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PRO12 title winner O'Leary seals return to France

(Photo by Tom Dulat/Getty Images)

A Canadian international who won the 2016 PRO12 title with Connacht will be hoping that relegation is scrapped if there is no resumption in the suspended Pro D2 season in France. Shane O’Leary, who stepped off the bench at last year’s World Cup versus eventual tournament winners South Africa, has secured a deal for 2020/21 in the French league’s second tier after returning from Test rugby in Japan to feature in the English Championship with Nottingham. 

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The 2019/20 second-tier season in England was terminated by the RFU last month, officials at Twickenham eventually deciding the final places on the table via a best playing record formula. 

That left Nottingham finishing in sixth but with clubs in that division now under huge financial pressure due to the coronavirus pandemic and the RFU’s intention to cut in half the annual grant it gives to participating teams, many players are looking for work elsewhere. 

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      O’Leary’s previous stint in France at Grenoble during the Bernard Jackman era now looks to have paid a long-term dividend as Rouen have signed him for next season. 

      However, O’Leary can’t be certain yet what division he will be playing in as Rouen are second from bottom, seven points behind Aurillac, and there is no agreement yet by French officials as to what to do with a season that has been suspended since March 13.

      An Irishman capped 14 times by Canada, O’Leary joined Pat Lam’s Connacht after his initial stint in France, appearing as a sub in the 2016 PRO12 final win over Leinster at Murrayfield. Ealing Trailfinders was the 27-year-old’s next stop before he linked up with Nottingham in 2018. Veteran Samoan international David Lemi best-known player currently in the Rouen squad. 

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      J
      JW 59 minutes ago
      Leicester Fainga'anuku denied All Blacks eligibility for TRC

      I’m not sure where that’s going but does it raise a valid point? Yes would be the answer you’re angling for?


      It was (on air here) last year, but not this year. I haven’t seen why, my guess was that it’s because no English version comes out from the “closed off billionaires league” and they couldn’t get an english one. I think they have to get it from the UK broadcasters and maybe that market changed this year?


      The quality of it wasn’t my point, purely correlation of those performances to ones at home. He is the only one over there, there was no marker for ABs to valuate from. He wasn’t a solid choice, in that you knew what you were getting, he was still more of a sensation in the All Blacks, and he was playing a different position.


      Those are just direct points to counter JBs thoughts. I’m not saying they were used in any way (I think theyd have to be part of why NZR have the current eligibility rules though), this situation was simply a matter of starting at the back of the class if you’re not here. Only vets can earn sabbaticals (which is essentially what people are asking for in this case). There’s no argument this isn’t the right call.


      As with the topic in the above paragraph, we could go on and on about it, but I will say I did see after the fact the final was broadcast FTA (no that I’d watch live, still have yet to watch the replay) straight off mondos website (im guessing it was a laggy pos tho), which is/was good. I also wanted to watch Brad Weber and Lester last year (start of the season) so went on line for a few (and tried to catch Max Hicks), that Brad was fabulous, Lester less so. Lester was also less that good in this international window. So I did see enough to know they are very different games, and I can tell it’s going to take him a while to get on his feet here again.

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