2017 Player Contracts

[travelling_gerry]

Francois van Wyk: Northampton Saints sign prop from Western Force
42 minutes ago From the section Rugby Union
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Francois van Wyk
Francois van Wyk is the sixth new arrival for the 2017-18 season at Northampton
Northampton Saints have signed prop Francois van Wyk for the 2017-18 season from Super Rugby side Western Force.

The loose-head has featured 12 times for Force in Super Rugby, having joined them from Western Province in 2014.

Van Wyk, 25, moves to Saints following the departure of Ethan Waller to Premiership rivals Worcester Warriors.

"He's a strong scrummager and still relatively young for a front row forward," Saints director of rugby Jim Mallinder told the club website.

"We believe that Francois has plenty of potential to continue improving and are pleased that he will be joining us at Franklin's Gardens next season."

Northampton had already signed fellow prop Jamal Ford-Robinson for the upcoming season, alongside Rob Horne, Cobus Reinach, Piers Francis and Mitch Eadie.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/39869787

[sandgroperrugby]

Francois van Wyk: Northampton Saints sign prop from Western Force
42 minutes ago From the section Rugby Union
Share this page
Francois van Wyk
Francois van Wyk is the sixth new arrival for the 2017-18 season at Northampton
Northampton Saints have signed prop Francois van Wyk for the 2017-18 season from Super Rugby side Western Force.

The loose-head has featured 12 times for Force in Super Rugby, having joined them from Western Province in 2014.

Van Wyk, 25, moves to Saints following the departure of Ethan Waller to Premiership rivals Worcester Warriors.

"He's a strong scrummager and still relatively young for a front row forward," Saints director of rugby Jim Mallinder told the club website.

"We believe that Francois has plenty of potential to continue improving and are pleased that he will be joining us at Franklin's Gardens next season."

Northampton had already signed fellow prop Jamal Ford-Robinson for the upcoming season, alongside Rob Horne, Cobus Reinach, Piers Francis and Mitch Eadie.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/39869787

Good luck to Francois, unfortunately injury got in the way of consistency of play and progression whilst at the Force.

[chiraag]

Probably the first of many that will head overseas given the uncertainty over next year unfortunately

[GIGS20]

Yeah I was thinking the same way.

We'll see quite a few signings to overseas clubs as the contract window starts to close, the fringe players who aren't getting a regular run will need to secure a job for the future and they are the blokes who are most likely to get the arse if the ARU manages to cut a team.

I would expect this to also happen in the other franchises.

Hopefully he has negotiated a get out clause to be activated at this choice if the Force stay in Super Rugby. I think that would be a smart thing to add to any contract for next year.

[shasta]

....and with the game being a business nowadays, the smart thing for NH recruiters to say is "Do you want the job or not?"

[yungfen]

....and with the game being a business nowadays, the smart thing for NH recruiters to say is "Do you want the job or not?"

Regretfully I think you are 100% right here; I don't see any NH team signing a fringe SR player with such a clause in it so close to the closure of the transfer window. Hopefully we will not lose too many players as I am very confident that we will be here until at least 2020 as per our alliance agreement with the ARU.

[sittingbison]

For those like TWAS that argue the Force cannot sue the FUARU because there isnt any profit involved, I suggest this...losing the players, the essence of the franchise...through this debacle is cause enough.
Imagine the repurcussions if Tahrds lost Foley, Folau, Kepu, Hooper et al because the FUARU mismanaged the contract process.

[JPR]

Originally Posted by Transiting
The Force need to 'sign' a player who will warrant an ARU top up! A public announcement of a player of such stature who wants to sign with the Force will be of major PR significance! Who might be on the list?

The player that Cheika wants is Richard Hardwick. According to the Western Force Line Break 2017 season guide he is to sign his first full contract with the western force in October.(Hopefully this October 2017.)

[GIGS20]

Imagine the repurcussions if Tahrds lost Foley, Folau, Kepu, Hooper et al because the FUARU mismanaged the contract process.

but they aren't going to lose Foley, Folau, Kepu or Hooper, they're going to be losing the likes of Irae Simone and Taquele Naiyavoro, fringe players who are not getting regular time and are good enough to earn a decent living in France or the UK.

I don't think the Suit brigade will whinge any less, they'll make Taquele sound like Izzy Folau when he leaves, but they won't have the heart of their team ripped out (does that team actually have any heart?)

[Alison]

But fear not, Cheika has given his blessing for the Tahs to woo Cooper Cronk. That must be what the ARU meant when they said they would redirect the cost of the 5th franchise to the grass roots....

[yungfen]

Yep so true Alison. They should focus on stopping schoolboy rugby players to move on to play league. The money to lure such a player would keep dozens in Rugby Union! But they will never learn as their heads are full of sh*t....

[sittingbison]

But fear not, Cheika has given his blessing for the Tahs to woo Cooper Cronk. That must be what the ARU meant when they said they would redirect the cost of the 5th franchise to the grass roots....

Can you believe the gall of this, plus "Beale will save the Tahrds" when they are proposing chopping 40 pro contracts, culling a dozen employees, axing 10000 membershios @ $500 each and claiming the Force are sending them broke

[Kalahard]

But fear not, Cheika has given his blessing for the Tahs to woo Cooper Cronk. That must be what the ARU meant when they said they would redirect the cost of the 5th franchise to the grass roots....

Its ridiculous the Tahds are even considering Cronk, what are they going to do? Pay $750 000 for a 34 year old to sit on the bench as backup to Foley?

Im not overly surprised Van Wyk is moving on. He hasn't had the best of luck with injuries and hasn't ever looked like displacing Cowan.

[The InnFORCEr]

The Cronk to ARU news has just been poo pooed on Sydney radio.

Nothing to see here.

[MI5_Dog]

The Cronk to ARU news has just been poo pooed on Sydney radio.

Nothing to see here.

I thought it was a joke made up by GnGR that people started taking seriously.