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Another Leicester old boy has found a new home, this time in the PRO14
Tongan international back row Sione Kalamafoni has become the latest Scarlets signing ahead of next month’s return to rugby, the powerful ball-carrier – who can play blindside flanker and No8 – joining from Leicester Tigers. Kalamafoni was a big favourite during his three-year spell at Welford Road, but the Welsh region did enough to tempt him into not taking up a Leicester extension.
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Before Leicester he spent five seasons with Premiership rivals Gloucester. However, his first experience of English rugby was at Nottingham when current Scarlets boss Glenn Delaney was in charge of the Championship club.
Capped 37 times by Tonga, the 32-year-old made his international debut 13 years ago and has featured for the islanders in three World Cups, delivering a memorable man-of-the-match display in the stunning upset over France in 2011.
“I’m very excited by the move to West Wales with my wife Limi and my three children. Scarlets are a club that has a great history, not just in Welsh rugby but in global rugby,” said Kalamafoni. “Growing up I was aware the Scarlets were a team full of Welsh stars and I’m excited to be joining the current group where there is a real opportunity for the team under Glenn to go that step further.
“I have seen how well the team have played this season under Brad Mooar and hopefully the Scarlets can really kick on, get through this difficult period we are all living in right now and make an impact not only in the PRO14 but also on the European stage.
Croeso Sione Kalamafoni ? pic.twitter.com/UPvDxtn92n
— Scarlets Rugby (@scarlets_rugby) July 14, 2020
“Linking up again with Glenn is something I always wanted to do since the first day I met him at Nottingham. He has been such a big influence on my career. As soon as I knew there was interest from Scarlets and Glenn to join the club it was a no-brainer to link up with someone who I have a huge amount of respect for and who is an excellent coach.
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“I’m lucky to be joining the Scarlets from another great club in Leicester Tigers. I have really enjoyed my last three years at Leicester and wish all my friends there and the coaching team all the very best.”
Kalamafoni won player of the season awards at Gloucester and Tigers and has been consistently one of the Premiership’s leading carriers, building a reputation for his gainline-busting ability and abrasive defence.
During his stint at Tigers, he made more carries (721) than any player in the Premiership. He also made the fifth most tackles. Only one other player has made more than 500 carries and 500 tackles during that time.
Coach Delaney added: “Sione is a proven performer at Premiership and international level and will bring a huge amount to our group. He will add to the high-quality pool of back-rowers at Parc y Scarlets.
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“I’ve known Sione for a number of years and he will add to our group as much off the field as he will on it. Having watched his career since our early days together at Nottingham I know he will add a great deal to how we play the game in the west of Wales.”
ANALYSIS
– @SanjayWills is coming back to @scarlets_rugby with even more strings to his bow, having honed his abundant array of skills yet further
– writes @rhigarthjones ???https://t.co/PY0IqqXuR8
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 4, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Absolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
5 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
14 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
14 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
5 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to comments