Toulon’s Steffon Armitage has been heavily linked this morning with a move back England in time to compete for a place in Stuart Lancaster’s squad for the Rugby World Cup next year.
After the news broke this morning news that Welsh stars Dan Lydiate, Mike Phillips and Jamie Roberts might be on their way out of Racing Métro this week, it has emerged that Armitage too might be joining the French exodus.
Earlier this year Lancaster spoke to Armitage to assure the flanker that he would not be changing his policy on picking players outside of England for the World Cup. Armitage is desperate to be involved in the sport’s showpiece even, even considering applying for a French passport and attempting to get into their team through the IRB eligibility loophole.
Having accepted that may not be possible, however, talks are believed to be taking place with several Premiership clubs, with Bath and Saracens the front runners, although Toulon boss Bernard Laporte claims any move could be difficult given the stage of the season we’re in.
“The season’s begun. We have to be quick if he wants to change,” he told BBC Sport. “He has a contract [with Toulon], but if the England coach says if he plays for Bath or for Saracens then he will play in the World Cup, I think he has to play for these clubs.”
It is a surprising opinion from Toulon’s coach. In contrast to the Welsh trio, who have never really hit the heights they are capable of at Racing Métro, Steffon Armitage has consistently been one of Toulon’s best players, winning the European Player of the Year award last season.
Armitage signed a three year extension with Toulon in 2013, and it is as of yet unclear how their fiery owner Mourad Boudjellal would react to the news that one of his best players could be heading for the exit door.
If Armitage were to return, he would be unlikely to be considered for Lancaster’s EPS squad, announced next Tuesday, but could be considered for the Six Nations squad. Given his pedigree and the level of his performances in the past couple of years, it is highly likely that a move back to England in the near future would be enough to get him into the World Cup squad.
By Jamie Hosie
Follow Jamie on Twitter: @jhosie43
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
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Would be great. I’ve always stood by the fact that we should not pick players if they do not play in the Premiership, but if he moves back to England he walks back into the side. Selection head ache for SL though as he plays the same position as his skipper.
To continue my question from twitter Jamie – what are the medical joker rules? Does there have to be a certain length to the injury? Or is it simply if you have a couple of players from the same position at the same time?
Ok you’ve just replied to my question on twitter. To bring it on here now. If the medical joker can not be more experienced or get paid more, does that mean that he will essentially be Lowe’s replacement? Is Lowe on enough to pay Armitage’s wages (which I assume are huge)?
As a Saracens fan the prospect of having him and Billy V in the same team makes me salivate slightly.
While similarly the prospect of him joining Bath does wonders for the competitiveness of the top few clubs in the Aviva Premiership. Everyone wins! Especially England.
Oh how I laugh if he moved back and then didn’t get picked! And to be honest I hope he doesn’t, England have got a settle and balanced back row and good as player he is I don’t think he is good enough or see any reason to change that. (His inclusion wouldn’t improve it enough)
This just smacks of his arroganceand self importance that he is doing to as he is ‘desperate to be involved in the sport’s showpiece even’ so he wants to play in a world cup, not have the huge and privileged honour of representing his country?
If he want to play for England in the world cup he should have moved back in 2013 when he had the chance, he could of worked is way into the term then, with a good two years to go! And he could have actually played for his country instead of trying to get a cameo appearance at the world cup, which I wouldn’t be surprised if afterwards he buggered off back to France!
Presume you have the same views on Sam Burgess moving to Union with the hopes of getting into the World cup squad?
I would like to see Lancaster select him in next weeks EPS if he moves by the weekend. Don’t see any reason why he should not. If Armitage is playing in England, his form is sufficient. Lancaster has never said that players can only show their form in the premiership.
I am not sure our back row is as settled as we like to think. For instance who is our first choice 8. Additionally, while I am a Robshaw fan, I have not been convinced so far this season that he is at his usual level. This is a player that would be pushing to get into any team in the world. I don’t care if Fraser or Haskel have had great starts to the season, if Armitage is better you select him. He covers the whole of the back row, so would even be great from the bench.
Finally, there are always injuries. And this season has seen quite a few already.
Agree with you that Armitage would walk into the EPS squad and probably the team if he was playing in England.
Don’t agree that our back row isn’t fairly settled though. Vunipola is nailed on first choice at number 8, with Robshaw and Wood clear first choice to play with him. Is that not guaranteed in everyone’s mind?
Saying that, for Armitage, you make room.
Awesome player, love to see him back to UK.
It would be great to see him come back but please! – not Saracens or Bath who seem to take pride in splashing the cash. Not one of the big spending clubs trying to buy their way to the top. I’d like to see him in one of the mid table clubs say Gloucester, Exeter or Sale. Even Leicester or Northampton who at least manage to make progress based on their self generated revenues rather than rich mens generosity. Yes I know, it’s an old fashioned view but the money first clubs tend to leave a sour taste.
The fact that he was willing to switch allegiances and play for France if he could, would not sit well within a settled squad of players, already in competition for places. It also makes me wonder if he would be as good as he seems if he was playing at a club where they don’t get as much ball, or have the same calibre of players around as he does at Toulon?
He started at Saracens, and fell out with the coaching team at the time, and I’m not sure he’d want to return there. Would he return to London Irish? Struggling for consistency, but having a good start to the season?
I don’t want him to join Saracens. We have Burger, Fraser, Brown and Hankin who can all play at 7 with varying degrees of ability. Let him go to a mid-table club with a smaller squad, and prove he’s as good as we think. Then maybe he deserves a chance.
I agree with you here Dazza – seems somewhat coincidental that he wants to move back almost immediately after the Olympic 7s loophole is closed, shutting off any chance of playing for France…
Would he walk into the England team? I’d want to see him play first. Toulon have been playing him at 8 where he plays behind a monstrous pack who are normally hugely dominant. By the looks of it, if this happens, he’ll be at Bath who have a very good but not dominant pack. Let’s see how he goes there.
Personally, until he proves himself in the Premiership, then any talk of England is premature. And even if he does, I’d still play him from the bench seeing as he can cover across the back row
Actually I’ve just read on EspnScrum that the proposed move to Bath has fallen through – so it looks like all of this could be a moot point
Steffon, come back to Irish please !!!!!!!!