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Former Wallabies flanker Liam Gill departs French club Lyon

By Online Editors
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Former Wallabies flanker Liam Gill has left Top 14 side Lyon after three seasons with the club.

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An announcement was made by the French team on Friday, leaving the 15-test Australian star without a club following the cancellation of the Top 14 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Gill played 60 times for Lyon since arriving from Toulon in 2017, scoring 15 tries in the process.

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In conversation with Karl Tu’inukuafe

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In conversation with Karl Tu’inukuafe

“Liam is one of the best players I have ever seen,” said Lyon’s assistant coach Kendrick Lynn in a statement.

“No matter the week, it didn’t matter if he was a little injured or that he was not in his best form, he was going to give everything, come out bloodied and exhausted.”

Gill’s future remains up in the air, although previous reports have indicated there being an interest on the flanker’s part in a return to Australian rugby.

According to a rugby.com.au report from two years ago, Gill’s management reached out to Australian Super Rugby clubs in 2018 with the aim of playing in the 2019 campaign.

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Money was stated as the prohibitive factor that prevented the move from coming to fruition, with the ex-Reds loose forward reportedly earning in excess of A$500,000 per year in France.

However, with Wallabies great David Pocock now off Rugby Australia’s books, a move back to his homeland could well be on the cards for Gill, although the COVID-19 outbreak has hardly bolstered the organisation’s coffers.

Should he return to Queensland, Gill would have stern competition for a starting role in his preferred position of openside flanker thanks to the development of Reds captain and one-test Wallaby Liam Wright.

The Reds have a number of promising youngsters in their loose forwards department, such as former Australian U20 stars Harry Wilson and Fraser McReight, meaning Gill would have his work cut out for him if he returns to Suncorp Stadium.

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At the age of 27, though, there is still plenty of time for Gill to make an impact and add to the 15 caps he earned for the Wallabies between 2012 and 2013.

Gill, who became the youngest ever player to compete at a Junior World Championship in 2010 at the age of just 17, left Australia in 2016 after three seasons in the international wilderness to link up with Toulon.

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Bull Shark 1 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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