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French second division champions Pau have confirmed the arrival of Argentine Santiago Fernández on a two-year deal. The 32 time capped former Puma is to join the club from Bayonne who finished 13th this past season in the Top 14 and were consequently relegated.
The 29 year old Fernández has been out of favor with Los Pumas Head Coach Daniel Hourcade. Having held down a starting position under Santiago Phelan Fernández did not play under Hourcade in 2014 and remains out of the squad for the upcoming Rugby Championship.
In France he has, nonetheless, performed well both for Bayonne and Montpellier whom he moved to from Buenos Aires in 2010. In joining Pau Fernández will add to his five seasons of Top 14 rugby and will have an opportunity to push for an international recall.
His value to Pau is as a utility player capable of playing to an equally high standard at either fly half or inside centre. Fernández started at pivot for the majority of Rugby World Cup 2011, including the win against Scotland. Thereafter he was used at inside centre and scored Argentina’s first Rugby Championship try as the South Americans competed to a 16-6 draw against South Africa in Mendoza in 2012.
In France he has played more than 100 Top 14 matches including starting at inside centre throughout his debut season and doing so outside François Trinh-Duc as Montpellier reached the final. This past season he played 24 out of 26 matches for Bayonne and doing so at both inside centre and fly half including having goal kicking responsibilities for a notable portion of the season.
In leaving Bayonne behind Fernández will also be without Argentine clubmates. Notwithstanding he will be joined by players he has faced at international level including New Zealanders Colin Slade and Conrad Smith who loom as the starting fly half and outside centre potentially with Fernández joining them in the mid-field.
