Northampton Saints have confirmed that Dan Biggar will depart the Club with immediate effect, at the fly-half’s request.
The Club announced earlier this month that the 33-year-old Wales international would be leaving cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens at the end of the 2022/23 campaign, but Biggar now joins French Top14 side RC Toulon effective from the start of November.
He pulled on the Black, Green and Gold jersey 69 times, scoring 614 points in total, with his last game for Saints coming in Northampton’s 40-36 win over Wasps.
“Dan has been an exceptional servant to Northampton Saints; he is a player of proven international quality but has also been a leader within our group and he will be missed by the squad, staff and supporters here,” said Director of Rugby, Phil Dowson.
“Dan is a great man, and we wish him and his family the very best for the future.”
Saints’ Chief Executive, Mark Darbon, added: “Given the circumstances – with Dan’s contract ending at the end of the season, his availability for the rest of the current campaign, the multi-year offer to Dan from Toulon which was contingent on him moving immediately, and the quality of the up-and-coming fly-halves already at the Club – we wanted to be pragmatic when Dan approached us.
“Dan’s not just a world-class player, he’s also one of the nicest blokes you could meet. He’s someone who always did everything he could to help the Club, on and off the pitch. So, we’ll miss him, but he departs with our very best wishes.”
Dan Biggar facts:
- Biggar has twice been selected to tour with the British and Irish Lions (2017 & 2021)
- On 7 December 2015, Biggar won the BBC Cymru Sports Personality of the Year Award
- Biggar came through the Ospreys development pathway, having attended Gowerton Comprehensive School in Swansea
- The fly-half has his own routine before kicking goals, which fans now call "The Biggarena" after Los Del Rio's 1995 hit, Macarena
The 18 highest-paid Gallagher Premiership players in 2022/2023
#18. Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks) - £400,000 per season
#17. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks) - £430,000
#16. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints) - £450,000
#15. Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs) - £450,000
#14. Marcus Smith (Harlequins) - £460,000
Try Celebrations for Marcus Smith of England during the Autumn Nations Match between England and Tonga at Twickenham Stoop on 6 November 2021. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK
#13. Mako Vunipola (Saracens) - £500,000
#12. Paddy Jackson (London Irish) - £500,000
#11. Billy Vunipola (Saracens) - £520,000
#10. Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears) £520,000
#9. George Ford (Sale Sharks) - £550,000
#8. Semi Radradra (Bristol Bears) - £570,000
Bristol Bears player Semi Radradra during the Gallagher Premiership rugby game between Leicester Tigers and Bristol Bears at Welford Road on June 5th - PHOTO: Steve Bond/PPAUK
#7. Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs) - £580,000
#6. Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints) - £600,000
Dan Biggar of Northampton Saints kicks the penalty to take the lead during the European Champions Cup, Quarter-final match between Exeter Chiefs and Northampton Saints at Sandy Park on 20 Sept 2020. Photo: Phil Mingo/PPAUK.
#5. Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers) - £610,000
#4. Steve Luatua (Bristol Bears) - £620,000
#3. Maro Itoje (Saracens) - £800,000
Maro Itoje of the Saracens during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Match between Bath Rugby and Saracens at the Recreation Ground on 17 Oct. Photo: Steve Haag/PPAUK
#2. Owen Farrell (Saracens) - £820,000
#1. Charles Piutau (Bristol Bears) - £1m
Charles Piutau of Bristol Bears on the break during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Gloucester Rugby and Bristol Bears at Kingsholm Stadium on December 3 2021 in Gloucester, England. (Photo by Tom Sandberg/PPAUK)
