Montpellier unveil signings for 2015/2016

[TRF_heineken]

My first post in the French Top 14 section!!

Montpellier has unveiled their new signings for the coming season:

Schalk van der Merwe (Lions, prop)
Demetri Catrakilis (Stormers, flyhalf)
Jacques du Plessis (Bulls, loose forward/lock)
Cameron Wright (Sharks, scrumhalf/flyhalf)
Wiaan Liebenberg (Bulls, loose forward)
Paul Willemse (Grenoble, lock)
Jacobie Adriaanse

The above are all South Africans, who will join Pat Cilliers and Robert Ebersohn already at the club.

Nic White (Brumbies, scrumhalf)
Jesse Mogg (Brumbies, fullback)
Julien Malzieu (Clermont Auvergne, wing)
Marvin O'Connor (Bayonne, wing)
Seveci Nakailagi (Fiji, wing).

http://www.montpellier-rugby.com/news/les-recrues-de-20152016 & http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Montpellier-unveil-SA-signings-20150528

So Jake White has released only one South African (Wynand Olivier) and bought 7. And he has released a lot of French players and only bought 1 new french player.

So Montpellier will basically become the Safacens team for the French Top 14?

 

[Tony Manx]

Welcome!!

It has been known for some time that White, obviously with the owner's blessing, was going this route!

Be interested to see how they fit all this in with match squad quotas!!

The biggest thing for them next season has to be having FTD back fully fit! They always are a far better team with rather than without him!

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Interesting signings by White/Montpol

Some of them are obviously classy players while others I expect will be fringe/back-up/development players.

I've been frustrated at times with Catrakilis at the Stormers but I feel he will fit White's game plan to a tee and that is why I was frustrated that we didn't take Jake White on when he made it clear he wanted to come to Cape Town (I understand the management not wanting to upset the apple cart though as Jake has a reputation for up and leaving at the drop of the hat) and Cat's ~98% accuracy with the boot will come in handy in the tight Top14 rugby games.

White, Mogg, Malzieu, Catrakilis all fit White's low-error percentage game plan coupled with big forwards in Liebenberg, Willemse and Du Plessis who're all very young and with a lot of rugby still in them. Pace on the wings and mobile props who can get involved in general play. Classic White. I think his style of rugby will fit the Top 14.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Welcome!!

It has been known for some time that White, obviously with the owner's blessing, was going this route!

Be interested to see how they fit all this in with match squad quotas!!

The biggest thing for them next season has to be having FTD back fully fit! They always are a far better team with rather than without him!

Thanx Tony,

I don't get a chance to watch much of the Top 14, But I recently upgraded my sports package for my TV subscription, and I see that I will get a chance to see extended highlights of some of the games If I can't catch it live.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Being a South African supporter must be really ****e sometimes.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Being a South African supporter must be really ****e sometimes.

The weak Rand and political situation is an issue. Our rugby players leaving en masse is the least of it though. At least in my view it is.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Being a South African supporter must be really ****e sometimes.

It has it's moments.

It has to be better than supporting a team that hasn't yet won the World Cup though.

But I don't have a problem with the exodus of players. I see it that South Africa gets their proffessional pool of players to increase, while the other countries who buy's these guys just decreases their own local pool.

Our guys get's treated like kings, and they smile all the way to the bank. And the benefit of this is that the bigger the pool, the stronger the competition, and the better it will be for the Springboks.

But with all this, our Government and our Currency is still the biggest issues in not fielding the strongest or best team every game...

 

[FrenchFan]

Gr8t. We'll have a South-African franchise à la Super XV in the league.

MOntpellier have regressed under Jake White. He doesn't know how to coach a French side so he might as well recruit back home. Francois Trinh Duc had better learn Afrikaans over the summer

Firing Galthié was a mistake IMO. It was a knee-jerk reaction. Poor crisis management by the president.

If Toulouse had fired Noves for every crisis we faced, we would never have won 4 European cups and 11 boucliers.

Mourad's dream of a club Champions league cup is unexpectedly taking shape, we won't need to invite them for separate fixtures, they're here already!!

 

[TRF_heineken]

Gr8t. We'll have a South-African franchise à la Super XV in the league.

MOntpellier have regressed under Jake White. He doesn't know how to coach a French side so he might as well recruit back home. Francois Trinh Duc had better learn Afrikaans over the summer

Firing Galthié was a mistake IMO. It was a knee-jerk reaction. Poor crisis management by the president.

If Toulouse had fired Noves for every crisis we faced, we would never have won 4 European cups and 11 boucliers.

