Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Nili Latu swaps Tyneside for Japan

Nili Latu of the Newcastle Falcons

Nili Latu will call time on his stay at Newcastle Falcons when the current season ends, with the Tongan back-rower returning to play in Japan.

ADVERTISEMENT

Latu’s hard, direct running and fierce defensive hits have made him a fans’ favourite during his three seasons on Tyneside, the 36-year-old saying: “I’d like to thank every single one of the Falcons supporters for the love they have shown me and my family since we arrived in 2015.

Continue reading below…

Video Spacer

“I’ve enjoyed every moment of my time in Newcastle and it will be sad to leave. The club was involved in a bit of a struggle when I first joined but we have shown a steady improvement, and it gives me a certain happiness to know I’m leaving it in a better place than when I arrived.”

Latu has made 48 appearances for the Falcons, helping them to their highest league finish in two decades this season as they ended the Aviva Premiership regular season in fourth, earning them a first ever semi-final place.

His last-minute winner at Northampton was one of many memorable moments in Newcastle colours, Tonga’s most-capped player stating: “It has been an amazing time and we’ve had to battle to get where we are, but it’s great to see the club beginning to reach its huge potential.

“It’s down to the dedication and hard work of every single player and staff member, and it’s paying off. I know the boys will kick on even further next season and I’ll be cheering them on from Japan.”

Determined to end on a high with a Premiership title to play for, Latu said: “At the start of the season if you’d have asked people outside this club if Newcastle would have made the top four, nobody would have given us a chance.

ADVERTISEMENT

“We’ve talked all season about the opportunity we have got, and we have nothing to lose down at Exeter in the semi-final. We beat them here earlier in the season, we’ve worked hard in the build-up and we want to finish on a massive positive this season.”

Taking a wider view in the context of his own career, he added: “I believe that Newcastle Falcons has been a rugby lifeline for me, and I’m thankful for that.

“I had been in Japan for eight years and I needed a new challenge, to play a different type of rugby, and I’ve done that over here. I’ve definitely learned a new type of game, I’ve had some tough times through injury but I’m grateful for everything I’ve experienced here and I’m thankful the club stuck by me.

“We have loved our time as a family in Newcastle but we also enjoyed living in Japan, so in that sense we can’t lose. I just want to make sure my time with the Falcons ends on a high because the supporters here have always been so good with me, they’ve been great from day one and we’re all totally committed to repaying them for their love.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Newcastle Falcons director of rugby Dean Richards said: “Nili has led from the front during his three seasons with us and has brought a lot to the club.

“His physicality and leadership shone through from day one, and it is always sad when players move on. I know he will go to Japan with the best wishes of all our players, coaches and supporters, and he can be proud of what he has contributed to Newcastle Falcons during his time with us.”

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 37 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.

306 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Why England's defence of the realm has crumbled without Felix Jones Why England's defence of the realm has crumbled without Felix Jones
Search