Former England captain Owen Farrell headlines the ten Top 14 recruitment flops list published by a respected French publication.
Farrell stepped away from international rugby ahead of the 2024 Six Nations and with his contract expiring with Saracens, the playmaker opted to make the move from his boyhood club to join French giants Racing 92.
However, his debut season in the Top 14 hasn’t been the box-office treat that many expected with the Parisian club struggling in the league and started the new year in ninth position.
Injury impacts Farrell’s new adventure
There’s also been speculation of upheaval at the club with reports circulating that Stuart Lancaster could depart, with the former England boss coming out in strong defence of those claims.
Meanwhile, Farrell has not played for the side since early November after he featured in eight of the opening nine rounds of the Top 14, starting each game in the number ten jumper. The 33-year-old has been sidelined with a groin injury that he reportedly played through and is expected to return to action later this month.
Still that has not stopped respected French publication Midi Olympique from ranking him among the top flop signings of the 2024/25 season after five months of the new season.
“The moment the former Saracens playmaker set foot in the Top 14, we were convinced that Racing would have the face of a French champion this year,” an insert on Farrell read.
“And then? Disappointment is always proportional to the admiration we feel, Farrell’s more than neutral performances quickly plunged us into an abyss of dismay. The Londoner is certainly aggressive in the tackle but too slow in attack and, despite his pedigree, preferred to leave the place-kicking to Nolann Le Garrec.”
Siya Kolisi joins five mega-money signings who ‘flopped’ at Racing 92
New signings struggles
Farrell’s labelling as a flop comes after the same publication ranked Springboks captain Siya Kolisi in the same category after his single season in the Top 14 last campaign.
The English playmaker is not the only high-profile signing on the list with former Munster centre Antoine Frisch also making the top ten with the publication stating that he has not “kept the promises born from his recruitment”.
“Clearly, the native of Fontainebleau does not have enough influence on the Var game and he is too timid with the ball in hand to make a real difference on an individual level,” the summation on Frisch read.
Racing 92’s recruitment certainly hasn’t impressed the writers at Midi Olympique with France lock Romain Taofifenua also featuring on the list after a ‘rather mixed’ start to the season after his move from Lyon.
And it is somewhat of a theme for the Parisian clubs with Stade Francais’ Portuguese star Raffaele Costa Storti also making the list after failing to replicate his mind-boggling Pro D2 form last season in the Top 14 which has since resulted in a move from Stade Francais to Castres. The signing of Joe Jonas has also not been a success for Stade Francais after a ‘series of rather neutral performances’.
Pau’s Harry Williams, Montpellier’s Thomas Vincent, Vannes’ Tani Vili and Kitione Kamikamica also make the top ten as does Clermont’s signing of ex-Leinster prop Michael Alaalatoa.
L’Equipe reveals SHOCK Team of the Year with DOUBLE the number of French stars than Springboks
Midi Olympique’s Top 14 2024/25 flop signings
Owen Farrell – Racing 92
Raffaele Costa Storti – Stade Francais
Antoine Frisch – Toulon
Harry Williams – Pau
Thomas Vincent – Montpellier
Romain Taofifenua – Racing 92
Joe Jonas – Stade Francais
Michael Alaalatoa – Clermont
Tani Vili – Vannes
Kitione Kamikamica – Vannes
READ MORE: Ronan O’Gara weighs in on Harry Byrne’s move to Bristol and the risk Leinster are taking
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source link
