Leicester’s World Cup winner Jasper Wiese in advanced talks to join Stade Francais as French rugby continues raid on Gallagher Premiership

• Wiese, 28,  could become the latest to swap the league for TOP14 in France
• Negotiations between the South African star and Stade Francais are advanced 

French rugby’s raid on the Gallagher Premiership shows no sign of ending with Leicester’s World Cup winner Jasper Wiese the latest to earn admirers across the Channel.

England head coach Steve Borthwick has already seen internationals Jack Willis, Jack Nowell, Sam Simmonds, Henry Arundell, David Ribbans and Joe Marchant move to the TOP14.

And forwards Kyle Sinckler and Lewis Ludlam are also set to depart their homeland too having both been lined up to join Toulon for the start of next season.

But it is not just English players in the Premiership who are being enticed by the riches on offer in France.

Leicester’s bruising South African No 8 Wiese is in talks to join Stade Francais. 

South African star Jasper Wiese is bound for France as he continues talks with Stade Francais

Wiese is a key member of Leicester’s side but looks set to become the latest to move to France

The 28-year-old was a member of the Springboks squad which made it back-to-back World Cups in France this month.

Although Wiese slipped out of his country’s starting line-up towards the business end of the tournament, he is still a huge figure for Leicester having helped them to the title in 2022. Leicester hope they can still keep hold of the powerful Wiese and a move to Stade – where he would team up with England centre Marchant – is not yet guaranteed with negotiations ongoing.

While the Premiership’s salary cap – how much each team can spend on its playing squad – will rise to £6.4m for the 2024-25 season – there is still greater money on offer for the best players in France. 

Wiese is said to be in ‘advanced negotiations’ with Stade.

Leicester chief executive Andrea Pinchen has made clear her belief the salary cap should remain at its current £5m mark moving forward as English rugby’s top league continues to battle financial problems. That said, new Tigers head coach Dan McKellar will want to keep hold of Wiese if at all possible after taking charge of the club for the start of this season.

McKellar has won just one of four Premiership matches in his first campaign in charge with Leicester second bottom of the league as things stand. Only winless Newcastle are below them.

New Zealand captain Sam Cane has been banned for three games for the red card he was shown in his team’s World Cup final defeat by South Africa earlier this month.

Cane was initially shown a yellow which was upgraded to a sending off by the bunker review system for a high and dangerous tackle on Springbok centre Jesse Kriel.

Without their skipper Cane, the All Blacks were beaten 12-11. Cane’s ban will mean a delayed start to his stint with Japanese side Suntory Sungoliath.

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