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Former Wallabies centurion eyes unexpected return to NPC and Super Rugby in New Zealand
Former Wallabies centurion Sekope Kepu is eyeing a New Zealand rugby comeback after returning to the country following his exit from Premiership club London Irish.
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Kepu signed with London Irish following the 2019 World Cup in Japan, but after more than a year in lockdown in England, the 110-test international cut short his deal with the Brentford-based club to return to New Zealand due to family health reasons.
The 35-year-old has brought his wife and four children back to Auckland, where he spent 18 years of his life before he departed to Australia to kickstart his Super Rugby career with the Waratahs.
During his time in New Zealand, Kepu was part of numerous age-grade teams before going on to play NPC for Counties Manukau between 2005 and 2007.
He was also part of the Chiefs’ wider training squad, but a broken collarbone ruined his chance of featuring in the 2007 Super 14 season.
However, while Kepu claims that he “never planned to move back to New Zealand”, the uncertainty of COVID-19 led to the decision to move back to Auckland to be closer to both his and his wife’s parents.
“We’d set up camp in Australia which is home for us. The kids were born there and we settled in quite well,” Kepu told the New Zealand Herald.
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“Unfortunately with the Covid situation and the uncertainty of travel we made the decision to move back to Auckland to be closer to both our parents.
“It was niggly but it is what it is with the laws at the moment. Day and night we stayed up and tried to find availability with the MIQ facilities to try give the club a bit more time in March, April, May but by then everything had been booked out. June wasn’t available. During that period everyone wanted to come home.
“We exhausted every avenue. It was impossible for me to come into New Zealand by myself. That’s pretty much it in a nutshell.”
Although he is still contracted to London Irish until the end of June, Kepu is expected to play for Counties Manukau for the first time since 2007 in this year’s NPC.
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The provincial season kicks-off on August 6, when the Steelers travel to Palmerston North to take on Manawatu, at which point Kepu will be free of any contractual obligations with London Irish.
Former Wallabies star Samu Kerevi is set to join the Australian sevens set-up as he eyes a gold medal at this year’s Tokyo Olympics. #Tokyo2020 #TokyoOlympics https://t.co/0m0NnHmHdf
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 29, 2021
Should the three-time World Cup veteran turn out for Counties Manukau, he would be the latest big-name signing for the province, who had Kieran Read, Dalton Papalii and Nepo Laulala on their books last year and have recruited Hoskins Sotutu this season.
“I’m happy to get back to where it all started,” Kepu said. “I feel like my body is in good shape after the stop start season last year.
“The level of the NPC is great. I’ve had couple of sessions with the Counties lads and the pace is quite quick. I’m really enjoying challenging myself.”
NPC isn’t the only competition that Kepu could play in again, as the New Zealand Herald reports that Moana Pasifika are interested in acquiring his services for their inaugural Super Rugby campaign next year.
Whether or not that comes to fruition remains to be seen, but Kepu said he would “love to be part of” the new expansion franchise.
“I’d love to be part of that,” he told the Herald.
“Nothing is set in stone – they’re still trying to get a coach and everything sorted but it would be awesome to be part of something special, the beginning of a new team. Being from Pacific Island descent, and to play Super Rugby again would be awesome.
“The plan was never to come back here but slowly things are looking brighter. I’m enjoying being back and seeing family and friends I haven’t seen for years.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to comments