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Nakarawa's sacking has fans of other European clubs pleading for him to join them
It is not very often that one of the best players in the world in their position is released mid-season by a club, but Racing 92 have decided to terminate Leone Nakarawa’s contract.
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The Fijian lock was late to report back to his club after the World Cup and while it looked as though the situation had blown over, the Parisians have decided to sever ties with the 2018 European player of the year.
It is unlikely, however, that the 31-year-old will be without a club for long, as any club in world rugby would want him in their ranks.
The Olympic gold-winning sevens player plays with typical Fijian flair despite his considerable frame and has truly established himself as one of the world’s premier offloaders of the ball.
There is very rarely a situation where the 6ft 6in lock cannot free his arms in contact and distribute the ball – and that is what makes him so dangerous.
Consequently, fans from all over Europe are pleading their case for Nakarawa to join their club.
On his way to Manchester ?????
— Tommy Tea Pot (@Pippo1973) December 6, 2019
Sooo Nakarawa is a free agent
Cardiff Blues need a second row
We’d better start a go fund me
— South Terracer (@TerracerSouth) December 6, 2019
If only Leicester could snap him up, he would be a real game changer to any club he joins next.
— Harry Goward (@GowardHarry) December 6, 2019
You want to see him playing in a side that his style suits, which is very much Bristol. I mean, if the Bears did sign Nakarawa, everyone may as well go home and the trophy can be handed to them now. ????? https://t.co/9mQKVFTzzr
— Marcello Cossali-Francis (@Mcossalifrancis) December 6, 2019
Leone Nakarawa sacked.
Connacht looking for second-row cover.
HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
— Daragh Small (@daraghs0) December 6, 2019
However, perhaps the most compelling cases seem to be from Bristol Bears fans, who feel Nakarawa would suit the style of rugby that Pat Lam is endorsing in the west of England.
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With compatriot Semi Radradra having already signed at Ashton Gate ahead of next season and Charles Piutau extending his contract, Bristol looks like the place to play and Nakarawa would complete some unbelievable business for the Bears over the past few weeks.
Sign Nakarawa
Please and thanks
— K?tie (@katie_brennan98) December 6, 2019
.@GlasgowWarriors and the SRU board hearing that Nakarawa has been sacked by Racing
HWFG
— Thistle Scottish Rugby Podcast (@thistlerugbypod) December 6, 2019
Nakarawa sacked minutes before @SaleSharksRugby team announcement ?
— Simon Holman (@SimonHolman9) December 6, 2019
Glasgow Warriors fans also want to see the Fijian return to Scotstoun where he started his career in the northern hemisphere in 2013, playing there for three years.
Bath could do with him. Light on second rows. Imagine him and mercer playing together. Offload city
— Scrum365 (@Scrum365) December 6, 2019
We'll have him at Leinster not a problem. Slot Nakarawa in with Ryan in the second row
— James Marchant (@SGT_MARCHANT) November 5, 2019
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https://twitter.com/Pugoramma/status/1202934986397143042
Nakarawa will go somewhere and it will be announced very soon, in turn boosting one club’s fortunes considerably with so much of the northern hemisphere club season still to be played.
WATCH: Nadolo, the RugbyPass documentary on the life and times of Fijian legend Nemani Nadolo
Comments on RugbyPass
Anna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo 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.
61 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.
8 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
61 Go to comments