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Former All Black Jeffery Toomaga-Allen extends stay with Reds

Jeff Toomaga-Allen of the Reds celebrates the victory during the round three Super Rugby Pacific match between Queensland Reds and Chiefs at Suncorp Stadium, on March 09, 2024, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)

Former All Black Jeffery Toomaga-Allen has re-committed to the Queensland Reds for the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season, joining Wallabies Josh Flook and Seru Uru in signing one-year contract extensions with the Queensland Rugby Union.

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Toomaga-Allen’s fresh deal was announced by the Reds on Thursday, following the news earlier in the week that both Flook and Uru had re-signed. Queensland have also secured the services of Wallabies like Harry Wilson and Fraser McReight through until the end of 2027.

Following a minor injury setback to start the season, Toomaga-Allen has gone on to make nine appearances for the Reds so far this season. Coach Les Kiss has also named the one-Test All Black on the bench ahead of this weekend’s clash with the Fijian Drua in Brisbane.

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Toomaga-Allen has played more than 200 first-class matches, including 100 matches for the Hurricanes, which included Super Rugby glory with the Canes in 2016. The prop has since pursued opportunities in Europe with Wasps and Ulster.

The Wellington-born prop was selected for the All Blacks in 2013, playing against Japan in Tokyo, before returning to the national setup in 2017 for a match against the Barbarians during the team’s Spring Tour.

Toomaga-Allen – who has since been capped by Samoa – signed with the Reds in 2023, debuting for the club against the Panasonic Wild Knights that year. The experienced front-rower has gone on to play a total of 25 matches for the Reds, with another season in maroon still to come.

“Being an elder man of the club now, I feel like it’s always good to have that experience around. I see how important it is whether I play or I’m contributing off the field,” Toomaga-Allen said.

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“It’s really important to get that camaraderie, the family-type vibe around the team and impart some knowledge and wisdom where I can.

“I really like playing under Les (Kiss) and his management so it was an easy decision. I know my family and I are settled here and like it in Brisbane.

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“I’ll also say I’m not here to babysit. I’m here to compete for a starting spot and the best way I can make guys like Zane and ‘Mass’ better is to bring my best every week to keep them honest.

“I’ll have those hard convos when they need to happen and have an arm on the shoulder when that needs to happen.”

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Toomaga-Allen kicked things off with the Reds this season in the fourth round clash away to the Crusaders in Christchurch. After playing three consecutive matches off the bench, Toomaga-Allen was promoted to the starting side to face the Chiefs in round eight.

Coach Kiss has selected the former All Black  on the bench in five matches since, which doesn’t include this weekend’s high-stakes clash with the Drua. With plenty of experience, Toomaga-Allen adds plenty of value to a young contingent of front-rowers in Queensland.

Zane Nonggorr, Massimo De Lutiis, George Blake, Trevor King and Nick Bloomfield are all young props looking to make their mark in the Reds jersey, but Toomaga-Allen’s influence on that group is highly valued by Kiss.

“Jeffery has had an incredible influence, not only on our young props but all our younger players with his professionalism and willingness to share his experiences,” Kiss explained.

“Personally, I see Jeffery as one of the most generous players I’ve worked with. It’s fantastic to have him on board at the Reds.”

After losing to the Hurricanes last time out at Suncorp Stadium, the Reds are looking to secure a spot in the playoffs in the final round of the regular season. The Reds only need a losing bonus point to secure a spot in the top six, currently ranked fifth on the ladder.

The Drua got the better of the Reds in their previous meeting, with that match coming right down to the wire in Fiji. While they’re out of the playoff race themselves, beating the Reds would potentially see the Fijians avoid a last-place finish.

“Man, it always is against the Drua because of the offloads, the miracle balls, when they come at you with their brand of excitement,” Toomaga-Allen added.

“Sometimes, it can feel like a trap that opponents fall into by trying to play that way as well. We have to play our game. It’s a huge challenge as the last game of the round-robin season and that’s what we are excited about.”

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Ed the Duck 58 minutes ago
Can Les Bleus avoid a Black-wash in New Zealand?

Florian Grill, President FFR 20.5.2025


https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360695274/french-rugby-boss-says-les-bleus-stars-could-tour-they-target-series-win-against-all-blacks


“French rugby is indeed based on a unique model, built around the Top 14 - a championship of exceptional intensity - and an ambitious national team, This demanding model places a significant physical and mental toll on players throughout the season. We therefore have a major responsibility: to look after their physical and mental health and to ensure they have essential rest periods. In this context, the selection for the July tour is based on two clear principles. First, an in-depth analysis conducted by the French team staff evaluates the players’ physical integrity, fatigue level, and current performance level in order to build a squad that is both strong and mindful of the players’ balance. Second, the formation of the group also respects a regulatory framework, jointly defined by the FFR and the LNR, which notably states that players who participate in the Top 14 final are not eligible for selection for a summer tour. However, exceptions are possible and are currently being discussed with the LNR.”


