All Blacks duo Leroy Carter and Simon Parker have both agreed new deals with New Zealand Rugby (NZR), Northampton Saints have re-signed France international Anthony Belleau amid Top 14 interest and Marco Riccioni is set to join Perpignan.<\/p>\n
Leroy Carter and Simon Parker re-commit to NZR<\/p>\n
Current All Blacks<\/a> stars Carter and Parker have become the latest Test players to re-commit to NZR, following the likes of Cam Roigard in penning new deals.<\/p>\n As part of their new contracts with the national side, they have also recommitted to Super Rugby Pacific outfit the Chiefs, as well as their respective provinces, Bay of Plenty and Northland.<\/p>\n Former Sevens man Carter has become a mainstay in the All Blacks starting XV in his maiden Test season with the All Blacks, making his debut against the Springboks in Wellington and adding five further caps. Parker also made his debut in the 2025 Rugby Championship and has notched eight caps in total since.<\/p>\n Commenting on his new contract, Carter said: \u201cI don\u2019t want to play for another club, so it was a pretty easy decision. It\u2019s a club I grew up wanting to play for, and it\u2019s a dream come true, so I\u2019m excited to put pen to paper pretty early doors, and I\u2019m looking forward to it.\u201d<\/p>\n On his respective deal, Parker said: \u201cI guess this is the sort of stage you start thinking about what\u2019s next. You don\u2019t want to leave it too late, obviously. So it was a bit of a no-brainer for me and my family, we\u2019ve got our family roots planted where we are, so it\u2019s quite nice to have some security that\u2019s where you\u2019re going to be for the next couple of seasons.\u201d<\/p>\n Also commenting, Chiefs head coach Jono Gibbes added: \u201cIt\u2019s great to see these two recommit to the Chiefs. They are outstanding team members who bring that special X-factor to what they do on the field. They\u2019re a big part of the Chiefs\u2019 future on the field and off it.\u201d<\/p>\n Eddie Jones \u2018disappointed\u2019 by how NZ Rugby \u2018handled\u2019 Scott Robertson\u2019s sacking and \u2018leaking\u2019 details<\/a><\/p>\n Northampton Saints re-sign Anthony Belleau amid Top 14 interest<\/p>\n France international Belleau has recommitted his future to PREM side Northampton Saints<\/a>, following a strong first season at the club.<\/p>\n His decision to continue his time in the East Midlands comes amid reports linking him with an immediate return to the Top 14, with Toulon tipped as a potential landing spot for the 11-capped Test player.<\/p>\n Commenting on his new deal, Belleau said: \u201cLast season, when I made the decision to move away from France, it was a real challenge for me as a rugby player. I didn\u2019t know if I would be able to do it, but when the offer from Saints came, I wanted to give it my best shot.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I first arrived, everything felt new. It was like beginning a completely fresh chapter in my career; a different style of play, a different way of living, and a different way of understanding rugby. But being at Saints has been incredibly enriching for me, on and off the field. I truly believe it has made me not only a better rugby player, but also a better person.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, when the conversation turned to my plans for next season, I knew my time here wasn\u2019t finished. I wanted to see what new challenges were waiting for me with this team.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel very lucky to be here, living my dream as a rugby player, and to share it with my better half. I\u2019m excited for what comes next for us in Northampton.\u201d<\/p>\n Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for world-class coverage you can trust.<\/p>\n Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson added: \u201cAnthony is a big signing for us. The fly\u2011half role is integral to every team, but particularly for us at Saints given how we want to play the game. We want genuine competition at 10, and Anthony gives us that.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we signed him, he had other offers, but he chose Saints because he believed we would push him and help progress his game. That said a lot.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s impressed us even more since then is his willingness to learn and muck in. He\u2019s thrown himself into everything within our environment at Saints, but also off the field too \u2013 by exploring the country, connecting with the local community (including a few French restaurant owners in town), and fully immersing himself in life in Northampton.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s still learning our system, but he brings Test\u2011level experience of marshalling territory, managing the kick\u2011pass balance, knowing when to run the ball, and being the general. He gives us the opportunity to perform at the highest level and drives competition within the squad, so we are delighted to be keeping Anthony here in Northampton.\u201d<\/p>\n Decoding England\u2019s attacking \u2018genius\u2019 and the three crucial cogs that power the \u2018relentless tide\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n Marco Riccioni to make Top 14 switch<\/p>\n While Belleau might be remaining in the PREM for the foreseeable future, fellow English-based player Riccioni will be heading across the Channel at the end of the season, according to reports.<\/p>\n