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England centre confirms his departure to France to join Top 14 club
By Kim Ekin
Harlequins centre and England international Joe Marchant has been confirmed as a signing for Stade Francais and will join the Top 14 club next season.
After ten years with Harlequins, the 13-Test international will depart the club he has been with since joining their academy in 2014.
Marchant has fallen down the pecking order for playing time with England and will join Luke Cowan-Dickie, Jack Willis and Sam Simmonds as the latest England players to link with the Top 14.
The 26-year-old started against Australia in the first test of the July tour but was overlooked for the remaining two Tests.
The move will put Marchant's international career on hold as he will be ineligible for selection playing offshore in France.
The Parisian club adds Marchant to their stable of outside backs that includes former Wasps winger Paolo Odogwu and former Wallaby Sefa Naivalu.
Marchant said: “I am very proud and grateful to have been part of Harlequins for the last 10 years. I’ve made some amazing memories on and off the field and made great friends along the way. This club has been a home to me and will always have a place in my heart.
“The time has come for me to depart the Club and I am excited for my next challenge ahead. I will make the most of every moment for the rest of this season proudly wearing my Quins shirt.
“Thank you for all the support!”
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Latest Comments
No he's just limited in what he can do. Like Scott Robertson. And Eddie Jones.
Sometimes it doesn't work out so you have to go looking for another national coach who supports his country and believes in what he is doing. Like NZ replacing Ian Foster. And South Africa bringing Erasmus back in to over see Neinbar.
This is the real world. Not the fantasy oh you don't need passion for your country for international rugby. Ask a kiwi, or a south african or a frenchman.
Go to commentsDont complain too much or start jumping to conclusions.
Here in NZ commentators have been blabbing that our bottom pathway competition the NPC (provincial teams only like Taranaki, Wellington etc)is not fit for purpose ie supplying players to Super rugby level then they started blabbing that our Super Rugby comp (combined provincial unions making up, Crusaders, Hurricanes, etc) wasn't good enough without the South African teams and for the style SA and the northern powers play at test level.
Here is what I reckon, Our comps are good enough for how WE want to play rugby not how Ireland, SA, England etc play. Our comps are high tempo, more rucks, mauls, running plays, kicks in play, returns, in a game than most YES alot of repetition but that builds attacking skillsets and mindsets. I don't want to see world teams all play the same they all have their own identity and style as do England (we were scared with all this kind of talk when they came here) World powerhouse for a reason, losses this year have been by the tiniest of margins and could have gone either way in alot of games. Built around forward power and blitz defence they have got a great attack Wingers are chosen for their Xfactor now not can they chase up and unders all day. Stick to your guns its not far off
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