Advertisement
Ther 30-year-old says it's 'not clear' what his future holds after his Big Apple move.

Bastareaud says Major League Rugby move is 'not a loan at all'

Toulon centre Mathieu Bastareaud explained why he is headed for New York after the Rugby World Cup.

MATHIEU BASTAREAUD SAYS his decision to join Rugby United New York was motivated by a desire for a new experience with his family.

It was confirmed on Monday that the powerhouse Toulon and France centre will join the Major League Rugby side after the Rugby World Cup in Japan.

Bastareaud, who has made 54 appearances for France, spoke with Super Rugby side the Sharks but opted for the chance to move to the Big Apple.

“My first idea was South Africa, with the Sharks. We talked for a long time, but there was nothing concrete,” he told L’Equipe. 

“But with my new family situation, I needed something safe. In the end, we entered into discussions with [RUNY chief executive] Pierre Arnald.

“New York, ultimately, was the best compromise between the experience of living and seeing something else with the family. I have to think for three now, not just for me.”

It was initially reported Bastareaud would be leaving on a one-year loan, but the 30-year-old said that is not the case.

“It’s not a loan at all. I am under contract with RCT until November, then paid by the New York club until June,” he added. 

“For the rest, there are discussions. Will anyone want me again? It’s not clear. It’s an experience to come back better. 

“It’s just a goodbye and see you soon. I hope [to come back] but nothing is fixed.”

Bastareaud is New York’s second marquee signing after former England international Ben Foden joined last year.

- Omni

Subscribe to our new podcast, The42 Rugby Weekly, here:

Gatland receives a number of approaches but no contact from England

Author
View 8 comments
Close
8 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Graham Murphy
    Favourite Graham Murphy
    Report
    May 18th 2015, 3:51 PM

    Norman Whiteside wasn’t 17 in 1985, unless he played in the 82 world cup when he was 14!

    185
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute vv7k7Z3c
    Favourite vv7k7Z3c
    Report
    May 18th 2015, 4:00 PM

    Cheers Graham,

    I obviously got Norman Whiteside and Freddy Adu mixed up!

    177
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute N O hUallaigh
    Favourite N O hUallaigh
    Report
    May 18th 2015, 4:22 PM

    That 1970 match description is class.. “neutralised”

    96
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jon Walters
    Favourite Jon Walters
    Report
    May 18th 2015, 4:29 PM

    Your a gas man, Will

    57
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Manus Boyce
    Favourite Manus Boyce
    Report
    May 18th 2015, 3:46 PM

    Wouldn’t consider that tackle to be a straight red nowadays, probably borderline. Back then….not even close, yellow at worst

    125
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Eamonn Maloney
    Favourite Eamonn Maloney
    Report
    May 18th 2015, 4:12 PM

    Miss timed is all it was.I remember watching that game and being shocked when he was sent off.Disagree that it was on any way cynical, there isn’t a cynical bone in Kevin Moran’s body.

    102
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John O'Neill
    Favourite John O'Neill
    Report
    May 19th 2015, 2:10 PM

    Yeah, definitely mis-timed. I blame Reid for having legs!

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Graham Kavanagh
    Favourite Graham Kavanagh
    Report
    May 18th 2015, 3:54 PM

    How times have changed…. You did not see Everton players swarm the ref demanding a red, Man U players were in shock….. Rightly so too, you saw these tackles every week and you got on with it…. Its a sending off and a media circus today, but back then it was, ummm football….. Tackles are expected, and was rarely ever cynical…….

    83
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave Murray
    Favourite Dave Murray
    Report
    May 18th 2015, 4:10 PM

    Spot on Graham, sure even Peter Reid protested to the ref on behalf on Moran…..very rare you will see that nowadays.

