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Melbourne Rebels continue off-season recruitment drive by signing NRL wing

(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Gold Coast’s Young Tonumaipea is returning home to Melbourne but to play Super Rugby with the Rebels rather than with the Storm in the NRL.

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Making his debut in 2014, Tonumaipea played five seasons with the Storm before leaving midway through the 2018 campaign to follow his faith and undertake a Mormon mission.

He then joined the Titans for 2020, making 10 appearances, but decided to return to his roots, signing a two-year deal with the Rebels.

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All Blacks coach Ian Foster already knows who will play at No. 10 against the Wallabies

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All Blacks coach Ian Foster already knows who will play at No. 10 against the Wallabies

He said he was excited to be back in Melbourne, joining his former Storm teammate Marika Koroibete at the Rebels, and looked forward to a new challenge in rugby union.

“Melbourne is home for me, so I can’t wait to be back home with my family and friends, in the city I love, back at my old stomping grounds,” said Tonumaipea.

“When I came back to the NRL after being away, I was determined to prove I could still play at the highest level and now having fulfilled that goal, I’m driven to succeed at this new challenge.

“I’m also pumped to be rubbing shoulders with Marika (Koroibete) again and I also know a few of the other boys like Hodgey (Reece Hodge) and Pone (Fa’amausili) as well.”

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J
JW 22 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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