Nakawara case raises awkward questions about Top14's treatment of PI players
Racing 92 lock Leone Nakawara’s no-show to training since the Rugby World Cup is one story this week that could have major consequences.
The 31-year-old has failed to turn up to training following his two-week break after the tournament, and while it is believed that he is in Fiji building a house with his club’s consent, it was initially reported that the Parisian club were planning on firing him if he does not return.
While many people have sympathised with Racing 92, as Nakawara is an employee of theirs who they desperately need as they sit second from bottom in the league, this has sparked new concerns about the Top 14’s treatment of players.
Clubs in the Top 14 have long been criticised from not prioritising player welfare, which was glaringly shown recently when Thomas Ramos ran out for Toulouse only a week after being sent home from the France squad with an injury at the RWC.
https://twitter.com/sussexfox1/status/1191420977412034572?s=20
I see @WorldRugby still doing nothing to aid or educate clubs to be sympathetic to huge cultural differences that Pacific island players are faced with. About time they stepped up to aid players as much as possible
— Dean Sykes (@DeanSykestattoo) November 4, 2019
Two weeks rest has not been deemed enough, particularly for foreign players that may only get a chance to visit their home once a year. The Gallagher Premiership and the Pro14 have been used as examples in how players should be treated, although that is still largely down to the clubs, as Stuart Hogg ran out for the Exeter Chiefs a week after Scotland crashed out of the RWC.
Another case of a European club (most often the French) playing hard ball with islanders. They have a history of blackmailing players from the islanders, and nothing is done to stop it. This has always had a detrimental effect on the World Cup and national team duty. #$hostages
— Dan Amosa (@AmosaDan) November 5, 2019
However, this has also tied into concerns with how Pacific Island players are treated in France, as it is a long held view that players from Fiji, Samoa and Tonga are blackmailed into not playing for their country in order to remain with their clubs. This treatment of the 2018 European player of the year has only fanned those flames.
The Top 14 is utter madness and the owners of these clubs wouldn’t run a bath correctly never mind a rugby club where they have to take player welfare into account. Disgraceful this is along with Ramos playing the week after being sent home with an injury. Pathetic owners https://t.co/ixDRGZqUCq
— Owen Webb O Rourke (@OwenWebbORourke) November 4, 2019
The problem for Racing 92 is that, while they may feel within their rights to sack Nakawara, this would only create a bidding war amongst their biggest rivals for the lock. Very few clubs in Europe would turn down the chance to sign Nakarawa if the opportunity arose, which is why this may just be a hollow threat from the French giants.
https://twitter.com/mckissick12/status/1191473672663576576?s=20
Comments on RugbyPass
Crazy he’s only 28, feel like he’s been around forever - don’t mind the move, safe pair of hands and creates depth in a thin position for ABs. Hopefully aides Kemara’s growth also without thrusting too much responsibility on him
1 Go to commentsMen should show strength and be mean, but they should be able to show emotion to those close yo them in certain times, birth of your child, death of family, proud moment. This article is stupid
4 Go to commentsWhat a weak article…absolute drivel and clickbait, well done. Will stick to rugby365 thanks
4 Go to commentsHonest, discipline, humility… Priceless.
2 Go to commentsSo many excuses. No mention of the SA number 2 being taken out illegally in the 2nd minute. That act of foul play had a massive impact on the SA game. Face it, NZ play pretty dirty very regularly, and it’s only since 2016 they’ve been held to higher officiating standards via stricter officiating and TMO reviews. They deserved to have a man down. Sorry. Fix the yellow and red cards and NZ will win more RWCs. Plus, there WAS a knock on invalidating the one try, so it was NOT a try. Period. Here’s a Kleenex…
212 Go to commentsOverheard conversation between NZ and SA rugby fans everywhere: We’re the greatest! No! we’re the greatest! We’re the greatest! No we’re the greatest! Ireland are arrogant! True but they beat you! We’re the greatest! No! we’re the greatest! Etc. etc, etc.
23 Go to commentsTypical crap Aussie weather
11 Go to comments“If they’d have beaten England, I still feel we would have been talking ‘is this the best team ever,’ ‘is this the best team that’s ever played in the Six Nations'” he said. “I still think they’re not quite that good. I actually don’t think they’re that good.” So Trimble is saying he doesn’t think this is the best 6N team of all time. He is silent on if it is the best Irish team of all time. Can’t disagree with him. Just another misrepresentative clickbait headline from the guys at RP.
23 Go to commentsWow, do we really still have to listen to all the excuses and “unfairness” of it all. Even blaming the bounce of an egg shaped ball for the loss. But the article is about context, so what about the Springboks having to play the other 5 teams in the top 6 and still beating a comparatively rested AB team on a very empty tank.
212 Go to comments“Teams would generally have three coaches below their head honcho; attack coach, defence coach, forwards coach” do they? I’m not sure what the NZ set up is tbh, but the other 4 sides top 5 sides all have very different structures to the one outlined in the article! As well as attack, defence, and forwards coaches, SA, Ireland, and France also have specialist scrum coaches. England have a specialist scrum coach too, but arguably don’t have a forwards coach, with that role taken on by Borthwick. SA also have a backs coach in addition to defence and attack, and Ireland and England have fitness coaches, with England also having two skills coaches.
2 Go to commentsWorst article I've read in a while. Trying to disguise a backhand slap as a compliment. The whole article is a bit weird and negative. I think South African men are emotional in general… think Clad le Clos’s father 2012 London Olympics.
4 Go to commentsIreland are going to win the world cup.
23 Go to commentsIt was the strangest result ever. Etzebeth should've been yellow card for his cynical retiring move and a penalty try. Birth second half tries by the Allblacks were fantastic and the TMO operating outside the law to rule out the first try was egregious. Yes, the boks got the win but it was through some bizarre officiating that allowed them to sneak home against 14 men that dominated them. The quieter Bok supporters know and acknowledge the Allblacks were the better and dominant side. Justifying the win because they beat a pre world cup Allblacks selection is silly.
212 Go to commentsA very English thing to do hey Courtney, blerrie kant
4 Go to commentsIt sounds like Andrew is trying to convince himself or has just lost all perspective. The team did look jaded for the last couple of games of the six nations but a few things were wrong there. Italy tackled their hearts out and made Ireland work hard for every try. Outsmarted by Scotland? Huh? Ireland got held up over the line about 4 times. Scotland did nothing on attack the whole game other than one breakaway near the end. A recharge and reset is needed which they hopefully will have had before the SA your.
23 Go to commentsIncluding SA and Argie teams was great for the quality of rugby, but middle of the night games and player travel/ jet lag make that unworkable. I think that SA in Europe and Argie building an American league with USA, Canada etc would be better long term. If Oz can't sustain Rebels then next cab off the rank should be a Japanese team. Keep regional comps to time zones, both club and test rugby. Then existing test windows for test tours plus RWC.
8 Go to commentsMisogynists have feelings too!
4 Go to commentsCrowd sizes of the URC v the Premiership must be a big factor.
1 Go to commentsWell you’ve made a proper tit of yourself, haven’t you! 😂
173 Go to commentsBen it's beyond their comprehension-
212 Go to comments