Unlike French football, which awarded the coronavirus-curtailed 2019/20 championship to PSG, rugby bosses have decided there will be no title winners for the first time since the Second World War.
There will also be no promotion or relegation – sighs of relief at Stade Francais and Agen, frustration at Colomiers and Perpignan.
Questions remain over European qualification, while six clubs – Toulouse, Clermont, Racing 92, Bordeaux, Castres and Toulon – still have an interest in the currently-on hold 2019/20 Champions and Challenge Cups.
Coronavirus also hampered moves in the transfer market. French clubs had been relatively quiet, anyway, concentrating on developing homegrown players. Here are the key signings and departures so far.
Agen
Key signing: Full-back Jean-Marcellin Buttin, who’s no mug at centre, wing or fly-half, travels west from Lyon to become the big name among five currently listed new arrivals at Stade Armandie. Still only 28, this particular bold dog has a few tricks left.
Key departure: Fiji international Benito Masilevu is not in the Agen reckoning for next season and joins 14 other players in the departure lounge. No news, yet, on where he could end up.
Bayonne
Key signing: An injury-troubled couple of seasons have seen Gaetan Germain’s nearly unmissable howitzer boot track a little left in recent times. But, on his day, he can still ping them over from more than 50m. A useful addition to Yannick Bru’s squad.
Key departure: Tongan lock-cum-back row Edwin Maka should have a few years in him yet, but, after a season on the Basque coast, his future is currently uncertain. He’s one of 19 departures from Bayonne this summer – and he’s not the only one with nowhere to go.
This story is from the May 03, 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.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 03, 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.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
England can find a little bit of cheer
SO HERE we are on the final day of England’s autumn international series with all of us hoping and expecting Steve Borthwick’s team to win today after three weeks of bitter disappointment.
Stop messing with Marcus - Campese
DAVID Campese believes England are going backwards under Steve Borthwick, who is ‘messing around’ with talisman Marcus Smith.
Being a Lion was the highlight of my career
I PLAYED 19 games and scored 219 points for the Lions, on the tours to South Africa in 1968 and New Zealand in 1971, but I never played in a Test and that was fair enough.
Cook's crew not fazed as they eye tilt at top half
THERE appear to be few signs of second season syndrome at Westcombe Park as captain Nick Cook reveals the group aren’t even contemplating the threat of relegation and are instead targeting a top-half finish.
Forwards pack a punch for the Reds
OLD Redcliffians produced a proud defensive effort to take a bonus-point win.
Tom 'Ailes' the achievements of inspirational skipper Riley
SEDGLEY Park No. 8 Tom Ailes says his team relish the competitive nature of National One and is confident the Tigers can rectify their rocky start to the season in weeks to come.
Strachan confident Ampthill will be firing again soon
FRASER Strachan is determined to put Ampthill’s leaky defensive showings behind them and gain some much needed confidence in the run up to Christmas.
It's a whole new ball game for Rigg
WILL Rigg’s ambition was to become a professional cricketer but it is the oval ball rather than The Oval that is his driver now.
Scarratt leads the way for Lightning
LOUGHBOROUGH won a wet and windy East Midlands Derby after having the bonus point in the bag by half-time.
Becconsall: We need to release pressure
WILL Becconsall says Exeter are not spooked by the threat of relegation as they look to turn around their Premiership campaign after starting with six straight defeats.
