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Family affair at Montpellier with Nadolo's brother arriving as medical joker

21 Mar 2019

Kurisi Kuridrani. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Montpellier have beefed up for their run-in to the end of the Top 14 season with an interesting choice of a medical joker.

Vern Cotter’s side have been enduring a miserable season, knocked out of the Champions Cup with a defeat at Edinburgh while their inconsistent league form sees them placed in ninth spot nine points outside the sixth and final play-off spot.

That has led to speculation that the future of Cotter, who arrived in summer 2017, is under threat as last year’s Top 14 finalists have nose-dived this term despite their budget being one of the biggest in France.

They didn’t have to search to far to compensate for the absence of Benjamin Fall, who has suffered a foot fracture. Needing to quickly solve an emergency, they turned to Chris Kuridrani who is the younger brother of Nemani Nadolo.

The Brisbane-born 27-year-old, who can double job on the wing and at full-back, is a former Queensland Reds Super Rugby player who has also had a stint in Japan with the Honda Heat.

(Continue reading below…)

Standing at 1.9 metres and weighing 100kgs, he is the younger brother of Nadolo, the Fijian flyer who recently announced his retirement from international rugby in advance of this year’s World Cup in Japan (Nadolo is his Nemani’s mother’s maiden name).

“I’ve been thinking about this decision for 12 months,” said Nadolo when explaining his reason to concentrate on playing only for Montpellier.

#Officiel : L'ailier/arrière australien Chris Kuridrani rejoint le MHR en tant que joker médical ?
?? https://t.co/j7ZfjfyvU6 #TEAMMHR pic.twitter.com/j1I6Az5C2A
— Montpellier Rugby (@MHR_officiel) March 20, 2019

“I called the club two days before making it public. Everyone was surprised, shocked. He [Vern Cotter] was looking for a joker to replace me during the World Cup.

“When I played last June, I had a thought: if you wake up one day and you hesitate about your job, it is the moment to stop. This is what happened to me with the Fijian team, whereas I feel that I still have a lot to give in Montpellier.”

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Comments on RugbyPass

d 23 minutes ago

Scott Robertson explains 'hugely challenging' five-halfback situation

totally agree, Aaron Smith proved that the only skills needed for a halfback were fast hands (or so the ladies said) we need to worry more about finding a 10 who can kick accurately and maybe transfer those skills to the rest of the side as well. That said Love needs to tidy up his passing before he slots into 10 at AB level. I’m not totally convinced we have better than Jordan at 14, and Love did fine at fb so put him there for now.

16 Go to comments

PM 25 minutes ago

Tour fortunes of English Lions blur selection picture for Borthwick

Therefore, expect;

1. Genge

2, Cowan Dickie

3. Stuart

4. Itoje

5. Martin

6. Ollie Chessum

7. Tom Curry

8. Tom Willis

9. Mitchell

10. F Smith

11. Freeman

12. Atkinson

13. Slade (until Lawrence returns)

14. Feyi-Waboso

15. Furbank

16. Baxter

17. George

18. Heyes

19. CC-S

20. Earl

21. JvP

22. M Smith

23 O Farrell/E Daly (it’s either or)

Ultimately, Borthwick has to make a decision between Farrell/Ford at 10 or Farrell/Slade at 12 (once Lawrence returns). One or two of the experienced heads will need to miss out from Farrell/Ford/Slade/Daly - there isn’t the room for all 4 in a matchday 23.

6 Go to comments

PM 37 minutes ago

Tour fortunes of English Lions blur selection picture for Borthwick

There is next to no chance of Lawrence being fit for the Autumn Internationals and it’s touch and go if he will be back for the Six Nations (which will be 12 months out).

6 Go to comments

CO 38 minutes ago

Scott Robertson explains 'hugely challenging' five-halfback situation

Kirifis a little guy, only five eleven and replaced a guy who's six foot four in Dalton or Blackadder at six foot three. Lakai is a little larger at six foot one and was in a losing pack against France. The pack definitely is what lost to both France and the Boks. Getting beaten by the benches in the second half. Razor talks about requiring size and then selects short people in the pack. Timoci is another shorty along with Reece, Narawa. I get it if they had amazing x factor but nine is these small guys do. The Fijian Allblacks would struggle to make the Fiji team.

16 Go to comments

NH 41 minutes ago

'The success of Skelton, Hooper and Tupou should trigger a rethink on Australia’s overseas selection criteria'

Someone flagged it the other day, he seems to enter contact in a different body shape than what an ardie or bobby does which allows them to keep their feet better. I don’t think he will ever be quite as effective as bobby in that regard, but if he could get half way there it could make a difference for those brutal, in tight carries where you’re on a hiding to nothing.

