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Curtis Rona has left London Irish with immediate effect
Former Wallabies midfielder Curtis Rona has quit London Irish with immediate effect to take up an opportunity in Japan. A recent media report had suggested that the centre, who was capped three times before falling out with Michael Cheika in 2017, had gone AWOL from the Gallagher Premiership and was looking for a move back to the NRL in Australia.
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A report on nine.com.au read: “Former Wallaby Curtis Rona is poised to return to rugby league after a bizarre series of events in recent weeks. Rona came close to signing with Super Rugby franchise Western Force last month before the deal fell through.
“The 30-year-old outside back then went missing from his current club, London Irish in Britain, last week, and phone calls from friends and teammates have been going unanswered. Sources close to the talented try-scorer have said that Rona is keen on a return to the NRL, with the Gold Coast Titans the favourites to gain his services for next season.”
London Irish boss Declan Kidney was vague with his answers when asked on Wednesday morning about the current situation with Rona, who started the opening three games in this season’s Premiership at outside centre but was omitted for the round four win at home to Bath on October 1.
Irish then had a bye week in round five and ahead of the return to action this Friday at Sale, Kidney said: “Leading into the Bath match, Curt wasn’t available for selection. That is one of the positions we are quite comfortable in as well in terms of cover.
“We have a number of international standard players like Luca Morisi, Lucio Cinti, Will (Joseph). They were all available to play so we played Will in the Bath match (at No13). Obviously, we are always talking to different players at different stages and things like that, but because Curtis was such a steadfast in the team there were bound to be some questions about that.
“But that was the story going into the Bath match and we had a fallow week last week, so we are just back in training now again this week,” continued Kidney, who added when asked if Rona was back with the Irish squad this week: “Yeah, yeah, he is as much as I am here but you never know when any of us is going to be here.”
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That media briefing took place at 10:45am and by 4pm, London Irish had issued a media statement confirming the immediate departure of Rona from the club. It read: “Curtis Rona is set to leave London Irish with immediate effect to pursue a playing opportunity in Japan. Rona, who made 77 appearances and scored 16 tries for the Exiles, has made the decision to leave after initially joining the Club in preparation for the 2019/20 campaign.”
Rona said: “Thank you to the supporters and everyone at London Irish for making me feel so welcome at the club from the first day that I arrived. I want to thank the players, staff and coaches for everything that they have done for me, and I wish London Irish nothing but the best for the future.”
Kidney added: “We are disappointed to see Curtis go. We wish him and his family well on their next adventure and thank him for his efforts in the London Irish shirt.”
Comments on RugbyPass
To me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
30 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
30 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
30 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
30 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
30 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
30 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
30 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to commentsI think he is right, SBW is respected in RSA. The guy who never stood up is a worm. Sseems lots of NZ SBW hate, you do the crime do the time.
17 Go to comments