There has been a growing swell of talk and rumours from the national media about the potential departure of Fiji captain Semi Radradra from Bristol Bears.
Outside centre Radradra, joined the Bears from Bordeaux Begles in 2020, immediately helping the club to win their first major trophy in 37 years by claiming the European Challenge Cup trophy with victory against Toulon.
The following season Radradra inspired Bristol to finish the 2020/21 campaign top of the table only to lose 43-36 in the play-off semi-final to Harlequins.
However, in the summer, helping his country win Sevens gold at the Tokyo Olympics, Radradra injured his knee and required surgery.
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The explosive superstar, who is one of Bristol’s two marquee signings whose salary falls outside the £5m cap, returned to action in December but has looked a shadow of the player he previously was, touted by many as the best player in the world before his injury.
Meanwhile, the Bears’ other marquee player, former All Black Charlies Piutau, continues to struggle with a niggly Achilles issue.
Former CEO of Saracens, Harlequins, Melbourne Storm and Global Rapid Rugby, Mark Evans said on this week’s The Ruck podcast, from The Times, that he anticipates both of Bristol’s marquee players to depart.
He said: “The headliners are not playing anywhere near like they were a season, two seasons ago - Semi Radradra and Charles Piutau; I think they will both be gone by next year.
"I think if they [Bristol] are in as much salary problem as had been reported.... they are going to go through a sticky period.”
The salary cap issue Evans was referring to is this potential ‘fire sale’ of players required to be within the permitted budget next season after missing a deadline which meant a number of players’ contract renewals were triggered automatically when the club had intended to release them at the end of the year.
As a result, Bristol do not have room in their budget for the likes of former England international Dave Attwood, who will join Bath despite his current employer being keen to keep him.
With a further squeeze on the salary cap next season, with marquee players going down from two to one, The Rugby Paper reported this week that Radradra could also be off in June.
However getting away from the speculation, Bristol Live understands the facts of the situation are that Radradra is in contract at the Bears for at least another season, meaning if he were to leave early the star back would either need to be bought out of his contract at huge expense or leave the club by mutual agreement.
Radradra is believed to earn in the region of £500,000 a season at Bristol.
Elsewhere in the backs, Bristol Live understands that while Antonine Frisch is out of contract at the Bears at the end of the season, the likes of BT Sport have bolted too early in their reporting at the weekend that the French centre is definitely off at the end of the season with talks ongoing at his current club.
Frisch was given a one year contract at Bristol having been plucked out of the French second division, the ProD2, but has come on leaps and bounds this season to star in recent months in the 12 jersey.
He has been linked with French Top 14 sides Stade Francais and Montpellier and is also reported to have caught the eye of recruiters at two of the Irish provinces.
