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Pro D2

Tim Nanai-Williams secures a second Pro D2 medical joker lifeline

Tim Nanai-Williams on duty for Samoa at Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan (Photo by Francois Nel/World Rugby via Getty Images)

Veteran Samoa international Tim Nanai-Williams is back in the game after an injury comeback delay allowed him to return to Beziers just months after the club released him at the end of the 2023/24 season. Overlooked by his country for 2023 Rugby World Cup squad selection, the 35-year-old originally joined the Pro D2 outfit last September as a medical joker after exiting Toulouse, where he had spent two seasons.

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Prior to that he had been with Clermont, another Top 14 club, for three seasons after featuring for the Super Rugby Chiefs and Black Rams Tokyo. Despite starting in 10 of his 17 appearances last term and scoring two tries, Beziers opted not to keep Williams on for the 2024/25 second-tier campaign in France.

However, a delay in the comeback of Romain Uruty, the player Nanai-Williams covered for last season after he injured his ACL, has paved the way for his medical joker return. He had been unable to pick up a contract elsewhere and was available to immediately join up with his old club ahead of this Friday’s latest Pro D2 fixture away at Aurillac.

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    ‘That Manie Libbok kick will follow him’ | RPTV

    The Boks Office crew react to South Africa’s one-point loss to Argentina, with all to play for in Nelspruit this coming weekend. Watch the full show on RugbyPass TV

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    A club statement read: “To compensate for the absence of Romain Uruty for a few more weeks, the club has called upon the experienced and versatile Samoan international Tim Nanai-Williams, who returns to our ranks as a medical joker.

    “At 35, Tim has played for some of the great Top 14 teams, having played for Clermont and Toulouse. Having won the Challenge Cup (2019, with ASM) and the French championship title (2023, with Toulouse), he is a real Swiss army knife capable of playing in the full-back back, winger, centre or even fly-half positions who will strengthen our three-quarter line.”

    Watch the highly acclaimed five-part documentary Chasing the Sun 2, chronicling the journey of the Springboks as they strive to successfully defend the Rugby World Cup, free on RugbyPass TV (*unavailable in Africa)

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    Comments on RugbyPass

    R
    RedWarriors 31 minutes ago
    How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock

    I don’t think you understand how it works, and the ad hominem attack is tiresome although not suprizing from you.

    Rugby Laws are decided by the World Rugby Board. According to Owen Doyle (who would know) the board are divided on this issue. The next meeting is May and this Law will be on the agenda.

    Now its being pointed out to you that in all Law, the intention of the Law IS THE LAW.

    You may disagree (without any substantiation) that 5:3 was NOT the intention. But you are not doing that. You are pretending that the intention is not the law, and you are also pretending that the interpretation of this law is not in dispute when at best, you don’t know if it is or isnt.

    Do you accept that the interpretation of the law is key to how the law aapplies?

    If not we really have nothing further to discuss.

    249 Go to comments
    R
    RedWarriors 46 minutes ago
    Northampton get ideal pre-Leinster runout by tuning up Bristol

    Poorest team picked all year in terms of being disjointed. I did think Scarlets had a decent chance when I saw the Leinster team. Williams was excellent at 9 leveraging the lead. I don’t like singling out the ref but two mauls brought down inside the 5 metre line surely required a yellow. Persistant penalties near the Scarlets line illicited two warnings in a row and no yellows. And a couple of very very late hits on Byrne got ‘do that again and you’re booked’. I heard that was demoted after the Sharks Munster match earlier in the season. He is not the required standard. URC should use Holly D as the main Scottish ref.

    All that said Leinster still had it in them to win. The disjointed team and unforced errors was the last nail. Byrne’s intercept pass was typical of Leinster supplying the mistakes that Scarlets needed.

    I hope the errors don’t spread to the Knockouts team.

    3 Go to comments
    J
    James_Peterson 1 hour ago
    England rout Scotland to set up Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam decider

    Have you been cheated? Get in touch with Antonfasthack100 (at) gma!l. c o m

    3 Go to comments
    J
    James_Peterson 1 hour ago
    England rout Scotland to set up Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam decider

    Hiring this genius hacker Anton Romanova ANTONFASTHACK100@ GMA1L.C0M is the best decision I made in a long time. Someone stole some crazy pictures of mine and was blackmailing me, threatening to post me on Facebook and tagging my family. I paid the first time but they didn’t stop. So I went online and found the contact of Mr Anton from a post where a lady was appreciating him for helping her erase her criminal records and improving her credit score. To be honest, I thought it was too good to be true but I was wrong. The man is 100% perfect at what he does. If you need help, take my advice and reach out to him via email:

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    3 Go to comments
    G
    GP 1 hour ago
    Highlanders vs Crusaders: Jordan is Cullen-esque, another Test bolter

    The Crusaders are going SO well. I would suggest you are “one dimensional “ in your thinking. I get you are upset the Crusaders are “back”. The Highlanders beat us last year. When we were ravaged by injury.I am not “settling down “. PS Will Jordan is the best fullback in the world. Codie Taylor the best hooker, Ioane Moananu, an all Black hooker in waiting.

