Joe Marchant becomes latest England player linked to Top 14 switch

England midfielder Joe Marchant has been strongly linked with a switch to the Top 14 following next year’s World Cup in France. The Harlequins player has currently slipped down the Test selection pecking order under Eddie Jones. After starting the series-opening loss to Australia last July in Perth, the 26-year-old wasn’t picked for the other two tour matches and he was also omitted from the 36-strong squad for last week’s three-day training camp in London.

In the meantime, it has been reported in France that Marchant is said to be in advanced contact with Stade Francais about joining them next season. The Parisians currently have Paul Gustard, Marchant’s ex-Harlequins boss, on their books as defence coach and they are already planning for next season with two of Fabien Galthie’s France team assistants, Laurent Labit and Karim Ghezal, having agreed to take over following the World Cup.

The rugbyrama.fr report read: “In search of a high-level international centre for next season, Stade Francais could find happiness across the Channel in the person of Englishman Joe Marchant. According to our information, the Harlequins player played five times for England in the last Six Nations for England and the capital club are in advanced contact.

“Stade Francais wants to hit hard this autumn. After convincing two of the current coaches of the XV of France, Laurent Labit and Karim Ghezal, to take the coaching reins after the World Cup, the Parisian recruiters are looking for a high-level centre.

“A transfer to France would make Marchant ineligible for England selection but with the reduction in the Premiership salary cap, the temptation to come to the Top 14 is increasingly strong across the Channel.”

Marchant wouldn’t be unfamiliar with a spell overseas if he left England as he spent time at the Super Rugby Blues in New Zealand in early 2020, an adventure he spoke about with RugbyPass last month. “Me and my agent had been speaking about it for a long time about playing Super Rugby and then the opportunity came,” he recalled. “I spoke to the various people I needed to clear it off with and I just asked, ‘What do you think, is this crazy what I am doing?

"I am in and around the England mix at the time and I don’t want to ruin my chances or anything like that’. And yeah, everything to do with it was positive and then Quins were brilliant, they let me go and on the back of that, I signed a deal to stay at the club for another couple of years which I absolutely love. Overall, it was just a great process.

“New Zealand was massive for my development and I’m really pleased. I definitely learned a lot. I feel like I am the same person as before who was loving rugby and just wanting every time I step out on the pitch to personally enjoy it and to put everything I can into the game, but I feel those extra skills I learned out there are just something that has just helped me.”