Mourad's dream of a club Champions league cup is unexpectedly taking shape, we won't need to invite them for separate fixtures, they're here already!!

Well I think 2 things could happen:

1. Jake could do the same as what happened at Saracens, and build a team that becomes a dominant force in the French Top 14. or
2. Jake could fail miserably, have Montpellier relegated and lose his job.

Jake isn't the type of coach that likes to float in the middle, it's either win or bust with him.

 

[FrenchFan]

Well I think 2 things could happen:

1. Jake could do the same as what happened at Saracens, and build a team that becomes a dominant force in the French Top 14. or
2. Jake could fail miserably, have Montpellier relegated and lose his job.

Jake isn't the type of coach that likes to float in the middle, it's either win or bust with him.

He could do very well indeed. I was just saying with the current squad he had he's struggled but in fairness he came in in difficult circumstances. With a renewed squad of players he knows better it could be different all right.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Gr8t. We'll have a South-African franchise à la Super XV in the league.

MOntpellier have regressed under Jake White. He doesn't know how to coach a French side so he might as well recruit back home. Francois Trinh Duc had better learn Afrikaans over the summer

Firing Galthié was a mistake IMO. It was a knee-jerk reaction. Poor crisis management by the president.

If Toulouse had fired Noves for every crisis we faced, we would never have won 4 European cups and 11 boucliers.

Mourad's dream of a club Champions league cup is unexpectedly taking shape, we won't need to invite them for separate fixtures, they're here already!!

It's only 9 South Africans the majority of which won't probably feature in the run-on XV apart from injury/rotation. That's not such a stretch from the 5/6 Racing regularly field in the starting XV.

Brace yourself for moe of us coming in though. Just have a look at the Junior Springbok team that'll play in Italy and you'll see what I mean. It is a free market and our boys are good value for money.

Next step is a bunch of our businessmen getting together or just one rogue bilionaire buying a French club as a playground. Nice would be nice.

If it were me I'd go full on French Huguenot (direct surname only) with bonus points if your name is Frans/Francois:

1 Thomas du Toit
2 Bismarck du Plessis
3 Frans Malherbe
4 Pieter-Steph du Toit
5 Jacques du Plessis
6 Francois Louw
7 Pieter Labuschagne
8 Bernard le Roux
9 Fourie du Preez
10 Robert du Preez / Lionel Cronje/ Riaan Viljoen.. who am I missing? Bit of a soft spot here..
11 SP Marais
12 Jean de Villiers
13 Jaque Fourie
14 Paul Jordaan
15 Willie le Roux

Not too shabby and man, that felt good- it's been too long since my last totally pointless XV!

 

[FrenchFan]

It's only 9 South Africans the majority of which won't probably feature in the run-on XV apart from injury/rotation. That's not such a stretch from the 5/6 Racing regularly field in the starting XV.

Brace yourself for moe of us coming in though. Just have a look at the Junior Springbok team that'll play in Italy and you'll see what I mean. It is a free market and our boys are good value for money.

No problem. If Jake White stays in the job he has to be able to recruit the players he wants to work with next season. This is paramount to any head coach's success.

 

[TRF_heineken]

I'm happy for Wiaan Liebenberg. His brother, who is the U/20 captain and a mountain of a man, is his direct opposition for the Bulls' team, and I can see why the coaches pick his brother ahead of him.

 

[Feicarsinn]

It has it's moments.

It has to be better than supporting a team that hasn't yet won the World Cup though.

But I don't have a problem with the exodus of players. I see it that South Africa gets their proffessional pool of players to increase, while the other countries who buy's these guys just decreases their own local pool.

Our guys get's treated like kings, and they smile all the way to the bank. And the benefit of this is that the bigger the pool, the stronger the competition, and the better it will be for the Springboks.

But with all this, our Government and our Currency is still the biggest issues in not fielding the strongest or best team every game...

Oi! I wasn't having a go, I was actually sympathizing you cheecky ****. Being an Irish rugby supporter is the sporting equivalent of being bipolar, ups and downs.

Yeah, I can get the reasoning behind your argument. When Sexton went to France a lot of people were looking for a silver lining in that Madigan would get a lot more game time and the same must be true en masse for the South African franchises. However, with the continued exodus and the introduction of another Super Rugby side is the quality of the domestic sides not dropping petty highly compared to where it was a few years ago?

 

[TRF_heineken]

Oi! I wasn't having a go, I was actually sympathizing you cheecky ****. Being an Irish rugby supporter is the sporting equivalent of being bipolar, ups and downs.

