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Teddy Thomas' belated Racing 92 exit reported in France
By Ian Cameron
Reports in the South of France suggest that Teddy Thomas will leave Racing 92 at the end of the current season to sign with Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle.
Rumours that the France international wanted out of Paris started last season, with reports linking him to a move to Toulouse back in February, but it seems the yellow and blacks on the west coast have won the race to sign the try scoring phenom.
The previous Toulouse deal had also been forecast as a 'done deal' until an apparent last-minute change of heart on the part of Thomas and Racing. Headlines at the time claimed that the capital side did not wish to renew his contract. "According to our information, Racing has decided not to renew the contract of its international winger Teddy Thomas which expires next June,” L’Equipe reported the time.
Nevertheless, according to information from Sud Ouest, Thomas is set to join La Rochelle on a three-year deal. It will bring to an end an eight-year stint at the Parisian side.
The 28-year-old started his professional career at Biarritz before transferring to Jacky Lorenzetti’s resurgent Racing in 2012. The versatile back has now been capped 28-times by France and is one of Fabien Galthié’s major attacking weapons in this year’s Guinness Six Nations.
What is behind the parting of the proven try scorer and the club where he made his career remains unclear. It's quite the coup for Les Maritimes, who signed fellow France centre Jonathan Danty from Racing over the summer.
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It might be legal but he’s sailing pretty close to the wind. Not a lot needs to go wrong for Finau to end up in the bin. Was it late? Not quite, but borderline. High? A couple of CM within the laws, no room for error with that one. Did he wrap the arms? There was a token effort to wrap one arm, the intent was clearly to hit with the shoulder. So yeah, it’s legal, just. But as we all know, a very slight change in the dynamics could easily have him seeing red. Hopefully not when it really matters.
Go to commentsYou forget this is Rassie Erasmus who is still holding the Springbok keys. Even with Felix Jones orchestrating a really tight RWC SF last year. It still wasn't enough to get England past their particular Springbok Monkey in world cups. The reason is FJ was going off of what they did in 2019 not necessarily adapting to current Springboks. So yes, Australia can get passed England because let's be honest, England have a one track strategy, Springboks do not. Even with rush defense I wouldn't be surprised if Rassie continually tweaks it. Also bear in mind Rassie is happy to sacrifice a few mid year and inter World Cup matches to pin point how opposition plays and how to again tweak strategies to get his Springboks in peak performance for the next World Cup. As much as most teams like to win games in front of them and try to win everything, Rassie always makes sure to learn and train for the greatest showdown International Rugby has to offer. Tbh, most people remember World Cup wins and ignore intermediate losses as a result but will remember also WC losses, Ireland, even if they won games in the interim. So even if games are won against the Springboks, it's likely Rassie is just getting a feel for how opposition is moving and adapt accordingly…in time. For Rassie, a loss is never a loss because he uses it as a chance to learn and improve. Sometimes during a game, again like the England match in last year's Semi Final.
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