It has always been common practice that a few of Super Rugby’s top players would head over to Europe after their final World Cup and finish out their respective careers. Players like Doug Howlett in 2007 became marquee signings for clubs like Munster.
However the landscape has changed. The lure of Top 14, and now Aviva Premiership cash has attracted not just players looking to come over play out their final years in Europe- but players at the peak of their careers.
Here’s the complete list of Southern Hemisphere players who have made the switch up North for the 2015/16 season.
| NAME | 2015 CLUB | 2015/16 CLUB |
|---|---|---|
| Nic White | Brumbies | Montpellier |
| Jesse Mogg | Brumbies | Montpellier |
| Wilhelm Steenkamp | Force | Brive |
| Zack Holmes | Force | La Rochelle |
| Paul Alo-Emile | Rebels | Stade Français |
| Telusa Veainu | Rebels | Leicester Tigers |
| James Horwill | Reds | Harlequins |
| Will Genia | Reds | Stade Français |
| Quade Cooper | Reds | Toulon |
| James O’Connor | Reds | Toulon |
| Lachlan Turner | Reds | Toulon |
| Sekope Kepu | Waratahs | Bordeaux |
| Brendan McKibbin | Waratahs | London Irish |
| Adam Ashley-Cooper | Waratahs | Bordeaux |
| Peter Betham | Waratahs | Leicester Tigers |
| Taqele Naiyaravoro | Waratahs | Glasgow Warriors |
| Luke Braid | Blues | Bordeaux |
| Brendon O’Connor | Blues | Leicester Tigers |
| Francis Saili | Blues | Munster |
| Frank Halai | Blues | Wasps |
| Charles Piutau | Blues | Wasps |
| Ben Tameifuna | Chiefs | Racing 92 |
| Ross Filipo | Chiefs | Racing 92 |
| Hosea Gear | Chiefs | Clermont |
| Dan Carter | Crusaders | Racing 92 |
| Colin Slade | Crusaders | Pau |
| Tom Taylor | Crusaders | Toulon |
| Ben Franks | Hurricanes | London Irish |
| Jeremy Thrush | Hurricanes | Gloucester |
| Ma’a Nonu | Hurricanes | Toulon |
| Conrad Smith | Hurricanes | Pau |
| Victor Matfield | Bulls | Northampton Saints |
| Flip van der Merwe | Bulls | Clermont |
| Jacques du Plessis | Bulls | Montpellier |
| Montpellier | Cheetahs | Toulon |
| Jannie du Plessis | Sharks | Montpellier |
| Matt Stevens | Sharks | Toulon |
| Bismarck du Plessis | Sharks | Montpellier |
| Mouritz Botha | Sharks | Newcastle Falcons |
| Willem Alberts | Sharks | Stade Français |
| François Steyn | Sharks | Montpellier |
| Steven Kitshoff | Stormers | Bordeaux |
| Manuel Carizza | Stormers | Racing 92 |
| Michael Rhodes | Stormers | Saracens |
| Duane Vermeulen | Stormers | Toulon |
| Jean de Villiers | Stormers | Leicester Tigers |
