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'X-Factor player' Nanai commits to Worcester until 2023 after difficult first season

Wing Melani Nanai has signed a new deal with Worcester Warriors.

Melani Nanai has committed his future to Worcester Warriors by signing a contract extension which will keep him at Sixways until at least 2023. The former Blues wing was a high-profile signing for Warriors last season but has been frustrated by injuries since arriving at the club, with his new deal a sign of the Warriors’ faith in the player.

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Nanai underwent surgery on a shoulder injury earlier this year, but has returned to full fitness while the English season has been suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.

He has only played eight times for the Warriors to date.

“I am delighted that Melani has decided to extend his stay with us until the end of the 2022/2023 season,” said Warriors Director of Rugby Alan Solomons.

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Scott Robertson post match media session v Chiefs

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Scott Robertson post match media session v Chiefs

“Melani oozes talent and is an X-Factor player who established himself as one of the leading lights of Super Rugby.

“The past season has been difficult for him due not only to having to play back-to-back seasons, but also because of injury.

“He is now rehabbing well from his shoulder operation and should be good to go when we start playing again.

“With our new coaching staff in place and, particularly, Jockey [Matt Sherratt] taking the backs and attack, I am confident that we are going to see the best of Melani and that he is going to become a key player for the team.

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“Melani is a great bloke and a real team man and I look forward to us continuing to work together.”

Nanai, who played for his native Samoa in the 2013 Junior World Championship in France, won Zealand’s Mitre 10 Cup with Auckland in 2018 and said he is relishing the prospect of an extended stay with Warriors.

“It was an easy decision to make. I haven’t had as many opportunities as I would like because of the injury but I just want to prove myself here and show what I can do,” Nanai said.

“With the Coronavirus I have had a lot of time off and that’s give me time to heal my shoulder.

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“The Premiership is a different style of rugby to back in New Zealand. There’s a lot of contact involved but it’s given me the opportunity to see what the competition is like here.

“It’s good to see the potential that we have in the squad here. A lot of the talented young boys have been signing contracts and there are a lot of good youngsters coming through.”

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J
JW 2 hours 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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