Saints fly half & centre Shane Geraghty en route to Top 14’s Brive - Rugby Union news
French newspapers have reported today that Northampton Saints fly half & centre, Shane Geraghty, is in talks with Brive to sign a one-year contract with the French Top 14 side. The newspaper further adds that the Saints and England international star will
announce the details of the contract after the Heineken Cup Final.
Northampton Saints will take on the Leinster in the final of Heineken Cup, at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on Saturday May 21 and the exact date and time of Shane’s announcement is not confirmed. Earlier London Irish flanker, Steffon Armitage, has already
announced his plans to move to France to represent Toulon in the next season of French Top 14.
Brive finished 12 at the end of the Top 14 2010/11 season, winning eight of the 26 games they have played in the season. Even though Brive is not a top ranked French side right now, a the move cannot be ruled out particularly keeping in view Shane’s close
competition for number 10 jersey with Stephen Myler.
24-year-old Geraghty is a Bablake School product and has represented the Ireland Rugby Union team at Under-16 level. He started his professional senior rugby club career with London Irish in 2004. Geraghty played his first game for Irish in 2004 after their
first choice player Riki Flutey was injured. He played for London Irish until the end of 2008/09 season. He made 42 domestic and European appearances for the Irish and scored 127 points that includes 6 tries, 14 conversions, 22 penalties and a drop goal.
In 2007, Coventry born Geraghty’s exceptional performance with the Irish earned him a call as a fly half to Brian Ashton’s England national rugby union squad. He later played his first international game against France at Twickenham in March 2007. Geraghty
scored five points in the match and played a vital role in creating England’s only try of the match scored by Mike Tindall. He also played the finals of the 2007 Six Nations that England lost to Ireland 27 – 18 at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.
In the following year, Geraghty was named in the England Saxons squad that helped him to earn a call to Martin Johnson’s English rugby side. Since then he has regularly featured for England in the Six Nations and is a strong contender for a place in the
England’s final squad for 2011 Rugby World Cup. He has also represented England at Under-21 level during the IRB Under – 21 World Cup in Argentina.
Geraghty is 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighs 83 kg and joined Northampton Saints at the start of the 2009/10 premiership season. He has made 39 appearances for the Saints, which includes 22 appearances as substitute. Geraghty has scored 162 points for Saints
that includes a try, 17 conversions, 40 penalties and a drop goal. He will be looking to carry forward his prime form to Brive.
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