This archive report was first published on 12 May 2020.
French club Racing 92 has made significant additions to its squad by signing Wallabies duo Kurtley Beale and Luke Jones, who will join the team on a two-year deal starting next season.
Beale, a utility back, will be making his second northern hemisphere stint, following a season with Wasps in 2017. He will be the only survivor from the Wallabies' 2014 Super Rugby championship season, with former Waratahs skipper Michael Hooper being the other.
Jones, a utility forward, has spent the past two seasons with the Rebels and has also had experience playing overseas with Bordeaux. He was part of the Australian squad that aimed to qualify for the 2019 Rugby World Cup but ultimately missed out on the final squad.
According to Racing's sporting director Yannick Nyanga, the signings are part of the club's strategy to mix youth and experience in key positions. 'We've tried to mix youth and experience in positions where we haven't managed to pull through from our academy,' Nyanga said. 'We have two premium signings who will bring some experience and their ability.'
Both players are expected to play out an amended Super Rugby season before departing for France. The Waratahs returned to training on Tuesday, marking a significant step towards a competitive return. The club is also hoping to kick off a domestic Super Rugby competition featuring the four Australian Super Rugby franchises, the Western Force, and potentially the Sunwolves on July 4.
As part of Racing's announcement, coach Laurent Travers also revealed that Fiji fly-half Ben Volvavola was leaving the club and moving to Perpignan on a loan deal.
