Lyon raid Leicester to sign Jordan Taufua as medical joker for injured Mathieu Bastareaud
Former All Blacks back row hopeful Jordan Taufua has joined Lyon as a medical joker, initially signing from Leicester to provide cover for the remainder of the Top 14 season for the injured Mathieu Bastareaud and Gillian Galan. He has also penned a deal for the two years after that, keeping him at Lyon until 2023.
A starter twice in Europe in December, the Auckland-born back row – who turns 29 on Friday – made just two Gallagher Premiership appearances off the Leicester bench this season, his second year with the English club.
Taufua made a dozen league appearances in his debut season at Leicester after joining them from the Crusaders. However, having fallen down the pecking order under new Tigers boss Steve Borthwick, the Geordan Murphy signing has decided to continue his career elsewhere and is currently in quarantine in France.
A statement on Wednesday from Lyon read: “We are happy to announce the recruitment of Jordan Taufua to compensate for the absences of Bastareaud and Gallan. He turns 29 this Friday and he arrives in good time for Pierre Mignoni and his staff to strengthen a pack not spared from injury this season.
“Expected today [Wednesday] in Lyon, the new back row will still have to observe a period of quarantine lasting seven days before being able to join the Lyon workforce and discover his new teammates.
? Comme une bonne nouvelle n'arrive jamais seule…souhaitons la bienvenue à @JordanTaufua dans la #TeamLOU ?????
Le LOU est heureux d'annoncer ce recrutement de poids pour pallier aux absences de Bastareaud et Gallan dans le paquet d'avant ?
?? https://t.co/PX7deq3Qam pic.twitter.com/MqybqDbXTV
— LOU Rugby (@LeLOURugby) January 27, 2021
“Prior to joining Leicester Tigers two years ago, Taufua played at Crusaders, one of New Zealand’s top provinces, with whom he won Super Rugby three times in 2017, 2018 and 2019. In 2018, his performances propelled him in selection but an injury deprived him of a first cap under the jersey of the All Blacks.”
Lyon are currently seventh in the Top 14 with eight wins from 14 matches, but they have had a tough run recently when losing three of their five games. They take on Pau this Friday at home, but the game where Taufua will potentially make his debut is the February 13 trip to Racing.
"When I first came here we trained hard. We may have gone away from that a bit but we have come back to it"
– Without a match since January 3, Leicester got stuck into each other on the training ground last week#GallagherPremhttps://t.co/ecmJAY0Do5
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 26, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
If stormers aren’t available. Based on form and likely availability at the time of the wales Test, you’d think Masuku would be a no-brainer to start. But starting Jordan also makes sense having Masuku come off the bench to close out the game. I’d start Jordan with his brother Jaden. Masuku and Nohamba off the bench.
2 Go to commentsGlad Tom Curry not playing needs time to recover such a great player also his brother Ben how well is he playing now .
1 Go to commentsLet’s examine what might be irking the brainless E: Up until 20 years before this coming Julys tests: 16 games: 14 wins for SA; 1 win for Ire; 1 draw From 20 years until July’ tests Ireland V SA: 13 matches Ireland won 8; SA won 4; 1 draw Points scored Ireland 261; SA 189 Ave Winning Margin: Ireland 11 points; SA 4 points (away 3, home 6) Away win record: Ireland 33.33%; SA 25% Neutral matches 1: Ireland win RWC France 2023. Last SA win June 2016 (8 years ago) They boast 3 World cups in that period (they do boast). The above record is not good, probably not much better than theirs against NZ for same period. That’s why the dopey E is starting fights in his head. He will probably ship a yellow when things don’t go their way in the first test.
127 Go to commentsGoode is like a wet fart on The Rugby Pod and should be shoved aside. Jim knows what he is on about and can get on better without Goode’s nasty little cheap shots.
127 Go to commentsBrumbies will win, crusaders are pretty awful this year
1 Go to commentsThis has the makings of a good match. That’s Leinster’s second team but its a good one (stronger than the teams in SA recently). Ulster are really turning a page. Ryan back is huge, and Keenan too. This could be a cracker.
