GRENOBLE HAVE CONFIRMED their new recruits ahead of the 2014/15 season, including 21-year-old Irish centre Chris Farrell.
The former Ireland U20 international joins from Ulster, having made just two starts for the province this season. The 6ft 5ins, 105kg midfielder saw his 2012/13 campaign written off after rupturing an ACL, and has failed to establish himself in Ulster’s first team since.
With the likes of Luke Marshall, Darren Cave, Stuart McCloskey and Stuart Olding offering serious competition in the centre positions at Ulster, Farrell will take his physical game to Grenoble, where Bernard Jackman has been installed as head coach.
South African international Gio Aplon is perhaps the most high-profile new signing for FCG, with the 31-year-old fullback/wing’s counter-attacking brilliance sure to be a strength when he joins from the Stormers.
Jackson Willison signs from the Auckland Blues, having represented New Zealand at U20 and Maori levels. The 25-year-old centre has six seasons of Super Rugby experience and mixes defensive solidity and creative attacking play with an intelligent kicking game.
Having been pushed behind Jonathan Sexton and Juan Martín Hernández in Racing Métro’s out-half pecking order, Jonathan Wisniewski joins Jackman’s squad. The 28-year-old is a superb place-kicker and racked up over 700 points in seven seasons in Paris.
Scrum-half Charl McLeod is a further addition, offering competition to Irishman James Hart for the number nine shirt. The 30-year-old moves from the Sharks, where he has been involved in the last six Super Rugby campaigns, while he won a Springbok cap against New Zealand in 2011.
Another South African on his way to Grenoble is Ross Skeate, who joins from Agen in the Pro D2. The 31-year-old lock has previously had spells with Toulon, the Stormers and the Sharks.
In the front row, tighthead Jono Owen has signed from the Reds in Australia, loosehead Rémy Hugues arrives from Dax, and France international hooker Arnaud Héguy joins from relegated Biarritz.
Back row Rory Grice, who helped New Zealand to the Junior World Championship in 2010, is an interesting new face. The 21-year-old moves from Waikato, and is an international at sevens level for New Zealand.
Completing the recruitment are back row Mahamadou Diaby from Oyonnax and highly-rated 20-year-old centre Xavier Mignot from Bourgoin.
After an 11th-place finish in the 2013/14 campaign of the Top 14, Jackman, backs coach Mike Prendergast and team manager Andrew Farley will be hoping that the new additions can propel Grenoble up the table next season.
FCG president Marc Chéreque has also indicated the the club’s recruitment “is not finished” and hinted that a young Kiwi back row will join the club on trial from next week.
