PREM Rugby transfers: Bath line up Rhys Carre to replace Beno Obano, Ollie Sleightholme’s Northampton future in doubt, the truth about Bristol’s swoop for Beauden and Scott Barrett and Gloucester eye new deals for key trio, reveals NIK SIMON
The early timing of Beno Obano’s decision to leave Bath for France next summer has created a domino effect in the market for loosehead props.
Obano has agreed a two-year contract with Pau from July 2027, allowing Bath plenty of time to find a replacement for the 31-year-old, who won the most recent of his five England caps against South Africa in July but has now put any Test prospects on hold with his move to the Top14.
Welshman Rhys Carre is the front-runner to replace Obano at The Rec. Carre has a break clause in his contract with Saracens and a transfer to the West Country would move him closer to his family in Cardiff.
Carre, 28, has 31 caps for his country and joined Sarries from Cardiff for the second time two years ago having spent one season in north London in 2019-20.
Wallaby veteran Angus Bell has also been touted around PREM clubs, with the 60-cap Australian exploring a move back to the northern hemisphere after next year’s home World Cup.
England prop Bevan Rodd is expected to re-sign with Sale Sharks, while the likes of Val Rapava-Ruskin at Gloucester, and Bristol duo Max Lahiff and Jake Woolmore, are also coming off contract.
Beno Obano’s decision to leave Bath for Pau next summer has set the wheels in motion in the prop market
Wales prop Rhys Carre is the frontrunner to replace Obano at Bath, where he would be closer to his family in Cardiff
Sleightholme slipping away from Saints?
Northampton wing Ollie Sleightholme’s eight-year tenure at Franklin’s Gardens could be coming to an end.
The prolific winger is out of contract in the summer and there are fears he could follow in the footsteps of club stalwart George Furbank, who joined Harlequins in the summer. The pair won two PREM titles together at Saints and went on to represent England.
Young back-three stars Edoardo Todaro, 20, and James Pater, 19, are both rising up the ranks in the East Midlands and will command pay rises that stretch the club’s playing budget. Sleightholme, who has eight England caps and is competing for selection with Tommy Freeman and George Hendy, is already being discussed at rival PREM and French clubs.
Exeter Chiefs winger Paul Brown-Bampoe, Leicester’s Ollie Hassell-Collins and Bath’s Joe Cokanasiga are also up for renewal, which could create movement in the back-three market.
Prolific try-scorer Ollie Sleightholme could be set to leave Northampton Saints after eight years in the East Midlands
Sleightholme has come under pressure for his place from 19-year-old rising star James Pater
Burke shuns Edinburgh
Fergus Burke is set to turn down the opportunity to move to Scotland and extend his contract with Saracens.
Edinburgh were keen to sign the fly-half, who is understudy to Finn Russell in the Scottish national team.
Burke’s signature is a key one for Saracens, with fellow playmaker Owen Farrell gradually transitioning into coaching.
Centre Olly Hartley is expected to be offered a new contract at the club, while the future of new No8 Alfie Barbeary is also being discussed already. Barbeary only signed a one-year contract with an option to extend – having reluctantly left Bath over the summer.
Edinburgh wanted to bring Scotland back-up fly-half Fergus Burke north of the border but he has committed his future to Saracens
Saracens are also trying to tie down new arrival Alfie Barbeary, who only signed a one-year deal this summer when arriving from Bath
Van der Merwe on the move
Scotland’s British and Irish Lions winger Duhan van der Merwe is likely to move overseas.
The 31-year-old has been one of Scotland’s best performers in recent years – not least in Calcutta Cup matches, where he has put the fear of God into England with seven tries against them – but his contract with Edinburgh is expiring.
Sources close to the club claim Van der Merwe is likely to move to Japan or France, where he could command a significantly larger contract.
The South African-born wing joined Edinburgh from Montpellier nine years ago, with a year at Worcester in 2021-22 before they went bust. He has 34 tries in 54 Scotland caps and has played in three Lions Tests across the last two tours.
Duhan van der Merwe is set to leave Edinburgh this summer, with Japan or France a likely destination
Gloucester looking to tie down key trio
Gloucester’s new head of recruitment Rob Burgess is in negotiations to extend the contracts of Seb Atkinson, Will Joseph and Will Trenholm.
Atkinson and Joseph have been the league’s in-form midfield combination this season – with Joseph set to be rewarded with an England A call-up next week.
Flanker Trenholm has also impressed and the club are looking at improving his terms, with director of rugby George Skivington handing negotiation duties over to Burgess.
‘Thankfully I’m not as involved in it now,’ Skivington told Daily Mail Sport. ‘I’m now involved at the start of the process where I say, “Yeah, go and talk to them” and then I come in at the end and say, “Yeah, let’s get it done”. Rob’s in the middle of that.
‘We’re working hard to retain and recruit but we’re pretty happy with where we are. You work on retention first and then you know how much money you have to spend on other positions.’
Hooker Seb Blake is also out of contract. He has dropped behind new skipper Dewi Lake in the pecking order and is understood to be attracting interest from Leicester.
The truth about Bristol’s Barretts swoop
Rumours about a double swoop for Beauden and Scott Barrett have been circling around the Bristol Bears changing room.
The All Blacks pair are both out of contract, as revealed by Daily Mail Sport last month, and their services have been pitched to clubs across Europe.
However, one source claimed the club may only be able to afford one of the siblings.
Beauden is likely to be the main target, given No10 AJ McGinty is reaching the end of his contract.
Kiwi back-row Braydon Iose has also been offered to the club, with No8 Bill Mata yet to renew terms.
All Black legends Scott (left) and Beauden Barrett are out of contract
Hearn making waves in Monaco
Eddie Hearn’s plans to get more involved in rugby have taken a step forward after the promoter hosted rugby execs in Monaco.
PREM Rugby CEO Simon Massie-Taylor flew down to meet Hearn in the South of France, where the boxing bigshot hosts guests on his luxury yacht. Daily Mail Sport understands the initial meeting was positive and PREM Rugby are keen to get Hearn’s Matchroom agency involved in the domestic competition.
Hearn said last month: ‘If we’re going to move more into rugby, I think it’s at a deeper level. We come in and we reorganise and reinvent sports. That’s what we do. It’s not about PREM Rugby saying, “Eddie, do you want to be a consultant?” I’ve not got time to do that.
‘If we come in, we come in as a partnership with them to blow it up and actually change the sport forever. I know what needs to be done and I don’t even think it’s that tough a job.’
Wade eyes new Newcastle deal
Christian Wade is closing in on the PREM’s try-scoring record and the winger also has his sights set on a new contract with Newcastle Red Bulls.
Christian Wade (left) is closing in on the PREM’s try-scoring record and the winger also has his sights set on a new contract with Newcastle Red Bulls
The 35-year-old, who is only one try behind Chris Ashton’s record of 101, joined the big-spending club on a short-term deal that expires this summer.
The club are currently exploring the recruitment market, with rookie All Black winger Fehi Fineanganofo already lined up to join next year.
‘I feel great and I’m still able to contribute,’ Wade told Daily Mail Sport. ‘I’ve been looking for a home – the NFL, Gloucester, Wigan – rather than moving around from club to club. I’ve found the alignment with the Red Bulls.
‘I’m here for the season at the moment and I would love to stay on. It’d be good to extend again so that I can continue contributing to the team and helping them on their journey to being the top team in the world.’
