Prem exodus: 5 players leaving English top flight for France

Fears abound that the Gallagher Premiership could be set to lose more of its stars as the English top flight struggles to compete with salaries in France.

The salary cap in the Gallagher Premiership is currently set at £5 million while the salary cap in the French Top 14 is currently closer to £9 million. Even with one marquee player allowance, this means that clubs in the Top 14 have the ability to spend significantly more on player salaries than those across the channel.

As a result, Prem clubs are now feeling the pinch and struggling to attract and retain top talent. The fear for Premiership DoRs is that what was once a rare enough phenomenon will become increasingly more common.

Zach Mercer's case study doesn't help matters. When the sometimes England back row upped sticks for France in 2021 at the age of 23, it raised eyebrows.  The gamble has well and truly paid off for the former Bath man, who will play for Gloucester next season and is once again being talked about as an option for England after making a huge impression at Montpellier.

Now, halfway through the season, five international-class players have left or are leaving for the continent.

JACK WILLIS

When Wasps collapsed it was always going to be a reach for the Gallagher Premiership clubs to fit all the Coventry-based side's top talent in under the cap. Willis, arguably one of their biggest names and a player projected to star for England, was scooped up by French giants Toulouse.

DAN BIGGAR

Biggar has already departed Northampton for Toulon, after a mid-season exit was agreed that has seen him swap Franklin's Gardens for the Stade Mayol.  Biggar played 69 times for Saints, scoring 614 points in total. It is understood that Saints' were unable to make Biggar an offer that could compete with the French side.

SAM SIMMONDS

As a player involved in England, Simmonds' exit to Montpellier might have been a bit of a watershed moment. The No.8 is expected to be available for next year’s World Cup but after that will be ineligible to represent his country.

LUKE COWAN-DICKIE

Another Exeter Chief who is upping sticks despite currently fighting it out for England jersey, the hooker is following Simmonds to GGL Stadium and Philippe Saint-André's big spending side. Like Simmonds, Cowan-Dickie will be eligible for next year’s World Cup, but England’s current selection policy for players plying their trade overseas means the Lions' star is unavailable after that tournament.

JOE MARCHANT

Marchant who has been in and out of [the now jettisoned] Eddie Jones' England set-up like a yo-yo in recent years has decided to throw his lot in with Stade Francais. Marchant will depart the club following nine years at The Stoop, after joining the Senior Academy set-up back in 2014.