Yeah, I can get the reasoning behind your argument. When Sexton went to France a lot of people were looking for a silver lining in that Madigan would get a lot more game time and the same must be true en masse for the South African franchises. However, with the continued exodus and the introduction of another Super Rugby side is the quality of the domestic sides not dropping petty highly compared to where it was a few years ago?

Only time will tell.

I think people who are currently degrading our Franchises and the quality of our players and teams are very shortsighted.

I think all the franchises are getting their structures in place to become stronger and better. Teams have been flirting with more "attractive" playing styles which was unheard of in the past.

All of this are minor things that will soon pay off. We can't expect it to pay off in a year or 3, but more long term in about 5-10 years.

But what hasn't been mentioned as much is our amateur/semi-pro structures, and how it has grown the past 3 years thanx to sponsorship deals and a national tournament.

My hometown used to have only 2-3 local club teams, and this year we had 6. One of which is a rural-ish team from the township about 5km away, who got funding from the local municipality.

I think the 6th franchise will struggle a lot in the beginning, but as the structures gets better and the region gets more proffessional players, it will become a very strong franchise, like the old EP Elephants used to be who produced a springbok-great like Danie Gerber.

It also houses one of the top rugby high schools in the country, Grey College Port Elizabeth. And along with NMMU's varsity cup team (who is now a regular and competitive team in the premier division) will have a good influx of players.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I think the problem with our domestic rugby is not quality as much as it is a lack in continuity and a shortage of experience.

It takes a team 2 or 3 years together to really gel and our teams just aren't getting continuity in terms of the players we are fielding. With even our 20 year olds pushing off now I am not sure what we have to do to stem the tide.

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I think the problem with our domestic rugby is not quality as much as it is a lack in continuity and a shortage of experience.

It takes a team 2 or 3 years together to really gel and our teams just aren't getting continuity in terms of the players we are fielding. With even our 20 year olds pushing off now I am not sure what we have to do to stem the tide.

 

[gaston le gaff]

this all makes very interesting reading, first and foremost Jake White inherited the Montpellier team in Jan when he arrived after the suspension of Galthie, who is still affliaated to the club but suspended.
So he had to do what he could with a team that was having enormous problems off the field as well as on the field, but the interior problems were far greater and had been going on for over a year, and when the sh** hit the fan we all knew it was going to happen it was more when than how, but we had to keep quiet for obvious reasons.
As for the signings i have known about most for several weeks, and its obvious Jake is moulding his own team to bring success if possible, i work with him on a regular basis and see why he wants these type of players. Most of the players he has signed are young and have great potential, unlike for eg Toulon who are mostly ex International players and household names. French rugby is changing whether it be for the good or because this is progress, who knows!!! you either love it or are against it, but as most of you all know there is a salary cap and what is called the Jiff, players either French or foreign players who have come through the Ecole de rugby and French academies before 21 yo.. the cap is 10 million and the Jiff is 55% of 23 players on the team sheet.
While there are large amounts of cash avaiable from owners and excellent sponsorship and club parteners, the teams will always be looking to restrenghen their squads, unfortunatly this is very difficult for the young French players coming through as they get little chance of showing their worth but things are changing in these areas as loaning is become more popular especially with the younger players.
Montpellier is and will be next season a team with great Jake White influence, he is a winner and of course from day one next season there are no hiding places and if it does not work he will be held responsible, but i think he needs to be given a fair chance and i'm sure he will suceed given enough time. French club rugby in the Top 14 and even Pro D2 is no longer what it used to be, i played for 12 years for the same french club and the identity was the club, and all who were associated with that club. Today a totally different story, but with a rugby that is known world wide and valued immensely, just one reason amongst many why France attracts both young and older players from afar.

 

[TRF_heineken]

unfortunatly this is very difficult for the young French players coming through as they get little chance of showing their worth but things are changing in these areas as loaning is become more popular especially with the younger players.

But I wonder how these young French guys would feel when Jake buys guys like Liebenberg, Willemse, Du Plessis and Wright, who are all younger than 23.

 

[Tony Manx]

Next step is a bunch of our businessmen getting together or just one rogue bilionaire buying a French club as a playground. Nice would be nice.

Biarritz would be better!!!!

 

[gaston le gaff]

But I wonder how these young French guys would feel when Jake buys guys like Liebenberg, Willemse, Du Plessis and Wright, who are all younger than 23.

This is not a problem at Montpellier as we have just let go nearly all our young players who have played first team rugby this season or last the only two left are Berard and Galletier.

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Biarritz would be better!!!!

I think Stormer was talking about an elite TOP 14 CLUB NOTHING IN THE LOWER ECHELONS