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Telusa Veainu 'absolutely buzzing' to be back in the Premiership
Telusa Veainu is back in the Premiership three years after quitting Leicester Tigers for France. The Tongan was one of five players who refused to sign contracts that were altered on the back of the pandemic suspension of the 2019/20 season and he walked away from Welford Road along with Manu Tuilagi, Kyle Eastmond, Greg Bateman and Noel Reid.
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It was during his first season in the Top 14 that Veainu reflected on the stance he had taken, reflecting in a RugbyPass interview: “They [Leicester] did what was right for them in terms of the pandemic, and I was doing what I needed to do for my family and to support them and that was the decision I had to make based on that.
“At the time I didn’t really have any options and it was just when things started to break down with Leicester and the news started to be published that Stade heard about it and came through. At the time all the clubs had finished all their signings and I was very fortunate to be picked up by Stade.”
The irony now is that after all the stress of that high-profile departure from Leicester, Veainu is poised to become a teammate of Tuilagi once more after sealing a one-year deal to link up with Sale, the 2022/23 Premiership finalists.
A statement read: “Sale Sharks have signed experienced Tonga international full-back Telusa Veainu on a one-year deal ahead of the 23/24 Gallagher Premiership season. The versatile 32-year-old, who represented the All Blacks at U20s level and played domestic rugby in Australia, has experience of the Premiership having spent five stellar seasons at Leicester Tigers.
“During his spell at Welford Road, he scored 32 tries in 79 appearances before joining French Top 14 side Stade Francais in 2020. Now he will join up with Alex Sanderson’s squad for pre-season ahead of the 2023/24 Gallagher Premiership season.”
Veainu said: “I’m absolutely buzzing, and I can’t wait to come over to Manchester and get started. My wife is English, so we have wanted to move back and this is the perfect opportunity. Manu Tuilagi is one of my closest friends and every time I speak to him, he talks so passionately about the environment at Sale as well as the players and the coaches too.
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“When I watch him play I can tell he loves it there – he is even doing ice baths! That means a lot to me and it tells me that it’s a really good club full of good people.
“The squad is full of really exciting, young back three players who have been carving it up all season, and I can’t wait to work with them to help their development but also feed off their energy. I played with Manu and George Ford at Leicester, and I can’t wait to be on the same pitch as them both again.”
Sale boss Alex Sanderson added: “Telusa was one of the best players in the Premiership while he was at Leicester, so we know we are getting a really good player. But more than that, we know we are getting a brilliant human too, who will make a massive contribution off the pitch and help this young group develop.”
Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments