Force fly-half Zack Holmes to play in France

Western Force fly-half Zack Holmes has agreed to leave the Perth based Super
Rugby franchise and play for La Rochelle in the French Top 14.

Twenty-five-year-old Perth-born Holmes – an Australian sevens international
– has also played for the Brumbies.

Holmes has been brought in as a replacement for South African flyhalf Peter
Grant who has been released a year early on his contract as he wants to return
to South Africa for family reasons.

The club also signed Fiji-born New Zealand sevens international David Raikuna,
27, as a part-time replacement for the duration of the September 18-October
31 Rugby World Cup.

La Rochelle finished ninth in the Top 14 and have already snapped up Bayonne
hooker David Roumieu, Albi prop Maxime Gau, Oyonnax lock Damien Lagrange, Lyon’s
South African scrum-half Ricky Januarie, Oyonnax centre Pierre Aguillon, Albi
winger Gabriel Lacroix and Racing-Metro full-back Benjamin Lapeyre.