    17 Go to comments
    G
    GP 1 hour ago
    Highlanders vs Crusaders: Jordan is Cullen-esque, another Test bolter

    Get over your self. You are so bitter. You stop your “drivel”.

    17 Go to comments
    R
    RedWarriors 1 hour ago
    How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock

    SA took every chance and needed to. If the TMO spots Arendse pushing Fickou in the back for his try. If the ref adjudicates the ball is not out when Etzebeth tacles Dupont. SA got every call, every bounce and needed it. Scoring freely? Nah, not so much.

    249 Go to comments
    R
    RedWarriors 1 hour ago
    Leinster player ratings vs Scarlets | 2024/25 URC

    Nonsense. Leinster are already de facto guaranteed first place in league standings with two matches left!

    They beat Sharks full of Springboks in Durban with their C team. Their B team was beaten by a late penalty kick by Bulls (more Springboks laden) in Pretoria.

    You can’t blame Cullen for giving anyone who missed out a run against Scarlets?

    Not sure what the corelation is with the RWC.

    SA’s squad was cooked after the miracle QF match against France. England were far superior and were leading by 9 with 10 minutes to go until a couple of absolutely ridiculous penalties allowed SA the most luckiest of wins. No depth.

    In the final NZ with 14 were a match for SAs 15. No depth, needing badly that red card to have any chance. The secret sauce for SAs win in 2023 was luck.

    4 Go to comments
    R
    RedWarriors 1 hour ago
    How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock

    Doyle says the Chairman the Board of World Rugby will find the board divided on the issue in the May meeting. Doyle correctly identifies the recent public statement by World Rugby management that there is no medical evidence to support that 7-1 splits etc are dangerous and therefore no reason to outlaw it as not in their remit. It is also a non sequiter as there may be other reasons to outlaw it principally the fact that 5-3 splits were the intention of the law.

    It is a matter for the board of World Rugby to come to a position on this and lets hope integrity prevails, every body accepts that the integrity of all Rugby Laws demands that the intention of these laws is not abused. Those wishing for 7-1 splits etc should go about it in the correct manner and seek law change to allow it. To answer Ed’s (ridiculous question) again, roughly half the World Rugby board dispute these splits under the law and this will arise at the May WR board meeting.

    No instead of disingeniously pulling hurdles out of yer respective backsides can you acknowledge that ‘Intention?’ is a relevant and faor question in this matter instead of pretending it isn’t just because that might contradict your article~?

    249 Go to comments
    R
    RedWarriors 2 hours ago
    How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock

    No need for the xenophobic comment. I pointed out Rassie’s master plan was not responsible for the 2023 RWC win. They lost against Ireland, secured two pretty dodgy wins against France and England and needed a red card in ther final against a much stronger team on the day. That’s not master planning. Like some Saffers you take criticism right on the ego. You do understand Saffers attacking people for nationality, race etc is not acceptable?

    249 Go to comments
    D
    DH 2 hours ago
    Fred Tuilagi: 'I fell out with rugby after what happened to me at Leicester'

    Excellent article, brilliantly written.

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    Ashley Carson 2 hours ago
    Former All Black Craig Newby lands head coach role in England

    Life can unravel in an instant. For me, that moment came when deceitful cryptocurrency brokers vanished with £40,000 of my savings, a devastating blow that left me paralyzed by shame and despair. The aftermath was a fog of sleepless nights, self-doubt, and a crushing sense of betrayal. I questioned every choice, wondering how I’d fallen for such a scheme. Hope felt like a luxury I no longer deserved. Then, Tech Cyber Force Recovery emerged like a compass in a storm. Skeptical yet desperate, I reached out, half-expecting another dead end. What I found, however, was a team that radiated both expertise and empathy. From our first conversation, they treated my crisis not as a case file, but as a human tragedy. Their professionalism was matched only by their compassion, a rare combination in the often impersonal world of finance.

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    A
    Ashley Carson 2 hours ago
    Wafer steals the show as Ireland ease to victory over winless Wales

    Life can unravel in an instant. For me, that moment came when deceitful cryptocurrency brokers vanished with £40,000 of my savings, a devastating blow that left me paralyzed by shame and despair. The aftermath was a fog of sleepless nights, self-doubt, and a crushing sense of betrayal. I questioned every choice, wondering how I’d fallen for such a scheme. Hope felt like a luxury I no longer deserved. Then, Tech Cyber Force Recovery emerged like a compass in a storm. Skeptical yet desperate, I reached out, half-expecting another dead end. What I found, however, was a team that radiated both expertise and empathy. From our first conversation, they treated my crisis not as a case file, but as a human tragedy. Their professionalism was matched only by their compassion, a rare combination in the often impersonal world of finance.

