep building the club. They have good young players like Louis Picamoles (flanker) and Francois Trinh-Duc (fly-half), and have a great junior set-up along with a women's team and a veterans team. It's a real family club – a bit like joining the Vipers or Leicester Forest – only their first team is in the Top 14.

“Montpellier has a big infrastructure with a lot of investment having gone into it. There's a big student population. It is very vibrant, hip and trendy, and I will be living and training by the beach.

“It will obviously be a big culture shock having lived in Leicester for so long, but I have been to France on holiday and have really enjoyed it.

“After eight years as a player at Leicester, I am just after something completely different. I was always going to leave at the end of this season and I needed a complete change.

“I thought about going to Gloucester but that would have been too similar. I am looking forward to learning a new language, a new culture and getting used to a new way of life.”