All Blacks and Los Pumas hookers Asafo Aumua and Julian Montoya are attracting the interest of several Top 14 clubs – per reports from Midi Olympique.
The duo both featured in the Rugby Championship for their respective countries, with Montoya skippering Argentina to historic wins over Australia and South Africa in the process.
Test duo linked with Top 14 move
French clubs are no strangers to the Premiership market, with the likes of Owen Farrell, Mako Vunipola, Kyle Sinckler and Lewis Ludlam all heading over the Channel this summer, but Montoya could be the latest one to make the move with Midi Olympique reporting he is being courted by a handful of sides in the top division.
The experienced hooker has become a key player for Leicester since his arrival in 2021, and has gone onto make 59 appearances for the club. He also helped them to win the Premiership title in 2022. Despite his significance, he is out of contract at the end of the season and could be set to leave the club.
Montoya isn’t the only high profile name set to leave Mattioli Woods Welford Road at the end of the season, with Handre Pollard also out of contract at the end of the season.
Springboks veteran Handre Pollard set to depart Premiership giants as international replacement lined up – report
Elsewhere, Aumua is also reportedly attracting the interest of several clubs in France, with Bordeaux the ones leading the charge. Romain Latterrade is out of contract with the table-toppers at the end of the season, so they are in the market for a new number two if they cannot tie down the former Mont-de-Marsan man.
This would be a slightly harder deal, however. The 27-year-old has just worked his way back into the All Blacks Test squad after an extended period out of the side, and a move to France would also curtail any international ambitions for the foreseeable future – as happened with Leicester Fainga’anuku.
Hookers in demand in France
It isn’t just Bordeaux who are in the market for a hooker, with Midi Olympique reporting Castres, Lyon and Clermont could all be in need of reinforcements in this department, with their current options nearing the ends of their deals.
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