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Fissler Confidential: Springbok poised to leave, Ford heading home
By Neil Fissler
The Sharks appear to be preparing for life without Springboks midfielder Lukhanyo Am after tying two of their highly rated youngsters, Jurenzo Julius and Litelihle Bester, down to long-term contracts.
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The word is that the Sharks, who have now got Junior Boks U20 internationals Julius under contract until 2027 and Bester until 2026, don’t think that the 30-year-old Am will stay in Durban beyond the end of this season.
Am, who has made 98 appearances for the Sharks, has spent time in Japan with Kobelco Kobe Steelers and he is likely to head abroad, most likely to France, after seeing the success that Jeremy Ward has had playing for Stade Francais.
England fly-half George Ford will join the family business when he is 35 and finish his career in rugby league with Oldham, according to his dad Mike on the League Express podcast.
The former England, Bath and Leicester Tigers coach says that he has already got the Sale Sharks star’s future planned out – and that includes a spell with the Roughyeds where Ford snr has been involved since a March 2023 buy-in.
“I’m not telling lies. We have sat down and worked out his career. He has just turned 31, so we have gone, ‘This is what you are doing at 32, 33, 34 and 35’ and when he is 35, he will play for Oldham rugby.”
NRL star Joseph Sua’ali’i is set to be fast-tracked into the Wallabies set-up and could be thrown straight into the deep end to make his union debut against England at Twickenham later this year.
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The Samoan league international is switching codes when his contract with the Sydney Roosters ends, joining union on a three-year contract worth an estimated A$4.5million (£2.3m), and Joe Schmidt plans to use him straight away.
Reports in Australia are suggesting that the 21-year-old New South Wales State of Origin ace will link up with the Wallabies straight away ahead of the November tour games against England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
Western Force are the latest club to show an interest in All Blacks full-back Shaun Stevenson as they look to replace Bayley Kuenzle, who suffered a serious knee injury in a club match and will miss a large part of next season.
The 27-year-old Stevenson, who scored a try on his international debut against Australia a year ago, hasn’t featured since then. He has been linked with Irish giants Munster and also had talks with the New Zealand Warriors about an NRL move.
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He is out of contract at the end of this year with the Chiefs where he has made 95 appearances, scoring 31 tries. Stevenson, who also plays on the wing, has been sounded out for a move by Force boss Simon Cron.
Toulon have beaten off significant competition from some of their biggest Top 14 rivals to lure French U20s international Patrick Tuifua back from New Zealand on a three-year contract.
The 19-year-old back row, who can play openside and blindside flanker, has been playing for Hawke’s Bay in the NPC for the last couple of seasons, but he will move to the Cote d’Azur once his commitments end later this year.
According to our friends at Midi Olympique, Tuifua, who played in the first two rounds of the U20s Six Nations earlier this year, had offers on the table from Stade Francais, La Rochelle, and Montpellier.
Excited to announce I’ve launched a brand new YouTube channel! Hopefully it gives everyone an insight into what life is like as an ageing Rugby player and a Dad to 3 crazy kids! The first episode is out now, click the link to check it out ??https://t.co/8bXmGbjvor pic.twitter.com/YSwhjwFO3l
— Danny Care (@dannycare) August 15, 2024
Harlequins scrum-half Danny Care, who will be playing past his 38th birthday next January, appears to be stepping up plans for a post-retirement move into the media.
The veteran, who is releasing his autobiography later this year, has set up a YouTube channel where he is documenting his life behind the scenes as he prepares for a 20th season as a professional rugby player. He dropped his first video last week, which has taken him over the 1,000 subscribers he needs to monetise the channel, and now he just has to work on the 4,000 watch hours that are needed.
Ex-Scotland international Stuart Hogg’s return at Montpellier from his premature retirement will be delayed until November after being ruled out of action for nine weeks with a calf injury. The injury is ironic as Hogg was signed by last season’s Top 14 strugglers as a medical joker for Anthony Bouthier.
He picked up the injury in training and following a scan, his worst fears were confirmed as he faces an extended spell on the sidelines. It means that Hogg, who stands trial in Scotland on three allegations of domestic abuse on September 10, won’t make his debut at home to Lyon three days earlier.
Sharks fly-half Siya Masuku has committed himself to the Durban outfit for the next four years after signing a new contract until June 2028. The 28-year-old former Southern Kings and Cheetahs ace played 12 games for the Durban franchise last season, scoring 120 points – including 21 in the EPCR Challenge Cup final victory over Gallagher Premiership strugglers Gloucester in London.
While Masuku has committed himself to the Sharks, the CV of their dumped Springbok hooker Joseph Dweba can now be found on the desks of recruitment bosses at several Japan Rugby League One clubs.
Dorking, who play in National League 2 East in the English pyramid, have signed Luke Baldwin and Tom Hardwick, two players with extensive Premiership experience. The 33-year-old scrum-half Baldwin, who is now based in Sussex, played for Rosslyn Park last season after a long career in the professional game with Worcester Warriors and then the Dragons in Wales.
Former England U20s international Hardwick, the 25-year-old once tipped for senior honours, has played at fly-half and inside centre for Leicester Tigers. He also had a spell with Albi in the French third-tier.
