Pro D2 club recruit a Leinster leaver while Racing 92 issue statement after ending ‘collaboration’ with Dimitri Szarzewski
Dimitri Szarzewski during his Racing 92 playing days
Leinster utility back Liam Turner has found a new club in France for next season just weeks after it was confirmed he was being cut from Leo Cullen’s roster.
It has also emerged that Dimitri Szarzewski, the retired French hooker, will be released as a Racing 92 assistant when his season ends this weekend.
Turner heads to France after Leinster exit
The soon-to-be 25-year-old Turner was included on the leavers list unveiled last month in Dublin, despite making seven starts in his nine United Rugby Championship appearances this season as well as starting on the right wing in last December’s Champions Cup pool win over Clermont.
Turner honed his skills on the world sevens circuit after playing for the Ireland U20s in 2019/20, before solely dedicating himself to Leinster in the 2022/23 season, where he made 10 URC starts.
However, his most recent appearance for the Irish club came in the April loss at Scarlets as he hasn’t featured in the knockout stages of a Champions Cup run ended by Northampton or the URC title push, where the next fixture is next Saturday’s home semi-final against Glasgow.
Turner’s next move has now been confirmed with Nevers, who finished 10th in this season’s Pro D2, unveiling him as a new-season signing on a two-year deal with an option for a third year.
Capable of also playing midfield, Turner has been recruited to fill the void left by Arthur Mathiron, the 2023 U20 World Championship winner with France, who is returning to Lyon in the Top 14 following two seasons on loan at Nevers where he made a total of 28 appearances.
“Dimitri left his mark on the club’s history…”
In other French news, Racing has issued a statement confirming that their 2016 title-winning skipper Szarewski will exit his role as assistant coach when their turbulent season finishes with next Saturday’s trip to Lyon.
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Racing’s struggles resulted in the mid-season sacking of Stuart Lancaster as their director of rugby and Szarewski’s exit has also now been confirmed with the club lying in 10th place in the Top 14 and unable to make the end-of-season top flight play-offs with one match remaining.
A statement read: “Racing 92 and Dimitri Szarzewski have mutually decided to end their collaboration at the end of this season. With 83 caps for the French national team and a key player for Racing 92 from 2012 to 2019, Dimitri left his mark on the club’s history.
“Captain during the 2016 title victory at Camp Nou, he was a model of leadership and exemplary behaviour for his teammates, both on and off the pitch. With a career that made him one of the best hookers of his generation, Dimitri immediately embarked on a new adventure with the club, embracing a career as a coach.
“He started with the Cadets before taking the reins of the Espoirs team and then joining the professional team’s staff in 2020. The club wishes Dimitri Szarzewski the best for his future personal and professional projects, convinced that he will continue to embody the values of rugby with the same high standards and passion.”
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