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Two of Clermont's biggest stars are leaving the club
By James Harrington
Scott Spedding and David Strettle will both leave Clermont when their contracts run out at the end of the season, the club's coach Franck Azema has revealed.
"Between the salary cap and the JIFF we must find the right balance for ASM," he told reporters, a comment that was later tweeted from the club's official account.
Spedding, the 31-year-old South African-born French international fullback, joined Clermont in 2015, after three seasons at Bayonne. He was named in France coach Guy Noves' 32-player training squad for the first of the November Tests against the All Blacks on November 11.
He arrived at the club at the same time as David Strettle. The former Saracen had turned down one last shot at an England place to join the Top 14 side, telling then-coach Stuart Lancaster he would not attend a pre-World Cup training camp to head to France.
It is likely that French clubs will jettison more non-JIFF players as increasingly strict quota system takes effect. This season, clubs must field on average at least 14 French-qualified players in every Top 14 match or risk being docked points at the end of the season. They are further allowed to have only 16 overseas players in their 45-strong first team squad.
The double departure is the latest announcement ahead of what is building into an unusual exodus from Clermont, a club that usually has little trouble hanging on to players.
The club has already announced that prop Raphaël Chaume - who is celebrating his first call-up to France colours - will leave for Lyon at the end of the season, while they seem convinced that international winger Noa Nakaitaci is also heading for the exit door.
Rumour in France is that Nakaitaci will follow Chaume to ambitious Lyon.
Clermont will also have to find a replacement for club captain Aurelien Rougerie. The 37-year-old, who has made more than 400 appearances for the club in a career dating back to 1999, will hang up his boots at the end of the season.
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Latest Comments
Can we also show some love for Tane Edmed’s fantastic draw and pass? Put his body on the line and committed the defender before letting go of that pass. Flawless skill.
Go to commentsYou forget this is Rassie Erasmus who is still holding the Springbok keys. Even with Felix Jones orchestrating a really tight RWC SF last year. It still wasn't enough to get England past their particular Springbok Monkey in world cups. The reason is FJ was going off of what they did in 2019 not necessarily adapting to current Springboks. So yes, Australia can get passed England because let's be honest, England have a one track strategy, Springboks do not. Even with rush defense I wouldn't be surprised if Rassie continually tweaks it. Also bear in mind Rassie is happy to sacrifice a few mid year and inter World Cup matches to pin point how opposition plays and how to again tweak strategies to get his Springboks in peak performance for the next World Cup. As much as most teams like to win games in front of them and try to win everything, Rassie always makes sure to learn and train for the greatest showdown International Rugby has to offer. Tbh, most people remember World Cup wins and ignore intermediate losses as a result but will remember also WC losses, Ireland, even if they won games in the interim. So even if games are won against the Springboks, it's likely Rassie is just getting a feel for how opposition is moving and adapt accordingly…in time. For Rassie, a loss is never a loss because he uses it as a chance to learn and improve. Sometimes during a game, again like the England match in last year's Semi Final.
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