Dan Biggar has emerged as a target for Brive and Toulon, with the Northampton Saints fly-halves contract set to expire next summer.
The Wales international confirmed he will leave Franklin’s Gardens before the 2023 Rugby World Cup and Midi Ollympique has reported both Top 14 teams ‘want’ him.
The 32-year-old fly-half has started all 68 games for the Saints that he has been involved with, scoring a total of 605 points so far after joining the club from the Ospreys.
In slightly better news, the injury suffered during their win against Wasps yesterday isn’t serious.
“I think he’s ok,” he told BBC Radio Northampton. “He took a dead leg and he took something else, but I haven’t chatted to the medics so I wouldn’t know exactly.”
Biggar said: “I have loved my time at Northampton Saints, a traditional rugby club which is full of great people from top to bottom. It has been a privilege to wear the Black, Green and Gold jersey.
“I wish I could have played more for the club – I missed a few matches over the last few years due to my international commitments, but there isn’t a better place to play rugby than Franklin’s Gardens in front of an incredible group of supporters.
“I have made new friendships that will last forever, and it has been a pleasure to watch the young crop of Academy guys mature and develop into first-team senior pros.
“There are too many brilliant people here to mention, but I hope we can all finish the season in spectacular fashion as we did last year, and go a couple of steps further!
“A special thank you has to go to Boydy [Chris Boyd]. I can’t thank him enough for the way that he treated me, and gave me so many opportunities to represent this club.
“Saints will always be very special to me – and that includes the club’s magnificent supporters, who have welcomed me in and supported me wholeheartedly through both the highs and lows. It really has been a privilege to play for your club.
“Northampton will be the first result I look for on a Saturday afternoon moving forward! I hope that in the future I can come back, see lots of familiar faces and enjoy the Gardens as a fan as much as I did a player. Thank you for everything.”
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“Oh god yes” – Nigel Owens confirms Dan Biggar is the worst player to referee
Nigel Owens refereed in international rugby for 17 years between 2003 and 2020.
During that time, he also took charge of countless Champions Cup and Guinness PRO14, as well as the 2015 Rugby World Cup final.
He’ll have plenty of special memories after mixing with some of the biggest rugby stars on the planet for well over a decade, but it wasn’t all fun and games
Some players are notorious for being ‘hotheads’ on the pitch, often making things very difficult for referees.
After retiring from international rugby, Owens has revealed three of the worst footballers he ever had to officiate during his career.
5. Austin Healey
Owens said: “Definitely Healey. I only caught him towards the end of his career, thankfully.
“A wonderfully talented player and a very good pundit now, but he always had plenty say and quickly assumed I didn’t like him.
“He’s actually blocked me on Twitter, but I don’t think I’m the only one.”