Nasty rumour - please help dispel...

darkside lightside · Post by **darkside lightside** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 10:23 am

I was speaking to a mate over the weekend, who has a customer who's a former French pro rugby player - this chap claimed recently that Neil Best was close to signing for Biarritz for next season....

can someone tell me that his contract is definitely secure for another while... please...

(the guy also said that trimble was approached by a couple of english teams, but wanted to stay in belfast to finish his studies..)

moondance · Post by **moondance** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 11:44 am

Don't worry - Goody wouldn't let him leave!

Freddie Benson · Post by **Freddie Benson** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 1:32 pm

wouldn't be the same source who was confidently predicting BO'D would be playing at the Parc des Sports Aguilera this season Caolan?

not sure how long Bestie has remaining (1 or 2 years - some of our statos will correct me) but I really don't think this one has any legs.

darkside lightside · Post by **darkside lightside** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 2:10 pm

don't know about that, but my immediate reaction was to ridicule the notion thinking that an announcement had been made recently about best re-signing - but on reflection i'm not sure that i have read one..

colinh · Post by **colinh** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 2:22 pm

He is on a four year contract and I think next is the last season of it. I doubt if the UB would let him go until it is over. Having said that I also heard the rumour.

Freddie Benson · Post by **Freddie Benson** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 6:42 pm

Biarritz are a bit like Real Madrid when it comes to the number of players supposedly signing for them.

But granted the branch and IRFU need to get Bestie signed up by the end of RWC or he may decide to move abroad once his current deal is up. In fairness they're usually not slow in resigning out top talent.

(thanks colin for clarifying when his current deal is up).

jamesie · Post by **jamesie** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 6:51 pm

i haven't heard this rumour, and not saying there's any shred of truth in it but taking the positives from the negatives, i would say betsen, harinordoquy or dusautoir would be a decent swap deal (all 3 of them like...)

cables · Post by **cables** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 8:13 pm

As Colinh has suggested, summer 2008 IS the end of Neil's current contract.

BR · Post by BR » Tue Apr 10, 2007 9:05 pm

I've got to say if BOPB offered to fly me out there to talk about the possibility of a contract ... ok, everyone picked themselves off the floor now? ... I think I'd go. I'm sure they can be very convincing, but it's hardly a time-share sales pitch.

Rooster · Post by **Rooster** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 10:08 pm

The BO supporters seem to think they want him and have been posting about this since last summer, a couple of my photos of Bestie have had in excess of 20k viewings from that end of France since then

Perhaps goodie has competition

Bestie perhaps has taken a few tips on contract management from BOD and gone for a holiday to Biarritz like he did before his last contract.

goodaine · Post by **goodaine** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 9:05 am

Mon Dieu .......... NON

Better brush up on my French just in case though

pingus · Post by **pingus** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 11:23 am

Heard from a very good source that a french club had offered him silly money, so silly that he would struggle to turn it down.

ColinS · Post by **ColinS** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 8:22 pm

Just read this on a French rugby website...

Il se murmure Ã©galement que Biarritz vient de signer Ouedraogo, le troisÃ¨me ligne aile int-21 de Montpellier, ainsi que Neil Best, le troisiÃ¨me ligne de L'Ulster.

Translates roughly to;

there are rumours about the signing of U21 international player from Montpellier and Neil Best at Biarritz

Now that's shortened as my French friend translated it for me...
http://top14.blogs.rugbyhebdo.fr/archiv ... -club.html

That's the site.

Do yah reckon Besty will say if asked about his future?

Colinx

backofthepack · Post by **backofthepack** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 10:13 pm

Well on ulster rugby.com in his q and a session, I asked him if he would ever leave and the reply came back never say never so its a possibility he'd certainly consider it. Has to think about his ireland chances and whether they'd improve or be diminished entirely by eddie

Harold7 · Post by **Harold7** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 2:11 pm

Well if you're offered silly money to go and play for one of the big three French clubs in the best domestic league it would be hard to turn down.

I'd hate to see him go but would wish him luck if he did leave for France.