Fissler Confidential: Snubbed Evan Roos heading to exit?

Premiership champions Northampton Saints have been taking an extended look at Australian rugby league player Sione Vaenuku during their preparations for the defence of their crown next season.

A second row in rugby league, Vaenuku – who plays for the Sydney Roosters – has made two appearances in the NSW Knock On Effect Cup for the NRL side’s feeder team and is believed to have been recommended to Saints defence coach Lee Radford.

Vaenuku, who plays his club rugby for the Wyong Roos, made a pre-season on the bench against the South Sydney Rabbitohs when The Roosters fielded a weakened side ahead of the NRL season opener in Las Vegas.

Japanese clubs have been casting admiring glances at Evans Roos, who could have been encouraged to move for the No. 8 after his Springbook snub for the Rugby Championship games in Australia.

Roos, 24, has won seven Springbok caps, the latest two coming this summer against Wales and Portugal, but Rassie Erasmus dumped him from his squad this week just days after a storming performance against Os Lobos.

The Stormers will have a major say on whether he stays or not, given that Roos still has three years left on his contract, but he is on the hit list for at least two Japan Rugby League One sides.

Jonny May might only have just moved ProD2 side Soyaux-Angouleme, but they have already got the veteran former England’s stars long-term replacement on board.

Soyaux-Angouleme raided Super Rugby outfit Fijian Drua for young talent in the shape of Fijian under-20 winger Avakuki Niusalelekitoga, who recently scored a try in the Junior World Cup defeat at the hands of Georgia.

The 18-year-old can play on either wing and will be joined at Stade Chanzy by open-side flanker Nemani Kurucake, a year older and who also played in the recent Under-20 championship and scored a try in the defeat to Spain.

Gloucester have made an early move to tie up three of their highly rated youngsters, Arthur Clark, Seb Blake and Caolan Englefield who are now in the final year of their contract’s with the Cherry and Whites.

Former Hartpury College student Arthur Clark, who followed in the footsteps of his dad Barry after signing at Kingsholm, made 19 appearances for the club last season, and hooker Blake played 21 times.

Former Ireland under-19 international scrum-half Englefield, 24, was one of three former London Irish players who moved to the club before the start of last season and has played in the last three Premiership Rugby Cup Finals.

The Wallabies might have won three games on the spin, but it would appear that the latest game in revival under Joe Schmidt against Georgia last weekend wasn’t a hit with the viewers.

After beating a struggling side Wales twice the Wallabies returned to Sydney last weekend to secure themselves a 40-29 win over Georgia ahead of their opening Rugby Championship game against South Africa in Brisbane.

But it has been reported Down Under that the game against Richard Cockerill’s side, which was shown live on Channel 9, only attracted a disappointing 320,000 viewers.

Wallabies tight-head Taniela Tupou is already eying up his escape from the Waratahs even though the ink is barely dried on the one-year contract he signed following the demise of the Melbourne Rebels.

Tupou, 28, who was subject of bids from URC giants Leinster and Top 14 strugglers Montpellier will see out the final year of his RugbyAustralia deal with Dan McKellar and the Tahs.

But his agents are already touting him for a move outside Australia when his contract runs out in 12 months, and there have already been expressions of interest from clubs in Japan and France.

Former England captain Dylan Hartley is going back to school after securing a job as High-Performance Lead at the prestigious Rugby School.

Hartley, 38, who won 97 England caps before his career was ended by injury, has been mainly working as a pundit since then and has also been acting as a consultant for an insurance firm, and this is his first involvement in coach.

“We can’t wait for Dylan’s involvement in our pre-season Rugby training this August. His expertise and leadership will be invaluable as we gear up for the season ahead,” said the school on social media.

Word is reaching Fissler Confidential Towers that one of the world’s leading rugby players is considering dumping his agents, following the example of England football internationals Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham.

Real Madrid ace Bellingham, whose career is guided by his mum and dad and not an agent, has given food for thought to several bid-name rugby players who are set to follow his lead.

It is understood that the player who is coming towards the end of his career and still under contract to a leading management company will let his contract run down and then control his own affairs with the help of a marketing firm.

Former England outside centre Guy Porter, who was set to return to Australia this summer when his contract with Leicester Tigers ran out, has been forced to retire.

Porter, 27, was one of five players released by the Tigers at the end of last season after scoring 15 tries in 69 appearances and had been linked with a move to Super Rugby outfit Western Force.

But instead, former Brumies and Sydney University man Porter, who was capped six times by England, has been advised to quit the game through concussion.