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A bizarre reason has emerged as to why Leone Nakarawa has yet to report for duty at Racing
By Online Editors
Racing 92 have claimed they are still unsure about Leone Nakarawa's absence - even though Pacific Rugby Welfare have insisted he is finishing building a house in Fiji with the club's blessing and his agent has been in communication with the Parisians.
The coveted second row was part of the Fijian side eliminated from the World Cup when beaten by Wales on October 9, but he has failed to report back for club duty with the Parisians.
Nakarawa played in all four of his country’s pool matches at the finals in Japan and was seemingly expected to pitch up in France for training in the last week of October. However, there has been no sign yet of a player regarded to be one of the best in the world in his position.
Despite a Pacific Rugby Welfare tweet insisting the club knows what Nakarawa is up to, the situation has not gone down well with his boss Laurent Travers following a stuttering start to the Top 14 season that sees Racing struggling near the foot of the table ahead of Sunday’s Parisian derby with Stade Francais.
"He must resume,” said a perplexed Travers to L’Equipe at Racing’s pre-derby match media conference. "We have news, yes, the players have had. I think the club too but now, for the moment he is not present at Racing 92. We do not know more.”
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Team-mate Camille Chat, who was part of the French squad whose World Cup campaign lasted longer as they reached the quarter-finals, added: "We all ask ourselves questions.
“If he will come back, if he will not come back, if the club will keep him... I find it unfortunate because he is a very good player, a very good guy."
All the French-based players who were with countries eliminated at the end of the pool stages of the World Cup were generally due to be back training with their clubs by Monday, October 28, except in the case of injury.
It was reported earlier in this week that so annoyed were Racing with the situation that they were exploring the potential of Nakarawa’s dismissal for serious misconduct rather than merely issue a warning or a sanction.
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Latest Comments
Well said except Argentina is most certainly not an “emerging nation” as far as rugby is concerned. If you’re making global-social-political claim, then I’m out of my depth entirely.
Argentina by multiple leagues of magnitude played better than Ireland today. Striking away a try in the 2nd minute did not necessarily lead to Arg demise, but as we all know, rugby is such an emotional game that then to be down 12-0 over nothing is gut-wrenching, especially as it was effectively a 19 point swing. Argentina’s fight back throughout the rest of the match was laudable.
A howl of great sadness for a beautiful sport that has criminal administrators, feckless refs, foppish TMOs, idiotic tv pundits, et al. attempting to collectively suicide the whole thing. No fault of the players or coaches necessarily. We have a situation where punitive cards that detract away from the essence and loftiness of the game itself are celebrated to a degree that is pathologically purblind. Rugby has created for itself a fetish for punishment rather than simply allowing the game to be played. Shameful.
Go to commentsAbsolutely right, can’t expect nearly an all kiwi officiating team to know the rules properly 😉
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