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Clermont pick up Wallabies centre Simone
By Ian Cameron
According to reports in France, Clermont have secured the signing of former Wallabies centre Irae Simone from the Brumbies.
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The 193cm and 103kg centre is reported by Midi Olympique and RMC Sport to have agreed terms with the Top 14 giants.
Although he had some squad involvement in 2021, it’s thought the 26-year-old is no longer in the picture for Dave Rennie’s Wallabies.
Jonno Gibbes is attempting to shore up the Clermont midfield, which is set to lose 6’2, 105kg Tani Vili to rival Bordeaux Begles.
Simone arrived in Canberra from Sydney in 2018 and played his first season for the Brumbies in 2019, featuring in 16 of the Brumbies’ 18 Super Rugby fixtures, starting both the quarter-final and the semi-final.
A former New Zealand Schoolboys Under-18s representative, Simone moved to Australia in 2014, spending two years at NRL club South Sydney before returning to rugby at Norths in Sydney’s Shute Shield competition.
It was in there in Norths’ 2016 Premiership year he was named Rookie of the Year, before stand out performances in the NRC landed him at the Waratahs for the 2017 and 2018 Super Rugby seasons.
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Since his arrival in Canberra, Simone has also represented the Canberra Vikings in the NRC and is affiliated with the Uni-Norths Owls in the John I Dent Cup.
Simone developed a formidable midfield pairing alongside Tevita Kuridrani in 2019.