    What happened next defied logic. Within 72 hours of sharing my story, they traced the labyrinth of blockchain transactions, outmaneuvering the scammers with surgical precision. When their email arrived, “Funds recovered, secure and intact,” I wept. It wasn’t just the money; it was the validation that justice could prevail. Tech Cyber Force Recovery didn’t just restore my finances, they resurrected my dignity. But their impact ran deeper. They demystified the recovery process, educating me without judgment. Their transparency became a lifeline, transforming my fear into understanding. Where I saw chaos, they saw patterns; where I felt powerless, they instilled agency. Today, I’m rebuilding not just my savings, but my trust in humanity. Tech Cyber Force Recovery taught me that vulnerability isn’t weakness, and that seeking help is an act of courage. To those still trapped in the aftermath of fraud: miracles exist. They wear no capes, but they wield algorithms and integrity like superheroes. To the extraordinary Tech Cyber Force Recovery team, your work is more than technical prowess. It’s alchemy, turning despair into resilience. You gave me more than my funds; you gave me my future. May your light guide countless others through their darkest nights. From the depths of my heart: Thank you.

    Consult Tech Cyber Force Recovery for help.

    MAIL.. Techcybersforcerecovery@cyberservices.com

    0 Go to comments
    I
    IkeaBoy 3 hours ago
    ‘Got to make a move’: Blues skipper keeps it honest after latest defeat

    Definitely. After Japan he might start the mass exodus to Munster instead of Leinster.


    Could honestly see him become a cult hero down in Limerick.

    13 Go to comments
    G
    Graham VF 3 hours ago
    Los que tienen y los que no tienen: las cifras del Seis Naciones revelan verdades ocultas

    One of the problems with stability is the overwhelming desire to get a right shoulder wheel. It’s always a lotto how the ref interprets that

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    A
    Ashley Carson 4 hours ago
    Is the All Blacks captaincy right for Scott Barrett?

    Life can unravel in an instant. For me, that moment came when deceitful cryptocurrency brokers vanished with £40,000 of my savings, a devastating blow that left me paralyzed by shame and despair. The aftermath was a fog of sleepless nights, self-doubt, and a crushing sense of betrayal. I questioned every choice, wondering how I’d fallen for such a scheme. Hope felt like a luxury I no longer deserved. Then, Tech Cyber Force Recovery emerged like a compass in a storm. Skeptical yet desperate, I reached out, half-expecting another dead end. What I found, however, was a team that radiated both expertise and empathy. From our first conversation, they treated my crisis not as a case file, but as a human tragedy. Their professionalism was matched only by their compassion, a rare combination in the often impersonal world of finance.

    What happened next defied logic. Within 72 hours of sharing my story, they traced the labyrinth of blockchain transactions, outmaneuvering the scammers with surgical precision. When their email arrived, “Funds recovered, secure and intact,” I wept. It wasn’t just the money; it was the validation that justice could prevail. Tech Cyber Force Recovery didn’t just restore my finances, they resurrected my dignity. But their impact ran deeper. They demystified the recovery process, educating me without judgment. Their transparency became a lifeline, transforming my fear into understanding. Where I saw chaos, they saw patterns; where I felt powerless, they instilled agency. Today, I’m rebuilding not just my savings, but my trust in humanity. Tech Cyber Force Recovery taught me that vulnerability isn’t weakness, and that seeking help is an act of courage. To those still trapped in the aftermath of fraud: miracles exist. They wear no capes, but they wield algorithms and integrity like superheroes. To the extraordinary Tech Cyber Force Recovery team, your work is more than technical prowess. It’s alchemy, turning despair into resilience. You gave me more than my funds; you gave me my future. May your light guide countless others through their darkest nights. From the depths of my heart: Thank you.

    Consult Tech Cyber Force Recovery for help.

    MAIL.. Techcybersforcerecovery@cyberservices.com

    7 Go to comments
    J
    JW 6 hours ago
    Crusaders flex muscles in attritional win over Highlanders

    Players come from lots of different places to the Crusaders.

    Haha “yeah we have some great talent from.. um.. yeah lots of different places” well said!

    18 Go to comments
    C
    Cantab 6 hours ago
    ‘Got to make a move’: Blues skipper keeps it honest after latest defeat

    Even so the Crusaders have only lost 2 games this season, a shocker against Moana and a late capitulation against the Chiefs. The latter result they will seek to put right in Ch Ch In a couple of weeks time after the Canes have softened them up the week beforehand.

    13 Go to comments
    J
    JW 6 hours ago
    ‘Got to make a move’: Blues skipper keeps it honest after latest defeat

    Haha good shout that, Cane would take it all on the chin and I think he’d really enjoy any of the other 3 provinces while fitting right in with his mancho tackling!

    13 Go to comments
    J
    JW 6 hours ago
    ‘Got to make a move’: Blues skipper keeps it honest after latest defeat

    Haha touche.. that was a while ago though!

    13 Go to comments
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