266 Go to comments

JWH 54 minutes ago

Scott Robertson explains 'hugely challenging' five-halfback situation

Probably one of the better Wallabies side in the last decade too. A shame they can’t bring Skelton, but the pack is still huge with Tupou, Frost, Pollard, Wilson, and Valetini/Hooper

16 Go to comments

JWH 56 minutes ago

Scott Robertson explains 'hugely challenging' five-halfback situation

Would be a pretty handy excuse but Ratima is not all bad so can’t really see an argument for losing as having the 4th best halfback in the world playing instead of the best.

16 Go to comments

JWH 58 minutes ago

Scott Robertson explains 'hugely challenging' five-halfback situation

Stress fracture for Roigard so nothing too serious, should be back for the Bledisloe games I think, but he could pull a Waisake Naholo and get some voodoo magic to bring him back earlier.

As for Mounga, he isn’t the ‘first-choice’ necessarily even though he probably is the best flyhalf that is eligible to play for NZ. His status in Japan jeopardizes his position as All Blacks 10 since the ABs don’t pick overseas players. Can’t blame him though, 3 million dollars is hard to turn down (but it is something NZR could’ve matched if they weren’t so shortsighted). He got a broken hand playing in the JRLO final, which he won to make it 9 consecutive league titles he has won.

16 Go to comments

JWH 1 hour ago

Scott Robertson explains 'hugely challenging' five-halfback situation

Kirifi is big what are we talking about? Also, ABs pack is NOT what faltered last year against SA

16 Go to comments

JD Kiwi 1 hour ago

'The success of Skelton, Hooper and Tupou should trigger a rethink on Australia’s overseas selection criteria'

I cover the other half of Nick's CV and I don't get paid either 😂

266 Go to comments

JD Kiwi 1 hour ago

'The success of Skelton, Hooper and Tupou should trigger a rethink on Australia’s overseas selection criteria'

I'm a Sale fan myself and was amazed that they didn't get a go in green.

We used to have a meme:

“You say you're a Sale fan but I bet you can't name four of their players”

“Du Preez”

266 Go to comments

JD Kiwi 1 hour ago

'The success of Skelton, Hooper and Tupou should trigger a rethink on Australia’s overseas selection criteria'

That's probably why he got that soft tissue injury!

266 Go to comments

JD Kiwi 1 hour ago

'The success of Skelton, Hooper and Tupou should trigger a rethink on Australia’s overseas selection criteria'

You're right of course. I suppose, at the time, the match seemed a cut above the rest of the tour to that point and the Lions were really rattled.

266 Go to comments

JD Kiwi 1 hour ago

'The success of Skelton, Hooper and Tupou should trigger a rethink on Australia’s overseas selection criteria'

Yes he tried to bully me with “you don't know about my profession” condescension to distract from his inability to rebut my arguments and it's always better to use calm logic in those circumstances.

If he really believes that people just can't handle views they don't agree with he must be totally deluded.

His management style comes across as very short termist and narrowly focused. I'd hate to work for him and prefer to remain a mere amateur!

Well done by the way for building the community here.

266 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

Mick Cleary: 'These blokes have done the jersey proud, with their buy-in and with their relish.'

Jesus PR that’s another great conclusion. I can definitely see it as blocker to bringing through new talent in time for the WC. NZ underwent a lot of change in 2018 following the Lions tour, in part thanks to key injuries. Despite the revenue spending Aaron Cruden (getting frail even at his young age then) and Lima Sopoaga (along with Julien Savea), 2 of the 3 1st5s in the Lions squad, both left before the 2019 WC for example. But when we apply your logic, their delayed departure prevented Richie Mounga and Damien McKenzie (the 15 who got injured and threw a spanner in the works) from brought through in what would possible now be considered the preferred WC preparation. Ditto on the win with a scramble of constant change their all the way through to their WC 3rd/4th playoff.

Theres certainly cause to account for certain circumstances eventuating being influenced by a Lions tour. But as both nations here select from domestic players only, theres also cause to put similar emphasis on the contracting model in general, as sometimes you can hold on too long. Ireland has a similar model, talking to another irishman here he suggests it has lead to selecting based on contracts, money being spent on a player centrally contracted. So I would not so much worry about fatigue (in part because some incomplete analysis I had done on all.rugby shows the Irish contingent have low minutes this year) but continuing to select underperforming and aging players. When in a pure context of building for a WC, one would normally want to move on an develop the future.

23 Go to comments

JD Kiwi 1 hour ago

'The success of Skelton, Hooper and Tupou should trigger a rethink on Australia’s overseas selection criteria'

Counterintuitively the forwards that have come through in the 2020s have been better than any era since the Brodie generation. Not sure how we've managed that!

266 Go to comments

Hammer Head 1 hour ago

Australia vs South Africa | Live & Latest Rugby Union Scores & Results | RugbyPass

Why is this taking so long😤

2 Go to comments

JD Kiwi 1 hour ago

'The success of Skelton, Hooper and Tupou should trigger a rethink on Australia’s overseas selection criteria'

I did like the use of the power runners and what happened off the back of them. Unfortunately Fisher isn't a defensive coach, shame Kiss couldn't join early in that role.