So there’s a few things to take from that where it’s clear that the Top 14 fixtures are at the core of the issue. It appears that the 2000 minutes or 25 games parameters are likely to be part of the “regulatory framework, jointly defined by the FFR and the LNR” but it’s also clear that this has been considered alongside a bespoke analysis of each players situation, for the purposes of NZ tour selection, and NOT applied in a rigid and homogenous style. Factors including the level/intensity of matches played, timing of match load across the season, injury profile and date of season end will all have been reviewed, alongside many others no doubt.


The comparison with Englands experience is particularly relevant since it also highlights the current difference between the two countries’ league relationship with their union. The RFU have reached an (expensive) agreement with the GP that has taken many years to evolve and, critically, hands full season playing control of a designated group of 25 Test players to the England coach. The French agreements do not operate in the same way, where playing control sits with the clubs outside of the Test windows and this is key to the issues.


The difficulty for France however is that the Top 14 needs the weekend numbers that it needs and it’s not immediately clear how they can reduce them. The extension of their final has happened in conjunction with reducing 6N/AI overlap but they still haven’t managed to fully eliminate this. While it’s not clear how these issues can be easily or quickly resolved, it is very clear that the problem can not be simply defined as France disrespecting international rugby.

33 Go to comments
t
takata 1 hour ago
Can Les Bleus avoid a Black-wash in New Zealand?

The men at the beating heart of France’s first Test effort at Dunedin – number eight Guillard, the four half-backs [Le Garrec or Jauneau at nine, Segonds or Hastoy at 10], Fickou at 12 and Attissogbe at full-back] are all in imminent danger of playing over 2000 minutes, or over 30 games, or both. Overall, it is very hard to see what France is gaining in the player welfare equation. It is simply replacing one set of overworked players with another.

A very simple explanation is that, bar Joris Seconds at Bayonne, none of those players, Guillard (Lyon), Le Garrec (Racing), Hastoy (La Rochelle), Fickou (Racing) and Attissogbe (Pau) clocked much time during the highest level games of the club season which ended 7 days before the first test; their club didn’t qualify for the European Champions Cup final rounds and/or didn’t play the Top 14 play off.


So they all had quite a few off weekends that barely none of the first list could have enjoyed up to the end of June, except those injured or not in their prime. ie. Baille started only 5 games for Toulouse and 0 for France during the whole 2024-2025 season -explaining his stats- and it would have make no sense to send him over younger lads.


Joris Seconds (28), has a lot of game sheets, but shared all his game time at Nr. 10 with Camille Lopez (who is retired now); ie. he only clocked 108’ during his two last games in play off. He could also fully rest during the 6 Nations when Top 14 wasn’t playing.


Secondly, bar Mikaël Guillard, this second list was also made of players that weren’t used at all, or very little, during the whole 6 Nations. Guillard started 3/5 games and clocked 187’, Attissogbe 160’ - 2/2 start, Fickou 80’ - 1/1 start, Le Garrec 50’ - 0/3 start, plus a few more minutes by others.


Thirdly, it’s clear that Galthié wanted some preparation time and a full game (England A) before Dunedin. Most of his first 23 just did that as they ended their season on 7 June. His selection of 42 players was planned in 3 groups pending their availability: 28 + 9 + 5. Some players joined after the first group but could still make the game sheet at Dunedin because they were obviously needed.


But, as Galthié usually do, the first test team will rotate and very few will actually play all three tests (maybe Le Garrec & Seconds?). From what we know already, neither Guillard (@ 8) nor Villière (@ 11) will be on the next game sheet - so your projections on game time / game played are not worth the time you took to type them:


Here is the probable team for next test (with age and club):


Backs: Barré (22, Paris), Attissogbe (20, Pau), Depoortere (22, Bordeaux)

Centers: Barrassi (27, Toulouse), Gailleton (22, Pau)

Halfs: Seconds (28, Bayonne), Le Garrec (23, La Rochelle ex-Racing)

3rd Row: Van Tonder (27, Perpignan), Abadie (27, Toulon), Bochaton (24, Bordeaux)

2nd Row: Halagahu (23, Toulon), Brenan (23, Toulouse)

1st Row: Colombe (27, Toulouse ex-La Rochelle), Barlot (28, Castres), Erdocio (25, Montpellier)


Bench: Bourgarit (27, La Rochelle), Mallez (24, Toulouse/Aix), Montagne (24, Clermont), Taofifenua (34, Racing), Woki (26, Bordeaux ex-Racing), Vergnes-Taillefer (28, Bordeaux), Daubagna (31, Pau), Hastoy (28, La Rochelle).

33 Go to comments
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