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Report: Montpellier to sign Wallaby Paenga-Amosa to fill Springbok void

Paenga-Amosa /Getty

Montpellier Herault look set to wield their considerable financial clout in the transfer markets with reports that they are to fill a Bismarck du Plessis shaped void in the team with a like for like replacement. Midi Olympique report that MHR have agreed terms with Wallaby hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa and that the Australian will join the club on a two-year deal.

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With 9 caps to his name, the soon to be 25-year-old hooker is signed with the Queensland Reds until 2021. Standing 6 foot and weighing 117kg, Paenga-Amosa cuts an imposing figure, one suited to the forward-centric rigours of the Top 14.

A former bin-man in Sydney, the front-rower rose from the ranks of the Shute Shield to the Wallabies after some standout performances for Brad Thorn’s Reds. Born in Auckland, Paenga-Amosa moved to Australia where he grew up playing rugby league, before leaving the Canterbury Bulldogs’ junior system at 15 to pursue a career in union.

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    Why Nigel Owens is such a good ref:

    He will replace Springbok legend Bismarck du Plessis at MHR, with the 37-year-old South African expected to retire at the end of the current season.

    Montpellier don’t appear to be dampening down their recruitment, despite investigations into whether or not they were compliment with the LNR salary cap protocols.

    MHR were fined €3 million, but face no further sanctions, after coming to an agreement with the LNR earlier this year. The club had been accused of irregularities during the 2018/19, following an expose by L’Equippe and RMC. The LNR stated that the “parties are pleased that an amicable solution has been found and that it allows us to work in the future in a peaceful atmosphere.”

    The accusation revolved around the signing of South African flyhalf Johan Goosen, and a number of other top players. A report had suggested that money paid sums to Goosen and other players via a shell company in South Africa, so that the majority of their salaries would not be counted towards the salary cap.

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    fl 1 hour ago
    Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

    “A succession of recent ex-players going straight back into the game as coaches in their early 40’s would prob be enough to kill it stone-dead. Innovation would die a death.”

    Would it? I do think one of the major differences between rugby and most other sports - which we’ve been overlooking - is the degree to which players are expected to lead team meetings & analysis sessions and the like. Someone like Owen Farrell has basically been an assistant coach already for ten years - and he’s been so under a variety of different head coaches with different expectations and playing styles.


    “The most interesting ppl I have met in the game have all coached well into their sixties and they value the time and opportunity they have had to reflect and therefore innovate in the game. That’s based on their ability to compare and contrast between multiple eras.”

    I don’t doubt that that’s true. But having interesting insights doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be the best able to inspire a team, or the best at managing the backroom staff.


    “Wayne Smith winning the WWC in his mid sixties three years ago prob means nothing to you but it meant a lot to him. It took him back to the roots of is own coaching journey.”

    I don’t doubt that! But I don’t think coaches should be hired on the basis that it means a lot to them.


    “The likes of Carlo Ancelotti and Wayne Bennett and Andy Reid all have a tale to tell. You should open your ears and listen to it!”

    I agree! Never have I ever suggested otherwise!

    176 Go to comments
    J
    JW 5 hours ago
    French bid to poach 109kg 17-year-old dual-code Aussie prospect Heinz Lemoto

    Yes that’s what WR needs to look at. Football had the same problem with european powerhouses getting all the latin talent then you’re gaurenteed to get the odd late bloomer (21/22 etc, all the best footballers can play for the country much younger to get locked) star changing his allegiance.


    They used youth rep selection for locking national elifibilty at one point etc. Then later only counted residency after the age of 18 (make clubs/nations like in this case wait even longer).


    That’s what I’m talking about, not changing allegiance in rugby (were it can only be captured by the senior side), where it is still the senior side. Oh yeah, good point about CJ, so in most cases we probably want kids to be able to switch allegiance, were say someone like Lemoto could rep Tonga (if he wasn’t so good) but still play for Australia’s seniors, while in someone like Kite’s (the last aussie kid to go to France) case he’ll be French qualified via 5 years residency at the age of 21, so France to lock him up before Aussie even get a chance to select him. But if we use footballs regulations, who I’m suggesting WR need to get their a into g replicating, he would only start his 5 years once he turns 18 or whatever, meaning 23 yo is as soon as anyone can switch, and when if they’re good enough teams like NZ and Aus can select them (France don’t give a f, they select anybody just to lock them).

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