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French Top 14

Biggest Signings Of The 2023/24 Top 14 Season

Biggest Signings Of The 2023/24 Top 14 Season

Before the summer arrives, teams in the Top 14 have been dealing in the transfer market, securing new talent for a new season.

May 15, 2023
Biggest Signings Of The 2023/24 Top 14 Season

The end of a season brings new hope for what may come next. It provides an opportunity for teams to revitalise and take stock of where they are and where they want to go.

Once the dust settles and the celebrations subside, attention will turn to the new campaign and the renewed ambitions of a title run which each team in the Top 14 will possess.

To pursue that esteemed league trophy, clubs and their representatives have already set about bringing in star players to strengthen their squads. Some have enlisted big names, while others have invested in foreign imports.

Here we take a look at the biggest transfers of the 2023/24 Top 14 season.

Reece Hodge – Bayonne 

Bayonne were busy in the previous transfer window, and they’ve done much the same this time around, recruiting veteran Australian Reece Hodge, who has 63 international caps to his name. The Wallaby joins Bayonne from the Melbourne Rebels, where he made a name for himself as a versatile back with a hammer of a right foot, giving Bayonne an alternative long-range penalty option.


Federico Mori – Bayonne 

After experiencing a breakthrough year with Bordeaux in 2022, Federico Mori has plateaued a little, with injuries limiting his overall game time. The young Italian will have a shot at a fresh start when he moved to Bayonne in the summer and will add to an already exciting backline which has excelled since their return to the Top 14.


Damian Penaud – Bordeaux Begles 

What is there to say about Damien Penaud that hasn’t already been said? He is without question one of the best wingers in the world, balancing physicality in the tackle with mercurial talent with the ball in hand. Bordeaux have really lucked out with this transfer and will hope Penaud can replicate much of the synergy he has already shown with Matthieu Jalibert at the international level.


Marcos Kremer – Clermont

Clermont are in need of a revamp, and this summer, they have laid bare their intention of refreshing their squad with some high-calibre signings. One of the biggest is the arrival of Argentinian giant Marcos Kremer, who comes from Stade Francais with an appetite for contact and the brute force to deliver in such situations. The 6’5 utility forward will be right at the heart of the Clermont pack, steering it towards a new age.


Mohamed Haouas – Clermont 

The arrival of Mohamed Haouas from Montpellier will give an extra bite to the Clermont scrum. The 29-year-old prop can be a bit of a hot-head, but when his aggression is channelled in the right way, he can offer up a platform at the set piece, which any proficient backline would relish.


Pita-Gus Sowakula – Clermont 

Additional brawn has been added to the Clermont pack with Pita-Gus Sowakula entering the frame. The Chiefs flanker played basketball in his youth and has recently started knocking on the door of the All Blacks squad. His mixture of fitness, dexterity and determination will be a real asset to the Clermont pack and give it a fresh edge at the breakdown.


Folau Fainga’a – Clermont 

Folau Fainga’a will join Haouas in the Clermont front row next season. The Western Force hooker is another towering figure set to enter the Clermont gates and should be a useful piece in the puzzle, given that he has 28 caps for Australia and plenty of experience playing against high-calibre opposition.

Jack Nowell – La Rochelle 

La Rochelle could probably fill an entire backline with high-class wingers, and yet they’ve enlisted the skills of England’s Jack Nowell. It doesn’t take a genius to work out why the physically dominant Exeter Chiefs winger has piqued the interest of Ronan O’Gara. Injuries will be a concern for all parties involved as they have stifled Nowell’s career in recent years, but if fit, there’s no question that he can be a valuable asset to any club in the world.


Vincent Rattez – Lyon 

One signing which may have gone under the radar is Lyon’s acquisition of Vincent Rattez. What the Montpellier winger lacks in stature and international caps, he more than makes up for in steely determination and electric footwork, and his arrival in Lyon will perfectly complement fellow winger and clinical finisher Ethan Dumortier.


