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Former Wallabies flanker Liam Gill departs French club Lyon
Former Wallabies flanker Liam Gill has left Top 14 side Lyon after three seasons with the club.
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An announcement was made by the French team on Friday, leaving the 15-test Australian star without a club following the cancellation of the Top 14 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Gill played 60 times for Lyon since arriving from Toulon in 2017, scoring 15 tries in the process.
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“Liam is one of the best players I have ever seen,” said Lyon’s assistant coach Kendrick Lynn in a statement.
“No matter the week, it didn’t matter if he was a little injured or that he was not in his best form, he was going to give everything, come out bloodied and exhausted.”
Gill’s future remains up in the air, although previous reports have indicated there being an interest on the flanker’s part in a return to Australian rugby.
According to a rugby.com.au report from two years ago, Gill’s management reached out to Australian Super Rugby clubs in 2018 with the aim of playing in the 2019 campaign.
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Money was stated as the prohibitive factor that prevented the move from coming to fruition, with the ex-Reds loose forward reportedly earning in excess of A$500,000 per year in France.
However, with Wallabies great David Pocock now off Rugby Australia’s books, a move back to his homeland could well be on the cards for Gill, although the COVID-19 outbreak has hardly bolstered the organisation’s coffers.
Should he return to Queensland, Gill would have stern competition for a starting role in his preferred position of openside flanker thanks to the development of Reds captain and one-test Wallaby Liam Wright.
The Reds have a number of promising youngsters in their loose forwards department, such as former Australian U20 stars Harry Wilson and Fraser McReight, meaning Gill would have his work cut out for him if he returns to Suncorp Stadium.
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At the age of 27, though, there is still plenty of time for Gill to make an impact and add to the 15 caps he earned for the Wallabies between 2012 and 2013.
Gill, who became the youngest ever player to compete at a Junior World Championship in 2010 at the age of just 17, left Australia in 2016 after three seasons in the international wilderness to link up with Toulon.
