He should leave the harbor next summer. According to information revealed by The Team, Duncan Paia’aua will see his journey with the RCT conclude next June. Aligned 3 times since the start of the season, the versatile center is no longer in the Var club’s plans. Currently lined up at the back, he helps out Pierre Mignoni’s team while awaiting the return of Melvyn Jaminet from suspension.
TRANSFER. The restless Duncan Paia’aua (RCT) towards an early release for another Top 14 club?
The 29-year-old Samoan joined RC Toulon in 2019. Previously, he played with the Reds, one of the Super Rugby franchises in Australia. Furthermore, the sports daily explains that an early departure had even “was considered a few months ago”. The player was expected on the USAP side in case of sufficient offer.
Currently, the Samoan international therefore intends to honor his contract, but will not go beyond that. On the Toulon side, recruitment seriously focused on JIFF players to strengthen its workforce. Often bothered by the quotas required for players from training sectors, RC Toulon wants to change the situation.
Which Top 14 club has the most JIFFs in its squad? (Spoiler: it’s not Toulouse)
For good reason, with 66% of JIFF players in its professional squad, the Rouge et Noir du sud-est are one of the teams with the fewest rugby players with this qualification among their men in the Top 14. In fact, only UBB, Montpellier HR and Stade Rochelais have a lower rate of JIFF. Furthermore, this problem is far from new. In the spring of 2023, the RCT had to rack its brains to meet the quota before the end of the season.
It is in this context that the club decided to hire Matéo Garcia. The 22-year-old flyhalf arrives from Union Bordeaux-Bègles. He should numerically replace the Welshman Dan Biggar who has never fully satisfied Mayol supporters.
RUGBY. TOP 14. Toulon secures one of its precious JIFF: no question of letting him go!
In the same way, the Toulon leaders also separated from certain big names in the Pacific in their workforce. Thus, the All Black Leicester Fainga’anuku leaves France to return to New Zealand, with the Crusaders. He plans to apply for the All Blacks in the fall of 2025 and will resume hostilities in Super Rugby the following year. This summer, it was the Fijian Waisea Nayacalevu who packed up far from the Mediterranean.
Apart from the quest for JIFF, it is a broad reflection around its workforce which RC Toulon must reflect on this season. Several executives, including Facundo Isa, Dany Priso and Brian Alainu’uese are at the end of their contract this summer and could be tempted by new adventures.
Regional match, ”worse than the Tour de France”, how the supporters experienced this intense Racing/Toulon