Semi Radradra – Lyon 

The magician is returning to France. At least that’s what all the papers should read this summer as Semi Radradra returns to the Top 14, joining Lyon after a few eventful seasons with Bristol Bears. The Fijian flyer is one of the best offloaders in the game, possessing the ability to unlock a defence with one logic-defying pass. Oppositions had better start preparing for the return of Radradra.


Sam Simmonds – Montpellier 

With Zach Mercer set to leave in the summer, Montpellier have brought in Sam Simmonds as his replacement. The unusually fast back-rower will give Montpellier an extra weapon to use in attack, carrying a reputation as a prime try-scorer. Montpellier already knows this after being on the receiving end of his try-scoring prowess in the Champions Cup earlier this year.


Zack Henry – Stade Francais 

Since arriving in France, Zack Henry has slowly cultivated a reputation as being a steady starting ten. His efficiency and precision off the tee for Pau have clearly caught the eye of Stade Francais, who are seeking an alternative to the mid-range talents of Joris Segonds. Henry will have to adapt to the better pool of players at his disposal, swapping a relegation-threatened side for a title contender.


Joe Marchant – Stade Francais 

Long-standing servant of Harlequins Joe Marchant has decided to temporarily call time on his England career with a shock move to Paris. The centre is still in the prime of his career and has much to offer Stade Francais, who are receiving a real livewire, capable of playing on the wing when needed. Marchant is a distributor at heart but feels just as comfortable storming into contact or securing a high ball.


Joe Simmonds – Pau 

Pau are swapping one English fly half for another, with Exeter Chiefs’ Joe Simmonds set to join the Top 14 strugglers in place of Zack Henry. Pau have spent the last couple of seasons languishing near the bottom of the table and will hope that, with the arrival of a Champions Cup-winning star, their fortunes will improve.


Tommaso Allan – Perpignan 

Whether Perpignan will compete in the Top 14 next season is yet to be determined, but what is confirmed is that Italian flyhalf Tommy Allan will be rocking the club’s badge after the World Cup. There’s nothing too flashy about the way Allan plays his rugby, but that suits Perpignan just fine. The Basque side is desperately in need of a steady hand-calling shot, and with Allan, they have someone who is reliable and experienced at the top level for club and country.


Will Rowlands – Racing 92

Racing have spent the past couple of months doing some serious business in the transfer market. One of their major signings is the Dragons' second row, Will Rowlands. The Wales international has taken his time reaching the top but has shown a real pedigree on the rugby field, and in particular, in the lineout, making him a worthy sidekick for Cameron Woki.

Siya Kolisi – Racing 92 

It’s not every day that you get to sign a World Cup-winning captain. And yet that’s exactly what Racing have been able to achieve as they prepare to welcome Siya Kolisi to La Defense Arena. The South African talisman is a serious addition to a strong pack, and his leadership credentials should give the Parisians a real chance of securing a first Top 14 title since 2016. The Sharks' loss is Racing’s gain.

Josua Tuisova – Racing 92

To complete the hat-trick of huge moves, Racing have also secured the signature of Lyon’s mon-monster Josua Tuisova. Despite reports surfacing that Tuisova is reconsidering the move, the Fijian, if found in Paris next season, will be a prized asset for Racing, folding defenders in half as they scramble to stop his imposing figure.


David Ribbans – Toulon 

Toulon were clearly so impressed with their mid-season coup of Dan Biggar from Northampton Saints that they’ve secured another player from the midlands club ahead of next season. There’s plenty to be excited about the arrival of David Ribbans, a hulking second row who possesses an unrelenting engine and an even more impressive penchant for awesome offloads.


Nepo Laulala – Toulouse 

Toulouse already have an incredible team and so have understandably been relatively quiet in the transfer market. That being said, they have managed to woe Blues tighthead prop Nepo Laulala. He has 41 New Zealand caps which puts him in good stead amongst a side brimming with international talent.


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