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Haskell and Fekitoa to the fore as social media highlights just how popular Ashley Johnson was at Wasps

(Photo by Harry Trump/Getty Images)

Numerous past and present Wasps players have paid tribute to Ashley Johnson after the club bid farewell to him this week, bringing an end to his eight-year stay. They showered the South African loose forward with praise on social media, with the term “legend” being frequently used to describe him. 

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James Haskell, who played alongside the 34-year-old in the back row for five years, hailed him as “an incredible player, teammate and all-round hero”, while current Wasps hooker Tom Cruse said how he had “done so much for the club, gave everything on the field and had time for everybody off it”. 

Many players have also noted how the three-cap Springbok would always give 100 per cent, which was abundantly clear for anyone who watched him play. 

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Not only was he a tireless and ferocious ball carrier, but his commitment to the team was measured by his switch to the front row in 2015 to play as a hooker, having only dabbled in that position before moving to Wasps. 

The disappointing thing for many fans is that Johnson did not receive the send-off that such a loyal servant to any team would deserve, with his last match turning out to be a 27-0 home loss to Bordeaux-Begles in the Challenge Cup in January. 

But that is the reality of the situation that many departing players are finding themselves in during the Covid-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, Johnson leaves Wasps with the cemented status as a club legend, having played almost 200 games during his time at Adams Park and the Ricoh Arena. 

Johnson arrived at Wasps in 2012 from the Cheetahs in Super Rugby, but there is no confirmation as to what the next step in his career will be. He was initially targeted by Jake White as a possible Bulls signing but has now been linked to an RFU coaching job. His Wasps departure was announced alongside Charlie Matthews, who is set to join Japanese side Kamaishi Seawaves. 

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NB 37 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Nice bit if revisioniusm but that's all it is JW.


For your further education, I found the following breakdown of one prominent club's finances in the Top 14 [Clermont].


For Clermont (budget of €29.5 million for 2021-2022) :

- 20% from ticket sales

- 17% from the LNR (includes TV Rights, compensation from producing french internationals and other minor stuff)

- 5% from public collectivities (so you're looking at funds from the city of Clermont, the department of Puy-De-Dôme and the region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes)

- 4% from merchandising and events

- 3% from miscellaneous

- 51 % from sponsorships and partnerships. They've got 550 different partners. The main ones are CGI, Groupama, Limagrain/Jacquet, Omerin, Paprec, Renault and of course Michelin (not surprising since they're actually the founders of the club).


As you can see nothing comes from the FFR at all. The LNR is a separate entitiy to FFR and their aims frequently do not accord.


It is also why the European breakaway plotted by LNR and PR back in 2013 had nothing to do with the governing bodies of either England or France - and it most certainly did not have their blessing https://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/story/_/id/15331030/jean-pierre-lux-anglo-french-cup-detrimental-european-rugby


And from the horse's mouth [ex AB skipper Sean Fitapatrick] about the comp between Top 14 and Super Rugby:


"The Top 14 in France is probably the best rugby competition in the world at the moment, purely for the week-in, week-out.”


“I think the quality of players. They are bigger, they are faster, they are stronger. Which then carries on into the international game.”

Take it from someone who knows JW😅

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