Sometimes, clubs might sign a superstar and expect them to replicate their performances that they did in the previous team and/or country. However, this isn't what happens in most cases. The player turns out to be a flop and the club might end up paying a big sum of money for a player that can be best described as putting in ameteur performances.
The high profile example is that of Siya Kolisi. The Springbok captain is returning to the Sharks after spending a lone year in France; playing for Racing 92. He arrived at La Defense Arena at the end of 2023 after lifting the Webb Ellis Cup for the second time.
The double World Cup-winning captain’s relationship with the club may have turned sour following accusations by Racing President, Jacky Lorenzetti, that he had "gained weight, lost shape" and that he was "invisible" in Racing’s playoff loss to Bordeaux-Begles last season.
Following Racing’s quarter-final exit in the Top 14 against Bordeaux-Begles, Lorenzetti took aim at the South Africa captain in an interview with French publication, Midi Olympique, describing the double World Cup winner as "transparent" and accusing him of being overweight.
"He had a remarkable start to the season, where he was a unifier off the field," he said in the interview.
"The break was harmful to him. He gained weight, lost form and yesterday, he was transparent."
"In the back row, we used to have an ultra-present warrior, a warrior called Wenceslas Lauret. For the moment, Siya does not let us forget him."
Kolisi had a mixed first season with Racing, which started brilliantly but was curtailed by a hand injury. He did make a return to action for the final two months of the season but it was a disappointing denouement for the club as a whole, as their season unravelled.
One of Kolisi's predecessors, John Smit, made a similar move after lifting the World Cup in 2007. He moved to Clermont Auvergne. Nobody was quite sure why Clermont wanted to sign the Springboks World Cup-winning captain Smit; given they already had one of the world’s best hookers – Mario Ledesma – on the books. Smit struggled to get in the team and filled in at tight-head to get a game leaving after just a season.
Chiliboy Ralepelle made the move from the Bulls to Toulouse in 2013. The Springbok hooker joined an exodus of players from South Africa when he moved to Toulouse. It turned into a disaster after just nine games when he damaged knee ligaments and then in March 2014, he failed an out-of-competition drugs test for the anabolic steroid, Drostanolone, and was banned for two years.
RG Snyman moved from the Bulls to Munster in 2020. The giant South African might have picked up two World Cup winners medals but his time at Munster has been nothing short of a disaster. He has spent more time on the surgeon’s operating table than the pitch-playing, just 432 minutes in four years.
There was talk that he might join Bath (in England). However, he would go on to sign for fellow Irish side, Leinster.
Julian Savea is a well-known All Blacks winger/centre. In 2019, Savea still had a year remaining on his contract but Toulon boss, Mourad Boudjellal, said that the former Hurricanes star has "been released and is "free to what he wants".
"I'm going to ask for a DNA test. They must have swapped him on the plane [when he joined from Hurricanes]. If I were him I would apologise and go back to my home country," Mourad Boudjellal told French radio, RMC.
"I've told him that he was free to go and wasn't welcome at Toulon anymore."
I told him he was released and he was no longer welcome at Toulon. He has got a year left on his contract. He can do what he wants.
"A year can be long for the club but especially for the player ... for me he is released.
"His identical twin brother looks very similar to him ... we will have at least learnt that certain physical similarities are very striking."
"Sometimes, some players come for the wrong reasons," Boudjellal said.
The 28-year-old was in his first Top 14 season, shifting to Toulon after the Hurricanes' 2018 Super Rugby campaign. He had largely been a flop since landing in France and has played much of his rugby out of position at no. 12.
Savea's mid-season leave to attend his brother's wedding in December caused backlash from Toulon fans, to which his wife responded.
"Let me set the record straight," Fatima Savea - Julian's wife - tweeted.
"Before Julian signed his contract he asked for time off in December to attend his ONLY brother's wedding. So this was agreed upon by both the club and Julian or else Julian would not have come to Toulon in September and instead in January."
Dan Carter moved from the Crusaders to Perpignan on a loan move in 2008. The greatest player in the modern era, got the rock star treatment when he arrived in the Languedoc-Roussillon to take up a €700,000 six-month deal but it didn’t work as intended after Carter played just five games before partially tearing his Achilles tendon in a draw with Stade Francais.
Chris Jack made the move from the Crusaders to Saracens in 2007. The All Blacks lock branded Northern Hemisphere rugby as "easy" after he was released from his expensive contract a year early. The truth was that despite his arrogance, Jack, who was a world-class player, struggled to make a major impact and won't remember his time at Vicarage Road with much fondness.
Justin Marshall moved from the Crusaders to Leeds Tykes in 2005. Leeds, who had always been prudent with spending, decided to open the chequebook after winning the last-ever Powergen Cup final. The scrum-half didn’t see eye to eye with coach, Phil Davies, and the club got relegated at the end of his only season and Marshall joined the Ospreys (in Wales).
Gavin Henson made the move from the Ospreys to Saracens in 2010. One of the best generational talents had been on an 18 month unpaid leave from the Ospreys when it was announced he would join Saracens after completing his commitments with the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing. He only made four appearances before being released from his contract and joining Toulon.
Chris Ashton moved from Harlequins to Worcester Warriors in 2021. The former England winger won’t want to remember 2021 with any great fondness. After exiting Quins mid-season after only making two appearances, he joined Worcester. His stay at Sixways only lasted four games. He was sent off against Northampton Saints before picking up knee and calf injuries.
Jason Jones-Hughes moved from Newport to Munster in 2003. Wales won a tug-of-war with Australia for the highly-rated centre but he suffered from injuries. After failing to win a contract with any of the Welsh regions, he tried his luck across the Irish Sea. A lower back injury forced him to retire a year later, aged 27.
There are other stories but the players stated above illustrate that not all superstars can replicate the form that triggered the mega money move. Yes, most of them was down to injuries sustained but the fact remains that certain players can't handle the change in altitude.
I would suggest a trial period before splashing the cash on big name players.