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Premiership rivals enter tug of war over Bulls prop Mornay Smith

Mornay Smith of the Bulls during the United Rugby Championship match between the Dragons and Vodacom Bulls at Rodney Parade on January 06, 2023 in Newport, Wales. (Photo by Athena Pictures/Getty Images)

Gloucester are set to go head-to-head with West Country rivals Bristol Bears in the race to land Bulls tighthead Mornay Smith in a deal from the start of next season.

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The Cherry and Whites have been looking to spend around £250k on an experienced tighthead and have identified Smith, 26, whom the Bulls are prepared to let go despite his contract having another year left to run.

Carlu Sadie’s impending arrival at Loftus Versfeld Stadium from Bordeaux for next season means that Smith is surplus to requirements at his hometown club, and they are prepared to let him leave.

The former South Africa Schools A international, who was among the replacements for South Africa A when they played the Bears at Ashton Gate in November 2022, has made 67 appearances for the Bulls.

He has only played once this season, in a win over Edinburgh in September, and his chances will be even more limited when Sadie returns from the Top 14, which has opened up the chance of a move to the Gallagher Premiership next season.

Fixture
United Rugby Championship
Connacht
11:30
30 Nov 24
Bulls
All Stats and Data

Bulls boss Jake White earlier this week included Smith in his 34-man squad for the two-week trip to Ireland and England, where they will play Connacht in the United Rugby Championship and Saracens in the Investec Champions Cup.

Smith, who made his debut for the Bulls in 2018, has twice been a member of Currie Cup-winning squads as well as a runner-up in the Pro14 Rainbow Cup and URC.

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Gloucester have been looking to add players to their squad next season and have spoken to Harlequins, former England outside centre Will Joseph, and Sharks blindside flanker James Venter.

While the Bears have already been very active in the transfer market, announcing deals for Scotland international Tom Jordan from Glasgow Warriors and Newcastle Falcons’ Argentinian international lock Pedro Rubiolo.

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Soliloquin 3 hours ago
'The World Cup... I'm not sure it's going to happen for them'

Well, currently the biggest rugby stars from other countries are not really playing in France, except for Argentinian players (Mallia, Chocobares, Kremer, Oviedo, Petti, Lavanini, Carreras) or Fijian ones (Tuisova, Dakukaqa, Waniqolo) . This time is over.

You have great players that usually choose to cease playing for their countries like Ludlham, Sinckler, Farrell(who's been a shadow at Racing 92), Fainga'anuku, Marchant, the Kpoku brothers, Arundell, Ribbans or declining stars like Biggar, Kerr-Barlow, Radradra, Botia, Goodhue, the Vunipola brothers, Hogg or Manu Tuilagi. Not exactly first choices or guys who make the best international XV.

The exceptions being Arata, Skelton, Jack Willis, Cappuozzo (he's French but plays for Italy), Niniashvili, Staniforth, Ahki, Tameifuna, Nicotera, Garbisi, Ioane, Lucchesi, Kinghorn, Ben White or Saito. Not many of them from SA, NZ, Ireland or England or close to top 3 in their positions.

When Kolisi or Etzebeth played in Top14, despite the big bucks, it wasn't shiny performances at "lower level games", as well as Kolbe at Toulon after his extraordinary stunt at Toulouse. Whitelock was at the end of his career.


I think you've mistaken the big bucks low level league with Japan Rugby League One stars welcomed at their prime (Mo'unga, de Klerk, Matera, PSDT, de Jager, Mostert, Kolbe, Kriel, Barrett, Savea, Cane, Koroibete, Perenara, Kwagga Smith, de Allende, Kolbe, Wiese, Marx) because it pales a bit. 12 of of the 30 players that started the RWC final play in Japan. With a maximum of 16 games/season. In France it's up to 29 to be get the Top14 title, plus the Champions Cup.

Try to keep up the rythm with more than twice as many games.

I guess you've read their interviews on the intensity of Top14, right? Right?


The biggest Top14 stars are in great majority French players, because the JIFF policy has changed the way French clubs operate.

The era of Carter, Botha, Wilkinson, Kaino, Smith or the others mentioned before is over.

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