    78
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Fitzpatrick
    Favourite John Fitzpatrick
    Report
    May 18th 2015, 5:46 PM

    Peter Reid actually begged the referee not to send Moran off. Frank Stapleton reverted to emergency centre half and had a stormer. Peter Willis was the referee and it was his last ever match to officiate. He was looking to make a name for himself. Years later the F.A. Stopped referees officiating in their last ever match in the cup finals.

    61
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave O'Hanlon
    Favourite Dave O'Hanlon
    Report
    May 18th 2015, 6:33 PM

    ‘With United down to 10, Everton took them to extra-time’, shouldn’t that be United took Everton to extra-time as the Toffees were just crowned league champions you know.

    46
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Spoddgy
    Favourite Spoddgy
    Report
    May 19th 2015, 6:04 AM

    Also had more league titles than United! And had just won the cup winners cup beforehand!

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Higginbotham
    Favourite David Higginbotham
    Report
    May 18th 2015, 6:52 PM

    Moran’s wasn’t allowed receive a winners medal that day either .

    39
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Graham Ross
    Favourite Graham Ross
    Report
    May 18th 2015, 4:39 PM

    Forget the tackle. He’d get 6 months now for pulling & dragging out of the ref in protesting his innocence! Although he didn’t quite get to Di Canio levels…

    35
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Colm Kelly
    Favourite Colm Kelly
    Report
    May 18th 2015, 4:32 PM

    Unusually it was an intercept of Paul McGraths pass that led to Kevin having to make the lunge.

    33
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Andrew Logue
    Favourite Andrew Logue
    Report
    May 18th 2015, 5:34 PM

    Suberb tackle won the ball cleanly. Football is being destroyed these days by cheating, diving and every second tackle being either a yellow or red. Games these days are often decided by which team has a player sent off its a complete joke

    32
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Graham Kavanagh
    Favourite Graham Kavanagh
    Report
    May 18th 2015, 7:30 PM

    Lol, everyone had common sense comments today till that…. Thought we might have a good thread…..

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Carino
    Favourite David Carino
    Report
    May 18th 2015, 3:48 PM

    Badly timed don’t think tackles back then were cynical or malicious as they are today .

    30
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute dontletitslip
    Favourite dontletitslip
    Report
    May 18th 2015, 5:34 PM

    A proper challenge that! :D

    21
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Goldberg
    Favourite Goldberg
    Report
    May 18th 2015, 5:46 PM

    Big Ron would have referred to the tackle as a ‘reducer’

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Carlos Bandanas
    Favourite Carlos Bandanas
    Report
    May 18th 2015, 10:48 PM

    This may be an urban myth and I am well open to correction but is it true that the first person to be sent off in the FA Cup final (Kevin Moran) and the first player to be sent off in the Premier League (Niall Quinn) both went to the same school (Drimnagh castle)??

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute mark
    Favourite mark
    Report
    May 18th 2015, 9:53 PM

    If memory serves me, I was seven at the time, kevin Moran didnt get a winners medal on the day after his red card. He only received it after a campaign on his behalf.

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mick Rooney (TIPM)
    Favourite Mick Rooney (TIPM)
    Report
    May 18th 2015, 11:53 PM

    Bit misleading. Why would you be considered the most cynical player in FA Cup Final history just because you were the first to be sent off in one? Moran was a tough ‘no prisoners’ player, but he was never cynical in his playing days.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute breandan
    Favourite breandan
    Report
    May 19th 2015, 3:35 AM

    If it was today Reid would be gone for simulation…

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Peter Clarke
    Favourite Peter Clarke
    Report
    May 19th 2015, 8:54 AM

    Most cynical ever? The writer obviously doesn’t remember Willie Young in 1980! Only a yellow too. I think that was the tackle that prompted the introduction of the straight red for a professional foul.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Donal Ring
    Favourite Donal Ring
    Report
    May 19th 2015, 6:09 PM

    Good article Will, still very few being sent off in big games- Lehmens in 06 CL final, Reyes in 05 FA cup final-can’t think of any others. A few in World cup finals- two Argentinians in 1990, Desailly, Heitinga

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel