DONE DEAL: Rugby Star Jonny May Signs with Soyaux-Angouleme for Pro D2 Challenge.
England’s former winger Jonny May has joined Soyaux-Angouleme.
Jonny May was officially revealed as a new signing by Soyaux-Angouleme on Tuesday evening. He will play in the French Pro D2 league against his former England teammate Courtney Lawes next season. The monthly RugbyPass moves piece Fissler Confidential first reported on June 1 that the out-of-contract Gloucester winger was on the club’s recruitment list, which sparked rumors of a second-tier cross-Channel move.
He may wait for a transfer to Major League Rugby in America after learning earlier this year that his Gallagher Premiership contract with Kingsholm wouldn’t be renewed. At the time, the club’s May budget was reportedly only €5,000 (£4,200). The second-highest try-scorer in England history, May, 34, withdrew from international rugby at the end of the Rugby World Cup 2023. The Pro D2 side, in 12th place, pulled off a recruiting coup by convincing May that his future would be better served in France rather than the USA.
The French group hinted at a possible agreement on Tuesday morning with a post on X that read, “Men lie, but numbers don’t! 13, 36, 47, and 78. 13, 36, 47, and 78 were the numbers that matched the individuals in May’s illustrious career. Thirteen was his total number of caps for the Rugby World Cup, 36 was his total number of tries scored for England, 47 was the total number of games he played in Europe, and 78 represented the number of Test selections he made. An announcement was expected at 6 p.m. French time, according to the social media post, and it did arrive on schedule.
