Fissler Confidential: Rugby Australia face losing centre star

Scotland winger Arron Reed, whose contract runs out at the end of the season, has given Gallagher Premiership outfit Sale Sharks a massive boost by pledging his future to the club after penning a new three-year deal.

The Chester-born 25-year-old, a product of Kirkham Grammar School, has scored 33 tries in 121 appearances, including a brace in the Premiership win against Newcastle Falcons earlier this season.

The ex-England U18 and U20s international, who has an Edinburgh-born father and a grandmother from the Borders, is due to win his third Scotland cap against Portugal on Saturday after his summer debut in Canada.

The Premiership clubs who are looking to increase their back three options for next season can cross the name of England winger Ollie Sleightholme off their shopping list because he is staying with Northampton.

Saracens, Harlequins, Bath, Exeter Chiefs and Gloucester are looking to strengthen the area and had been waiting for developments in the talks that last season’s Premiership top try scorer had been having with Saints.

The Northampton-born 24-year-old, who has scored 47 tries in 82 games for the Premiership champions and has got six in six games this season, including a brace for England against Wallabies last weekend, has signed a new deal.

Australia are facing a losing battle to keep hold of centre Len Ikitau, who is coming into the final year of his contract with the Brumbies ace. He has already attracted interest from overseas clubs with huge spending power.

Cash-strapped Rugby Australia are waiting for the new broadcast deal, but even then they might not be able to compete with clubs in France and Japan who are lining Ikitau up for a move when his contract runs out at the end of next year.

The Brisbane-born 26-year-old, who is of Samoan descent, has scored five tries in 37 appearances for the Wallabies and did his chances of a move no harm after impressing in last weekend’s win over England at Allianz Stadium.

A move to Edinburgh for former South Africa A and U20s scrum-half Sanele Nohamba is on the cards when his contract with the Lions runs out at the end of the season, with Scotland and British and Irish Lions ace Ali Price set for Montpellier.

The Stormers are understood to have pulled out of the bidding to sign the former Sharks playmaker, and that has opened the door for Edinburgh to step in and attempt to lure him to the Scottish capital next season.

The 25-year-old had been lined up by the Stormers to replace Paul de Wet. He was also touted for a move to Japan, but his next stop could now be Edinburgh. But it’s not yet a done deal.

Melbourne Storm are set to move forward with an early deal to sign New Zealand sevens superstar Moses Leo after he was released from the last 12 months of his contract. The 27-year-old, who hails from Auckland, plays at the outside centre or on the wing for North Harbour in the NPC when he isn’t on the seven circuits.

He announced in September that he had signed a two-year deal to join the NRL side in 2026 but is now set to move to the Storm 12 months ahead of schedule after his deal was ripped up, leaving him free to move to Australia immediately.

England coach Steve Borthwick might be a fan of Dewsbury-born NRL star Dom Young but his agent, who has been touting him for a cross-code switch, will have to be patient for it to happen.

The 23-year-old England league international wing, who stands at 6ft 7ins, claims that he had interest from union when he left Huddersfield Giants for Newcastle Knights but still has three years to run on his contract with Sydney Roosters.

“It’s an opportunity that has presented itself before, and it’s definitely something I’ve considered. Obviously, I have got a few more years here before I need to think about something like that,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Exeter Chiefs will have to pay up if they want to keep back row star Jacques Vermeulen at Sandy Park when his contract with the club runs out at the end of the season.

The 29-year-old former South African U20s international, who is from Paarl on the Western Cape, now qualifies for England under World Rugby’s five-year residency law and is weighing up his options.

A key member of the Chiefs side that won the Premiership and Champions Cup double in 2020, keeping him won’t be cheap for the Chiefs, who admitted they are ‘miles under the salary’ to keep him.

The Bulls have edged closer to bringing former Springbok centre Jan Serfontein back to Pretoria next season, eight years after he left to join Top 14 big spenders Montpellier.

The 31-year-old, who made 48 appearances in his five years at Bulls, has clocked up another 125 for Montpellier, and Fissler Confidential understands a deal to bring him home is 99.9 per cent done.

The Bulls, who are fourth in the United Rugby Championship, have also been linked with moves for Carlu Sadie and de Wet.

Stormers’ highly-rated No8 Keke Morabe could be on the move to France next season as he has been having talks with Clermont about moving to the Top 14 next season.

The 23-year-old, who also plays for Western Province in the Currie Cup, has become John Dobson’s first choice at the back of the scrum this season, making five appearances.

The Cape Town native has held talks with Clermont, but we understand that a deal to take him to France, however, is far from done.

RugbyPass broke the news earlier in the week that Bristol Bears have signed Scotland international Tom Jordan on a deal starting next season. But Bears boss Pat Lam hasn’t finished with his recruitment, with the Daily Telegraph reporting that Newcastle Falcons back row Pedro Rubiolo is also heading to Ashton Gate when his deal runs out next summer.

The Argentinian international, who plays at blindside flanker and lock, has made 21 appearances for the Falcons since joining them three years ago.