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Josua Tuisova set for Racing 92 debut after controversial injury

By Josh Raisey
Fiji's inside centre Josua Tuisova reacts during the France 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final match between England and Fiji at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille, south-eastern France, on October 15, 2023. (Photo by NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP) (Photo by NICOLAS TUCAT/AFP via Getty Images)

Fiji centre Josua Tuisova is set to make his debut for Racing 92 on Saturday against Bayonne after joining the club last summer.

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The 30-year-old joined the Parisian outfit at the end of last season from Lyon, and was set to link up with his team after the World Cup.

However, the 113kg back picked up a knee injury against England in the quarter-final which has sidelined him until this weekend. The injury itself, which required surgery, was somewhat controversial.

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The injury came as a result of a tackle by England flanker Tom Curry, which Racing labelled “a violent tackle without the arms” in a caustic statement shortly after.

The statement read: “During the England – Fiji match counting for the 3rd quarter-final of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, last Sunday October 15, the Fijian center of Racing 92 Josua Tuisova suffered a violent tackle without the arms of the English player No7 thus injuring his left knee.

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“The player will consult specialist opinions in the coming days to determine the duration of his unavailability.

“Racing 92 wishes Josua Tuisova a speedy recovery and shows him all its support during this period.”

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The powerful centre is set to make his comeback on Saturday at the Stade Abbé-Deschamps after being named in the starting XV by coach Stuart Lancaster.

The centre will form a world-class partnership with France centre Gael Fickou in the midfield, with the Frenchman wearing the No13 jersey.

This is a partnership that fans would have wanted to see all season, but still has the potential to make an impact in the denouement of the Top 14 season. Racing currently sit in fourth place in the league with four rounds remaining of the regular season. That means Tuisova still has an opportunity to end his debut season in Paris on a high.

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J
JW 14 minutes ago
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Yeah he might, I only saw the one angle where it looked cheek on cheek, and I didn't see what you're referring to today at all. Did either incident change the play SB, did they have any affect on the game?


Um, I don't think you're right in that 'fact' about foul play SB. I just sounds like the typical moaning SA fans did after Sam Cane's red in the world cup final, after there own captain had done the same or worse, taken out Frenchmen the previous game, and lost domestic titles due to their own nations offences. Don't you think it is hypocritical to talk about New Zealanders? Or is that in fact why you are trying to put Kiwi's in the same boat as others?


I would venture you've fallen into the media hole. It's easy to look at things like number of cards in isolation, for someone to cherry pick data and others to swallow it whole. I would need to do some research to see a problem developing with NZ rugby.


To me, on the surface without digging into it, they have mostly felt hard done by, so I'd suggest to anyone that they simply haven't adapted to the changing laws rather than having changed (their rugby style) themselves. I think if you did look you would find all sanctions were mitigated down to the most minimal suspensions possible. The only bad act I recall was Sonny-Bill Williams in Lions 2 with his league tackle. For him, it would just go down into the 'stupid' category.


So if you don't wont to look stupid throwing around the word 'fact', you should at least be able to back it up when you do try it ;)

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