It’s now official: Stade Rochelais has just announced the extension of its international right pillar Uini Atonio (34 years old, 62 caps). Spotted by Patrice Collazo, Uini Atonio, one of the emblematic figures of La Rochelle, will undoubtedly end his career at the end of his contract in 2027.
After last week’s bad news and the announcement of Georges-Henri Colombe’s departure for the Toulouse ogre, Stade Rochelais supporters can smile: Uini Atonio has officially extended his contract. He is now committed until 2027: the year of the next World Cup in Australia. Chance or coincidence? The 34-year-old right pillar (62 caps) in any case wants to remain competitive in one of the biggest European clubs for two more years.
Concerning the French team and the global deadline, Uini Atonio told us this after the last 6 Nations Tournament. “Today I feel good even at 34 years old. I feel good in my body. I just came out of five matches in the Tournament where I wasn’t too “disgusting”. I held the house anyway. We will see year by year. I’m not going to say three years before that I’m going to go to the 2027 World Cup if in two years I start to get tired. If I don’t feel well, I will tell Fabien that I am no longer there, that I am going through too much and that I have played too many matches. But for now, I feel good. And as long as the staff takes me with them, it’s always a pleasure to go to the French team.”
The one-club man
For La Rochelle, this is very good news. Firstly, because Atonio is still one of the very best No. 3s and keeping a player of his caliber can only be a good thing sportingly. Also, because the endearing right pillar is an icon of Stade Rochelais, and this extension – his last challenge – means that he will remain the man of only one club.
Arriving in 2011 in the maritime city after being spotted by Patrice Collazo in Hong Kong, during a Rugby X tournament, Uini Atonio has since come a long way with more than 300 matches played under the La Rochelle colors, a rise in Top 14, two Champions Cup titles, two Top 14 finals… And a hell of an international career culminating in the 2022 grand slam.
France
Rugby
