Dan Carter, Ma'a Nonu and more... the World Cup stars heading back to Europe to play club rugby in the 2015-16 season

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Despite the World Cup drawing to a close many southern hemisphere stars who lit up the tournament will be staying on European shores.

The French Top 14 and England’s Aviva Premiership are set to be flooded with household names, with many looking for a well-paid swan-song to end a glittering career.

Here are some of the best names staying on the continent.

Sportsmail looks at 10 Rugby World Cup stars heading back to Europe to play for their clubs...

MA’A NONU, 33 – TOULON

One of the great All Black centres who scored an amazing try in the World Cup final will be part of the ever-growing fantasy XV at Toulon from the end of November.

Mourad Boudjellal’s cheque-book has once again created a mouth-watering potential back-line of Matt Giteau, Ma’a Nonu, Mathieu Bastareaud, Bryan Habana, Drew Mitchell and Leigh Halfpenny.

With that firepower at their disposal it would be a brave person to bet against Toulon winning their fourth European crown in a row.

Ma'a Nonu (centre) is one of the great All Blacks centres, and he will join Toulon from the end of November

DAN CARTER, 33 – RACING 92

After his World Cup heroics, putting the ghost of 2011 to rest, Carter becomes the highest paid rugby player of all time – he will earn £1million a year at Racing 92.

His move to Paris started something of a fly-half merry-go-round with Jonny Sexton moving from Racing back to Leinster, Jimmy Gopperth from Leinster to Wasps and Andy Goode from Wasps to London Irish, before injury ended his career.

New Zealand hero Dan Carter will become the highest paid rugby player of all time at Racing 92 this season

CONRAD SMITH, 34 – PAU

The more unspectacular half of the greatest centre partnership of all time – and his choice of French club echoes his character.

There will not be the glamour and pyrotechnics at Pau for Smith, unlike those for Nonu at Toulon – but fans will get to see the Hurricanes pair finally play each other after years in each other’s pockets for club and country.

Conrad Smith will not receive glamour and pyrotechnics at Pau, but fans will see him up against Nonu

BEN FRANKS, 31 – LONDON IRISH

The prop would have collected far more than the 47 All Blacks caps he ended up with if he did not have such a talented brother, Owen, keeping him out of the side.

Franks is swapping Wellington for Reading, and Irish fans will hope he can steady a creaking set-piece at the Madjeski.

Ben Franks is swapping Wellington for Reading to ply his trade for London Irish in the Aviva Premiership

VICTOR MATFIELD, 38 – NORTHAMPTON SAINTS 

The veteran Springbok has already retired twice from internationals, reneging on the idea in 2014 to have a last crack at the World Cup, but will continue his club career in the Midlands.

Northampton have had a tricky start to the season, so what better than 127 Test caps worth of experience coming into the squad – and with a specially designed Saints scrum-cap to boot!

Veteran Victor Matfield has already retired twice from international rugby; he will join Northampton Saints

DUANE VERMEULEN, 29 – TOULON

Yet another superstar will grace the Stade Mayol this season – but Vermuelen will have to battle it out for the No.8 shirt with Samu Manoa when he arrives on the Cote d’Azur.

The former Stormers forward joins a pack with the likes of Paul O’Connell, Mamuka Gorgodze and Juan Martin Fernandez-Lobbe on a star-studded team sheet. 

Duane Vermeulen (above) will battle with Samu Manoa for the No 8 shirt at Toulon when he joins this season

JEAN DE VILLIERS, 34 – LEICESTER TIGERS

When he recovers from the broken jaw he sustained at the World Cup the former Springbok captain will join the most successful English club of all time.

If fit de Villiers could link up with Manu Tuilagi in a tasty-looking Welford Road midfield.

Jean De Villiers, who broke his jaw at the World Cup, will play for Leicester Tigers when he has recovered

ADAM ASHLEY-COOPER, 31 – BORDEAUX-BEGLES 

His World Cup dream was shot to pieces by the brilliant All Blacks but Ashley-Cooper was one of the stars of the tournament.

Only Jonah Lomu has scored a hattrick in a semi-final like the Wallabies man did against Argentina and he’ll join fifth placed Bordeaux in the Top 14.

Adam Ashley-Cooper was one of the stars of the World Cup, and Bordeaux fans will see him up close

WILL GENIA, 27 – STADE FRANCAIS

Bath wanted the lively scrum-half but Stade Francais landed him – one of the top 9s in world rugby, Genia would be a fine addition to any side.

And he’ll still be available for Australia if picked, as he now has 66 caps – his experience qualifying him for the national side despite playing in Europe due to the ARU’s new relaxed rules.

Will Genia, pictured in action during the World Cup final, will be a fine addition at Stade Francais this term

SEKOPE KEPU, 29 – BORDEAUX-BEGLES

Steadied the Australian scrum in the World Cup after years of problems at the set-piece and now he will join Ashley-Cooper in Bordeaux.

But it may not be the end of his Wallaby career as, like Genia, Kepu is over the 60-cap threshold set by the ARU for overseas talent. 

Sekope Kepu, who steadied the Australian scrum at the World Cup, will join Ashley-Cooper in Bordeaux