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Jimmy Gopperth signs new deal with promotion-chasing Provence aged 40
Veteran fly-half Jimmy Gopperth has signed a one-year contract extension with Provence in France’s Pro D2 at the age of 40.
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The former Junior All Black will be 41 in June and is already in the third decade of his varied career which started in 2003 with Wellington.
But Gopperth says he still has “a lot to offer” the club as they chase down promotion to the Top 14 next season. Provence currently sit in second place in the league, just two points behind leaders Vannes. They are in good shape to qualify for the promotion play-off, but the league winner is guaranteed promotion.
The Kiwi arrived in the south of France in 2023 after a season with Leicester Tigers in the Gallagher Premiership. Prior to that he had spent seven years with Wasps, as well as spells with Leinster, Newcastle Falcons, and with Super Rugby outfits the Blues and the Hurricanes.
“We are developing something special here at Provence Rugby and I am excited about the future of this club,” he said after signing.
“I am excited to be a part of this group in the future as I feel I still have a lot to offer on and off the field within the team. I look forward to finishing the season strong. Come on the blacks.”
It is no wonder the former Wasps centurion is excited about the future of his club, with Wales legend George North set to arrive in the summer.
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They have also shown their ambition by keeping hold of France U20 fullback Leo Drouet for another two seasons.
Drouet signed at the same time as Gopperth, and said: “Very proud and very happy to be able to wear the Provence rugby jersey again for the next two seasons. I’m in the right place to continue my progress with the goal of playing more and more. I am very proud to be part of this incredible project and very excited to continue giving my all on the pitch.”
Gopperth spoke to RugbyPass in January about how the contrast in rugby culture in France compared to the UK has given him a “new lease of life”.
“Rugby in the UK and Ireland is very structured,” he said.
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“Guys understand the structure and where they need to be in certain plays whereas in France it’s very unstructured. As they say, ‘Joie, joie’. It’s taken me a bit to get used to being in a very structured environment for so many years, but it’s a breath of fresh air. We’ll run it from our own goal line. It’s just how it is, that French mentality, I really enjoy it. It’s like a cross between Super Rugby and English rugby, a bit of a hybrid. It has given me a new lease of life.”
Provence even hinted that this may not be the final year of Gopperth’s career, although he will be 42 come the end of next season after potentially playing a campaign in one of the toughest leagues in the world.
But that is not something he thinks about too much, as he dispensed his secrets to his remarkable longevity.
“I think it is just having a balanced life on and off the field but more so it’s probably just the hunger to compete. I have got a competitive edge that I always want to improve.
“Age is not a thing for me. I never think of my age, I just want to improve. I suppose all rugby players, we’re a little bit selfish in a way and I am really hungry to be the best I can be. You have got to make a lot of sacrifices.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments