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REPORTS: Malakai Fekitoa's future appears to have been confirmed
By Ian Cameron
L'Equipe are reporting that Malakai Fekitoa will move to Toulon in one of the largest moves of the summer.
How long his contract at Toulon is for and when he will arive at the European giants is yet to be made clear.
In June his agents rubbished claims that he would sign for Toulon and while out of favour with All Black selectors, he did get a late call up for the Lions series after Sonny Bill Williams was banned for his red card hit on Anthony Watson.
However, at a recent presentation Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal said he had signed a World Champion All Black centre, leading many to believe that Fekitoa had signed on the dotted line for the French mega-club.
Fekitoa’s form has seen him drop out of favour with New Zealand selectors, with Anton Lienert-Brown, Ryan Crotty, Ngani Laumape and Sonny Bill Williams and ahead of him in the centre pecking order.
A deal two year deal with Toulon could be worth over €500,000 per annum, a multiple of his salary in New Zealand. The 6’1, 99kg product of Wesley College, which also produced All Blacks Jonah Lomu and Frank Halai, is also a talented sevens player and was Player of the Tournament at the 2011 National Sevens.
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Latest Comments
The New Zealand performance in the return fixture in 2016 was filthy. A lot of Irish supporters were pretty shocked by it, viewed it as de facto cheating just to avoid another defeat.
Also shocked by the abuse to Ireland, captain, vice-captain and spectators after the full time whistle in Paris defeat, last match.
Sledging is sledging, but that happens during the game and targetting spectators should be completely out of bounds.
The Irish public used to enjoy these matches, even in defeat. Now they are necessary but unpleasant, because NZ apparently cannot accept or respect successful challengers.
Go to commentsThanks for the analysis Nick, thought provoking as usual. Couple of queries though, in the pic where you've circled Williams bind , I'm pretty sure it shows Stuart's knee on the ground, surely that's a NZ penalty? Also having had the chance to watch it again the All Black scrum seeems to improve after halftime, but before either England or the All Blacks replace their props. Not sure if that was the result of Tuipolutu coming on or some halftime tips. Either way this is only Williams second international season, so he'll be better for the experience.
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