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'He hasn't signed anywhere': Richards dismisses claim that Mulipola is off to France

(Photo by Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty Images)

Newcastle Dean Richards has dismissed as false media reports from France that Samoan prop Logovi’i Mulipola will quit the Gallagher Premiership club at the end of the season and link up with second-tier Grenoble. 

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Rugby newspaper Midi Olympique reported in their Monday edition that Mulipola had signed a two-year deal with Grenoble in the Pro D2. Currently sitting in ninth out of 16 on the league table and nine points off the last of the play-off spots, there is no guarantee that they will be playing Top 14 rugby next season. 

After helping Newcastle regain their Premiership status, prop Mulipola signed for Gloucester on a short-term deal last July before returning to the Falcons at the end of the 2019/20 campaign and becoming a key figure in their impressive start to the top-flight return.

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Richards said: “I spoke to him yesterday [Tuesday] and he said he hasn’t signed anywhere. You know as well as I do that boys put things out there and they try either to speculate or force people hands by saying they have signed or are going to sign. I never look at the speculation and always speak to the individual. That is how I deal with it.

“You have to work out your budgets and working out what is going to happen next year is almost impossible because things change from one day to another. We are looking at the here and now with one eye on the future. You tend to look two years ahead in terms of contracts and squads.”

Elsewhere, the former England No8 has expressed his concern about support for young coaches, particularly with the Championship facing serious problems. London Scottish, for instance, have made it clear they will be mothballing the club in the face of financial concerns. 

Fresh from Newcastle’s year in the second tier, Richards believes the Championship is key to developing young coaches but this operated by the Rugby Football Union to bring on talented coaches has stopped.

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“People think that because you are a good player you will be a good coach and that is no always necessarily true. Some players have that ability and England used to have a pathway programme for coaches which is no longer there. Something should be put in place to help coaches get to the next level. The support that used to be there for young coaches is no longer there which is a shame.”

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AM 44 minutes ago
'Freelancer' Izaia Perese shows the need for true inclusivity in Australian rugby

That's Cron's job though. Australia has had one of the most penalised scrums in international rugby for a long time. Just look at the scrum win loss percentage and scrum penalties. That is your evidence. AA has been the starter during that period. Pretty simple analysis. That Australia has had a poor scrum for a long time is hardly news. If bell and thor are not on the field they are woeful. So you are just plain wrong. They have very little time for the lions so doing the same old things that dont work is not going to get them there.


Ainsley is better than our next best tighthead options and has been playing well at scrum time for Lyon in the most competitive comp in the world. Superstar player? No. But better than the next best options. So that is a good enough guide. The scrummaging in the Prem is pretty good too so there is Sio's proof. Same analysis for him. Certainly better in both cases than Super, where the brumbies had the worst win loss and scrum pen in Super. Who plays there? Ohh yes... And the level of scrummaging in Super is well below the URC, prem and France with the SA teams out.


Nongorr is truly woeful. He's 130kg and gets shoved about. That just should not be happening at that weight for a specialist prop who has always played rugby cf pone with leauge. He has had enough time to develop at 23. You'd be better off with Pone who is at least good around the field for the moment and sending Nongorr on exchange to France or England to see if they can improve him with better coaching as happened with Skelton and Meafou. He isn't going to develop in time in super if he has it at all.


Latu is a better scrummaging hooker than BPA and Nasser. and he's the best aussie player over the ball at ruck time. McReight's super jackling percentage hasnt converted to international level but latu consistently does it at heniken level, which is similar to test level in the big games. With good coaching at La Rochelle he's much improved though still has the odd shocker. He should start the November games.

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