1 Go to commentsThe Farrells are one of the great father and son combinations. Andy was an RL great, and had he played Union as his first sport, I would be sure he would have been avery significant forcewas in League. And Owen, a Union great, who had he played League, would could have been a great there too i all probability. I feel my attitude to Owen has mellowed as he has aged, and in the post Jones era, evolved and shown his full range of talents. He really is an all round player, and I have wold hope his move to France will be successful. He may even be the piece in the jigsaw that Racing need to rise to challenge Toulouse and LAR. He is ofc now approaching 33 years of age but should still have enough left to make a big contribution in France for at least2/3 years.
45 Go to commentsI reckon it may be Jordan at 10 and Nohamba at 9, both players have played together alot and both have been on the Radar for a long time. After Pollard got injured in 2022 with Elton sidelined on a path of self destruction Erasmus and Nienaber indicated that the other options in the country at the time were thin but that Jordan and Manie were the 2 they were looking at. In the end Frans steyn played flyhalf, Willemse slotted in there on the end of year with Libbok as back up. Jordan was right there in the thinking back then so expect him to take the Jersey either as the starter.
2 Go to commentsHaha did he also* say it in a sarcastic teacher sort of manor or was it the petulant English snob sort of wail?
45 Go to commentsWell said Mils. It is a big boost at last having Fergus Burke back at 10 for the Crusaders. Had a great season last year as the article says. Mils is also right about captain Codie Taylor’s performance in his return to the Crusaders last week. He was all class.
4 Go to commentsLet’s make them both Capt. I think we'd get the best of both of them and it would help alleviate some of the pressures of the role. They'd have to confer over on field decisions which should lead to “ learnings “ for both. They are our two best consistent performers.
16 Go to commentsOur best player by far..but not a good Captain..poor tactician cost the AB'S and Canes games by not taking the easy points and going for tries when the lineouts were a shambles..can he read a game? And his throat slitting gesture should disqualify him from the AB Captaincy..it is not the appropriate behaviour of an AB Captain.
16 Go to commentsForget what was said or how many players said it. TONY BROWN IS THE NEW ATTACK COACH. That’s the only story worth freaking out over. The springboks are going to grow their game an awful lot over the next cycle and it’s not just the 19 disgustingly arrogant Irish players who refused to shake Ebens hand and said “see you in the final if you can cheat your way past France” who will find that out first hand.
127 Go to commentsOn one hand I think it's a bit ridiculous that this gar into the season and with only 2 wins the Crusaders may make the finals. On the other hand if it was only top 4 or 5, then that last several weeks may be mainly dead rubbers. Nope, 8th place after round robin shouldn't be able to lift the trophy.
4 Go to commentsI do think the media in NZ treated him badly. Sam is a legend. He is humble, a great rugby mind and leader. What happened in the final could happen to anyone. The margins is so fine these days. I lay blame at the feet of the coaching staff and NZ rugby. The stats tell’s all. The AB’s was the worst disciplined side in the WC with more red and yellow cards than anyone else. Problem is NZ rugby is not training their players to play safer. And thats the danger a fast game brings. More yellow and red cards. But Sam Cane in my eye was and still is a great ambassador for the game, that just had a stroke of bad luck.
9 Go to commentsI hope Jim and co. Add this to their list of icebreaker questions they can ask all their guests going forward. So we can eventually hear what everyone thinks about this subject. “What do you think Ireland meant…”
127 Go to commentsHe’s a dominant personality. That might be both a good and bad thing in team dynamics. Certainly it ruined Smith’s first crack at 10 with Owen at 12. BTW, Bristol flatter to deceive. When things really matter, they tend to deliver less rather than more. Farrell would have been good for them
45 Go to commentsGot a lot of over the top abuse from Crusader fans, in particular, who thought every 7 they had was miles better. Now we will see if anyone is better? Laid his body on the line every game so finishing early makes sense. A lot of life left after rugby.
9 Go to commentsA poor decision to appoint Carley as not only is Pearce a better referee but also importantly speaks French.
2 Go to commentsHe is 100 % on the mark. Malicious arrogance with a lack of respect for the other teams mostly the south. they must learn from True rugby nations like the Boks and Kiwis
127 Go to comments