A signing that never happened
Stade Toulousain will not sign Jimmy Tupou. The New Zealand lock, 34, was due to arrive as a medical joker but did not pass his medical, the club confirmed on Friday. No reason has been given.
Tupou had already spent several days in Toulouse. He was introduced to the squad and watched from the stands last Sunday as Toulouse edged Exeter 43-40 in the Champions Cup. He played for the Blues, Crusaders and Chiefs in Super Rugby and was with Moana Pasifika last season.
no renewal
Free for 2 weeks.
Three long-term absentees in the second row
The search began because of injuries to Thibaud Flament (shoulder), Emmanuel Meafou (knee) and Clement Verge (knee), all out for a long spell. Toulouse lead the Top 14, so the gap matters.
The fix may come from inside. Raphael Portat, on loan at Provence Rugby in Pro D2 since last season, returns next week, along with fly-half Lucien Richardis. That is when the international window opens and Toulouse head to Pau on November 1.
Who is available now
Josh Brennan can play against Perpignan on Saturday, but the 24-year-old is among the 42 players France coach Fabien Galthié has called to Marcoussis next week. Efrain Elias has featured in five games this season and will also be tied up with the Nations Championship. Romeo Bonnard-Martin, 20, with six match sheets to his name, is another candidate, according to RMC Sport.
Discover the rest of our Rugby news on MathODDS!
in your pocket.
Real-time notifications & alerts
Leave a Reply