Vannes add ex-All Black to ambitious recruitment drive
Vannes continue to prepare for life in the Top 14 after signing former All Black centre Francis Saili, as predicted in Fissler Confidential two weeks ago.
They had been sniffing around Saili, who earlier in the year was a target for Bayonne for some time. Now that his deal with Racing 92 has ended, he has signed a two-year deal to move to Brittany.
Vannes will be the third French club that he has played for after moving across the English Channel in 2020 from Harlequins to play a key role in helping Biarritz secure promotion to the French top flight.
Saili, 33, who was a Junior World Cup winner in 2011, won the first of his two All Blacks against Argentina in Hamilton two years later when he was playing for the Blues.
He moved to Munster in 2015 and, two years later, helped them reach a Pro12 final before crossing the Irish Sea to join Quins but now looks set to finish his career in France.
The inside centre, who can also play on the outside, made 19 appearances for Racing 92 last season, scoring one try and is the latest player to join Vannes in the last 48 hours and they step up their recruitment drive.
Castres and Fiji winger Filipo Nakosi has signed on for the next two seasons, while Chilean Iñaki Ayarza, 24, who can play anywhere in the back five positions. He signed up for four years.
Ayarza, who was part of Chile’s World Cup squad, will leave Soyaux-Angoulême XV Charente. After joining them a season earlier, he helped them win promotion from Nationale in 2022.
They also landed former England and British & Irish Lions prop Mako Vunipola after he decided to end his illustrious career with Saracens, where he won Premiership and European Cup honours.
Latest Comments
You're right about Papalii, but he doesn't have much experience in closing stages and gets caught out alot. Cane is better there.
Sotutu isn't a scratch on Ardie, and Sititi is already in.
So that only leaves you not liking Ardie. He's the current world player of the year. Let that sink in. And then let it sink in that you need a blend with experience that players like him possess, you cannot pick flat out teams based on the best 'potential' skills, you need the experience. Papalii yes, which is coming anyway considering cane is off soon, but Ardie, you can't drop him. Sotutu doesn't trump him or Sititi I think.
I think maybe you're right for the next world Cup though...but we have to blend into that team over many more games
Go to commentsSCW really dislikes Eddie, doesn't he?
His words in 2019 before the RWC final that he now says should have resulted in Eddie's firing:
"Was Saturday’s sensational World Cup semi-final win over New Zealand England’s greatest ever performance? Yes, unquestionably, would be my answer."
So let's fire the coach one game later? Duh!
Go to comments