Jordan Taufua signs for Lyon OU with immediate effect

[Crofty]

Those were the days; live rugby and screaming fans.

I can only dream......

Those days, like the trips to Twickenham with silverware on the line, will return.

[Offside]

We do have some good players remaining but other than Wiese I do not see the others as bull dozing line breaking call carriers. We need another one at least to give some cover. I thought he could be a signing for the long term but 2 year Contracts and team churn seems to be a problem. It is difficult to build when the bricks keep on moving and changing shape

[anz3001]

We do have some good players remaining but other than Wiese I do not see the others as bull dozing line breaking call carriers. We need another one at least to give some cover. I thought he could be a signing for the long term but 2 year Contracts and team churn seems to be a problem. It is difficult to build when the bricks keep on moving and changing shape

True, but we’ve known this would happen since the other deal fell through. Could argue we were lucky to keep hold of him for the time we did.

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

The Hogg demolition will long live in our memories.

...and maybe longer in Hogg's

Think there is still a hollow on the WR pitch...

[Tiglon]

Liebenberg is a pretty handy ball carrier, and I'm led to believe that Brink is known to be a bit of a battering ram when at full fitness.

I reckon we'll be fine on that front.

[CrumblingTerrace]

Our back row may be in better health than when he arrived but we're still taking arguably the best player out of it. We are weaker now.

[kk20gb30]

A deal born out of finance , pure and simple.If rumours are to be believed Taufua was all but signed,sealed and delivered to the UAE backed consortium take over at Beziers last year along with some other notable names and it was only the collapse of the venture that eventually kept him at Welford Road.
For me it was always going to happen , just a case of which club and when , so no surprises.
Saying that , was surprised to learn (according to BBC stats) that Taufua only made 18 appearances for Leicester.His quality however , was undoubtedly evident ; for good or bad the ultimate professional player.....

[wormus]

https://rmcsport.bfmtv.com/rugby/lou-ta ... 31232.html

Translated:

New Zealand's third center line from Leicester, Jordan Taufua, will sign up for LOU as a medical wildcard but also for the next two years.
His arrival was expected for next season, as indicated a few weeks ago, but Jordan Taufua will finally be packing his bags earlier than expected in Lyon. Announced last summer, not in Top 14 but in Pro D2, during the real false takeover of Béziers by Emirati investors, the New Zealand third center line will indeed leave the English club Leicester.

Good translation, Tb. (très bon!)
In France they call the back row, "troisième ligne" (première ligne = front row, deuxième ligne = second row).
The wing forwards are troisième ligne aile and the middle of the back, ie 8, troisième ligne centre.

He's coming in for the injured Mathieu Bastareaud (converted from centre to 8) who will be absent for the rest of the season.

This makes me wonder - With Mathieu Bastereaud converting from a crash ball centre to a No.8 and then getting injured!
Is this the direction that Manu Tuilagi should be considering once he returns from his string of injuries?
Will he have the mobility at No.8.
And no thankyou not at Tigers again, we have ended that chapter!

[TigerCam]

[baz1664]

JT is a good player but if his heart is not at the club then it’s better he goes, he seems very financially minded as we have seen previously so probably better for him and the club, with Liebenberg, Wiese and Brink we have 3 young SA powerful ball carriers, Marco Van Staden would be an outstanding signing if true, young and capped by SA, hope the rumours are true. SB making good strides in shaping his squad!!

[GB72]

Guess this was one of the least surprising announcements. When you head over from NZ to Europe it is to get well paid for a number of years. When Covid hit, the size of that pay cheque was hit considerably and so it is not surprising that players want to fill the financial gap, especially with little in the way of hindrance as to where you play.

Not meaning any of this as criticism. JT has always fronted up when on the pitch and I am certainly a fan. That said, the reasons for heading over here are clear and so the departure following the wage cut was not unexpected. As others have said, if things had panned out, he would have left at the same time as Manu and the others.

[chipnchase]

Fantastic player and never put in a bad performance or lacked effort. Like someone has already said we probably didn't see the best of him owing to injuries but sometimes players just never get that consistent run.

Lovely bloke and good luck in France!

[MurphysLaw]

[quote=baz1664 post_id=764468 time=1611745776 user_id=101]
JT is a good player but if his heart is not at the club then it’s better he goes, he seems very financially minded as we have seen previously so probably better for him and the club, with Liebenberg, Wiese and Brink we have 3 young SA powerful ball carriers, Marco Van Staden would be an outstanding signing if true, young and capped by SA, hope the rumours are true. SB making good strides in shaping his squad!!
[/quote]

I am not sure that his departure would necessarily be part of SB making strides in shaping his squad. All other things being equal, I think he would be a player to keep. However, I do agree with your main point Baz - it seems to be financially driven. He almost left last year with the other few who did not accept the wage cut.
He's undoubtedly a good player, and you can not blame him for wanting to maximise his earnings. At the same time, if he considers himself underpaid at Tigers then it's probably a good thing for both parties.

[Noggs]

Possible replacemen, Marco van Stadent:

According to sources abroad, and independently verified by SARugbymag.co.za, Van Staden has caught the attention of overseas suitors – with the Leicester Tigers especially interested in luring him to England to replace Jordan Taufua.

As also reported in Rapport this past Sunday, there is said to be interest from a couple of French clubs, but the Bulls will understandably do everything in their power to secure a contract extension for the 25-year-old.

Earlier this season, Bulls coach Jake White raved about the impression Van Staden had made on him.

‘I must say, I didn’t know the players all that well before I got here, but people obviously rated him very highly. One thing we have been working hard on with breakdown coach Nollis [Marias] is for him to really make clever decisions at the breakdown.

Looks a good option

[jauzy19]

Official : http://www.lourugby.fr/actualites/offic ... gby/25546/