Hunter Paisami the latest Wallaby linked with Premiership move- report
Australia and Reds centre Hunter Paisami is the subject of a tug-fo-war between Rugby Australia and the Gallagher Premiership's Exeter Chiefs, according to Australian outlet The Roar.
The in-form centre is currently weighing up his options, with the Chiefs reportedly tabling a long-term offer while RA have only offered a one-year top-up on his current deal.
The 26-year-old would not be the only Wallaby centre heading to the Premiership should he accept Exeter's offer, with Waratahs centre Izaia Perese set to join Leicester Tigers ahead of next season.
Paisami is in line for a Wallabies recall by new coach Joe Schmidt after missing out on Eddie Jones' World Cup squad last year, but this move may change the Wallabies selector's plans.
Exeter, meanwhile, have three Test centres on their books currently in England's Henry Slade and Ollie Devoto, and Wales' Joe Hawkins, which could hint at a potential departure at the end of the season.
This would be a statement signing by the Chiefs, and will come after director of rugby Rob Baxter recently said the Premiership must compete with big-spending clubs in Europe.
Baxter's comments came after Leinster recruited All Black Jordie Barrett ahead of next season.
“If Irish rugby, Leinster and the United Rugby Championship can get their house in order to allow them to invest in players, their programme and their coaches like they do, you have to say fair play," he said.
“My response would be, ‘let’s not try to say it’s not fair and limit Leinster, let’s look to ways we can get to that level of competition with them’.
“You can look around and say, ‘let’s stop everyone else doing it because we can’t do it’. Or you go, ‘what are they doing to develop that level of interest and finance and why can’t we do it?’.
“I don’t think it’s bad for these competitions to have world-class players. What we want to find out is ways that we can do it as well.
“You have to work to make the competition look attractive and the way the game is played look attractive.
“To get that deal in place to sign a player you have to get a lot of financial bits and pieces right – and that runs right from the top of the game to the bottom in the country.
“There’s a lot we have to do to get to that level, but why shouldn’t we be aiming for it? That’s what we should be trying to do.”
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Has there ever been a Red and Black you don't rate GP over the years? However to be fair most of your favs have had the goods.
Go to commentsI'm not very hopeful of a better change to the sport. Putting an Aussie in charge after they failed for two decades is just disgusting. What else will be brought in to weaken the game? What new rule changes will be made? How will the game be grown?
Nothing of value in this letter. There is no definitive drive towards something better. Just more of the same as usual. The most successful WC team is getting snubbed again and again for WC's hosting rights. What will make other competitions any different?
My beloved rugby is already a global sport. Why is there no SH team chosen between the Boks, AB's, Wallabies and Fiji? Like a B&I Lions team to tour Europe and America? A team that could face not only countries but also the B&I Lions? Wouldn't that make for a great spectacle that will also bring lots of eyeballs to the sport?
Instead with an Aussie in charge, rugby will become more like rugby league. Rugby will most likely become less global if we look at what have become of rugby in Australia. He can't save rugby in Australia, how will he improve the global footprint of rugby world wide?
I hope to be proven wrong and that he will raise up the sport to new heights, but I am very much in doubt. It's like hiring a gardener to a CEO position in a global company expecting great results. It just won't happen. Call me negative or call me whatever you'd like, Robinson is the wrong man for the job.
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