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Lyon make decision after speculation linked them with Josh Adams

(Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)

Wales international Josh Adams won’t be joining Lyon next season, according to the latest media reports from France. The winger, who toured South Africa in 2021 with the British and Irish Lions, was quickly linked with a switch to the Top 14 when the WRU contracts crisis blew up over the winter.

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However, the regions in Wales have since struck a recent deal with the Welsh players union and with Adams already contracted with Cardiff until 2025, the plug has now reportedly been pulled on interest from France about getting him to stay on there and play locally following the completion of the Rugby World Cup.

Adams was in France last week, training with Wales in Nice before they moved north to play France in Paris in last Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations round five fixture. A report on rugbyrama.fr read: “Josh Adams (28 years, 49 caps) will not be at Lyon next season.

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“According to our information, Lyon have just put an end to the contacts made a few months ago with the winger of Wales and the British and Irish Lions. The case was complex due to the Cardiff player’s contractual situation and his international status.

“The club decided not to pursue further the delicate negotiations with the winger and his representatives. The deal dragged on due to the player’s commitment to Cardiff – he is under contract until 2025 – and his international status.

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“This decision is not related to the uncertainty around the future of Josua Tuisova, supposed to join Racing 92 in the off-season but still thinking about his future. The upcoming departures of Tuisova, Tavite Veredamu, Noa Nakaitaci and Toby Arnold have so far been offset by the commitment of the very promising Thaakir Abrahams, currently at the Sharks, and Semi Radradra.

“A third recruit is expected to follow. Lyon are eyeing the southern hemisphere to find the perfect complement to their line of attack.”

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N
NB 42 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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