Fissler Confidential: James O'Connor deal close; French points-machine in big demand

James O’Connor is understood to be set to return to Western Force to finish his career where it began, when he became the youngest-ever Super Rugby debutant at 17 in 2008.

The veteran Wallaby, who spent last season with Leicester Tigers, had been linked with one of his former club’s Queensland Reds, the NSW Waratahs and United Rugby Championship outfit the Sharks, since it was announced that he was leaving Welford Road.

He picked up the Western Force ‘Rookie of the Year’ award in 2009, winning the first of his Wallabies caps while at the club, where he spent three seasons before moving to the Melbourne Rebels, but his career is set to come full circle.

Thomas Ramos, who is out of contract next summer, has got serious interest from Top 14 clubs who are keen to lure him away from Toulouse, where he has won six French championship titles and two Champions Cups.

Ramos, who plays full-back and fly-half, celebrated his 31st birthday on Thursday, has won 52 French caps and played 200 games for Toulouse, but hasn’t agreed a new deal to stay beyond the end of the season.

Midi Olympic has reported that Racing 92 President Jacky Lorenzetti is keen on taking him to the French capital, while La Rochelle are also interested, along with Biarritz, who ambitiously want him to drop into Pro D2.

Racing 92 inside centre Joey Manu is now weighing up his options after a visit to Port Moresby, where he had talks with PNG Chiefs about joining the NRL expansion franchise when they join the NRL in 2028.

The former NRL superstar is in the last year of his contract with Racing and is set to cross-codes again with the Chiefs, who can offer a tax-free salary in pole position to sign him.

The Chiefs are also the favourites to sign Zac Lomax, who is currently recovering from a foot injury and has another year left to run on his two-year deal with Super Rugby club the Western Force.

Lyon have announced that they have completed the signing of former Baby Bok scrum-half Sanele Nohamba, who has spent the last year playing in Japan for Shizuoka Blue Revs.

Nohamba, 27, who has also played fly-half, had a disappointing spell in Japan’s Rugby League One after joining in March 2025, only making five appearances after suffering injuries.

The ex-Sharks and Lions star has signed a two-year deal with Lyon, where he hopes he can kick-start his career after it stalled in Japan, challenging Baptiste Couilloud and Charlie Cassang at nine and the likes of Paddy Jackson in the playmaker role.

Former Northampton Saints back row Angus Scott-Young, who left Franklin’s Gardens in November to join the NSW Waratahs, is looking to bolster his fitness by joining a Shute Shield club.

Scott-Young, 29, made nine appearances and scored one try for the Waratahs but suffered a hamstring injury which has responded well to treatment, and he is back fit again.

The ex-Western Sydney Two Blue, whose father Sam was a Wallaby and played in the back row, is hoping to find a club for the last three weeks of the season to give him a head start on returning to pre-season training later in the year.

Incoming Scarlets defence coach Eamon O’Carroll has been put in interim charge of Super League giants St Helens after their head coach Paul Rowley sensationally quit just 24 hours before their grudge derby with Wigan Warriors.

O’Carroll, 39, will take over as Scarlets’ defence coach after his commitments with the Saints and has previously coached at Catalans Dragons, Newcastle Thunder and Bradford Bulls before arriving on Merseyside at the start of the season.

Former Ireland league international O’Carroll, who is seen as one of the brightest coaching talents in Super League and taking him to Llanelli was seen as quite a coup for Scarlets Director of Rugby Nigel Davies.

Harlequins legend Nick Evans has taken to the networking site LinkedIn to confirm that he has become an assistant coach with Toshiba Brave Lupus following his departure from the Twickenham Stoop after 18 years at the end of last season.

Evans, who is Quins’ all-time points scorer and former attack coach, wrote: “Konichiwa, Toshiba Brave Lupus Family, Myself and my family are proud and honoured to join the Toshiba Team!

“I can’t wait to connect with the players, coaches, staff, fans and everyone associated with Toshiba. To learn the Toshiba way of life and their very clear identity of playing, and to live the wonderful Japanese culture. Sugu ni mata aimashou ne!!”

Ryan Fox, who holed the birdie putt on the final hole to win The Open at Royal Birkdale, proved that he was a chip off the old block, following in the footsteps of his father, All Blacks legend Grant.

Fox, now 64, kicked four penalties, a conversion and a drop goal as the All Blacks beat France 29-9 in the 1987 Rugby World Cup final met his son at Auckland Airport after returning with the famous Claret Jug.

Fox junior was a highly rated rugby player in his youth and represented New Zealand Schools before becoming only the fourth Kiwi to win a major golf championship.