No early release for Catrakilis
There is no chance of an early release for Stormers flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis, who is being courted by French club Montpellier.
Montpellier, currently coached by World Cup-winning former Springbok mentor Jake White, has been linked to a host of South African players – including the Du Plessis brothers Jannie and Bismarck.
Montpellier also secured the services of Wallaby scrumhalf Nic White, who will join them next season and be reunited with his former club coach White.
The most recent round of speculation suggested that Montpellier will be willing to pay a massive transfer fee to ensure Catrakilis arrive in France ahead of the 2015/16 season.
However, Western Province Director of Rugby Gert Smal made it clear there is no chance of this happening.
Without confirming that Catrakilis will depart at the end of the year, Smal said there is a precedent for not giving into the enormous amounts of money being waved around by French clubs.
"Demetri is contracted until the end of 2015, which includes both Super Rugby and the Currie Cup," Smal said.
"We would like to ensure that all our players see out their contracts – as was the case with Pat Cilliers and Brok Harris last year."
He also cast doubt over the reports that the flyhalf would leave at the end of the year, even if he is not afforded an early release.
"There certainly seems to be a lot of speculation at present in the world of rugby [in terms of player movement], most notably from Europe," Smal said.
"WP Rugby will, as always, make announcements or comment on announcements only when they have actually been fully ratified by us."
Catrakilis, 25, will ostensibly serve as back-up for first choice France international flyhalf Francois Trinh-Duc.
Jake White, who guided South Africa to the 2007 World Cup trophy, replaced former France captain Fabien Galthie as coach at the end of last year after the latter was suspended by club president Mohed Altrad.
He signed a six-month deal at Montpellier, but recently indicated that it could be extended to two years.
Montpellier's season has been in decline since Trinh-Duc broke his leg in a Top 14 match in early October.
They have been knocked out of the European Champions Cup and are presently eighth in the Top 14, two places outside the play-off spots.
If Catrakilis does decide to leave Cape Town, then he will link up in France with several other South Africans at Montpellier – including Robert Ebersohn and Wynand Olivier.
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