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Johnny Fa'auli heading to Japan after signing new deal
By Online Editors
Johnny Fa'auli's last act in Chiefs colours will be remembered for all the wrong reasons, with the under-fire midfielder set to depart at seasons end after committing to a two-year deal in Japan reports Stuff.co.nz.
Fa'auli is believed to be joining Japanese Top League club Toshiba, who are captained by former Chiefs player and All Black Richard Kahui. Liam Messam has also spent time at the club, solidifying links between the two teams. Fa'auli's deal is not similar to structured off-season stints done for Jordan Taufua and Liam Squire. He leaves with no return to Super Rugby in sight, at least not in New Zealand anyway. He could push his way into contention with the Sunwolves under ex-Highlanders coach Tony Brown.
He was off contract at the end of the season but his deal was reportedly completed before he was red carded for this rising tackle on Hurricanes centre Wes Goosen.
His subsequent six-week suspension will be largely filled by August 31st, the day the Top League season begins.
With other midfield options Charlie Ngatai and Tim Nanai-Williams also moving on from the Chiefs, Anton Lienert-Brown will be looking for a new centre partner for next season. Sean Wainui could move in from the wing or Alex Nankivell, Sam McNicol, Levi Aumua and Regan Verney can push their cases forward.
Fa'auli attended St Kentigern College in Auckland, making the New Zealand schoolboys side in 2013. He debuted at in provincial level in 2015 with Counties Manukau before moving to Taranaki. He played 17 times for the Chiefs at Super Rugby level after debuting in 2017.
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Latest Comments
Nah, that just needs some more variation. Chip kicks, grubber stabs, all those. Will Jordan showed a pretty good reason why the rush was bad for his link up with BB.
If you have an overlap on a rush defense, they naturally cover out and out and leave a huge gap near the ruck.
It also helps if both teams play the same rules. ARs set the offside line 1m past where the last mans feet were😅
Go to commentsYeah nar, should work for sure. I was just asking why would you do it that way?
It could be achieved by outsourcing all your IP and players to New Zealand, Japan, and America, with a big Super competition between those countries raking it in with all of Australia's best talent to help them at a club level. When there is enough of a following and players coming through internally, and from other international countries (starting out like Australia/without a pro scene), for these high profile clubs to compete without a heavy australian base, then RA could use all the money they'd saved over the decades to turn things around at home and fund 4 super sides of their own that would be good enough to compete.
That sounds like a great model to reset the game in Aus. Take a couple of decades to invest in youth and community networks before trying to become professional again. I just suggest most aussies would be a bit more optimistic they can make it work without the two decades without any pro club rugby bit.
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