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Report claims Laumape in line for Top 14 move from Hurricanes while ex-All Blacks lock Bird is set to quit Racing
Stade Francais are believed to be in negotiations with All Blacks midfielder Ngani Laumape over a possible move to France for the 2021/22 Top 14 season, while Racing 92’s former All Blacks lock Dominic Bird is now set to leave the club despite it being announced last November that he would stay on beyond the end of the current season.
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Parisian club Stade are on the hunt for a new centre as they will lose Gael Fickou to capital city rivals Racing at the end of this season and the soon-to-be 28-year-old Laumape, who has recently featured for the All Blacks under Ian Foster, is now on their radar according to Midi Olympique, the bi-weekly French rugby newspaper.
The Midi report claimed: “Stade have established contacts with the entourage of Ngani Laumape for some time now. “The New Zealand centre, who plays for the Hurricanes, would not be opposed to an experiment in France. On the contrary, anyone with 15 caps for the All Blacks knows he is not a top pick in his country.
“Remember, for the World Cup in Japan in 2019, coach Steve Hansen had chosen him to do the preparation but finally decided to forgo his services just as the official selection was announced. Hansen preferred Sonny Bill Williams, Ryan Crotty, Jack Goodhue and Anton Lienert-Brown to him.
“Since then, the Hurricanes player has returned to the selection under new coach Ian Foster. He played two Rugby Championship fixtures in October and November, but he could well choose to join Stade Francais next season. However, another track leads to the Argentinian centre Santiago Chocobares which bears the colours of the Jaguares. The 22-year-old said he was interested.”
#Transferts ✈️
Après avoir acté le départ de Fickou avant la fin de son contrat, pour des raisons financières, le Stade français a engagé des discussions avec le centre néo-zélandais afin de l’attirer dans la capitale.https://t.co/igsixjn38E— Midi Olympique (@midi_olympique) April 2, 2021
Bird, meanwhile, was one of six players said by Racing five months ago to have signed contract extensions, the other players being Finn Russell, Boris Palu, Olivier Klemenczak, Dorian Laborde and Gia Kharaishvili. However, it is now claimed he will instead leave at the end of this season due to personal reasons.
In an in-depth January interview with RugbyPass, Bird said: “I’m currently 29 and would like to think I could play to 36 if not longer. Second rows are kind of special in the sense that guys can play a bit longer. At no stage lately have I thought I’m ready to have a breather or ready to have a change-up. I’m still very, very hungry for it. We’ll keep rolling for as long as we can and then afterwards life is likely to be in New Zealand. I’m toying with a lot of different things.”
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'When you push for the All Blacks when you are in the maybe zone it’s very stressful. I know a lot of players feel that too'
The tallest in @AllBlacks history @DominicJBird flew the NZ coop for @racing92 He hasn't looked back, until now, w/ @heagneyl 👨💻https://t.co/WiAK36rQkO
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 17, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe 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?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 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!
5 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 …
33 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
4 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.
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