Rugby Transfers: All Blacks snubs heading to France and England while Aussie trio released
Chiefs winger Etene Nanai-Seturo and an inset of Australian and Clermont back Irae Simone.
Chiefs winger Etene Nanai-Seturo could join former Blues playmaker Harry Plummer in France after this season’s Super Rugby Pacific.
Top 14 giants Clermont are reportedly set to overhaul their backline ahead of the 2026/27 season with an aggressive recruitment drive, which includes releasing at least five players.
This comes after the club snapped up the signature of Wallabies and Western Force lock Darcy Swain on a three-year deal, as well as the services of Blues utility back AJ Lam, who has signed for the same length of time.
Clermont recruitment and overhaul
According to a report by RugbyRama, Clermont have set their sights on winger Nanai-Seturo from the Chiefs and have initiated talks with the former New Zealand Sevens star.
Since making his move to the XV-aside game, Nanai-Seturo has been a standout performer for the Chiefs and has regularly been selected for the All Blacks XV team, representing the side twice last November.
However, he hasn’t been able to convince Ian Foster or Scott Robertson that he deserves an opportunity in the All Blacks set-up.
Nanai-Seturo’s potential arrival at the club will offset the departures of several frontline players, notably former All Blacks centre George Moala.
Australian trio Rob Simmons, Irae Simone, and Alex Newsome are set to join Moala in leaving the club at the end of the season, along with French backs Pierre Fouyssac and Lucas Tauzin. According to La Montagne, the quintet will not be offered contract extensions at the club with their current deals expiring in July.
The likes of prop Etienne Falgoux, Sebastien Bezy (Montpellier), Tommy Raffy and Folau Fainga’a (Waratahs) are the other players who will leave or have already left Clermont.
While there is a changing of the guard taking place at Clermont, the club have retained the services of France international winger Alivereti Raka who has signed a two-year extension through to 2028.
The 31-year-old has scored over 100 tries for the side he joined back in 2015, playing more than 180 matches for ASM. Raka is closing in on becoming the club’s all-time leading try scorer, chasing the likes of Aurélien Rougerie (134), Philippe Georges Saint-André (118), and Napolioni Nalaga (105).
Additionally, they have locked in the services of Baptiste Jauneau, Barnabé Massa, Etienne Fourcade, Giorgi Akhaladze, Cristian Ojovan, Killian Tixeront and Léon Darricarrère for the upcoming seasons.
New Zealand exodus
Nanai-Seturo could add to a growing list of players leaving New Zealand Super Rugby Pacific franchises.
At the Chiefs, Aidan Ross is off to the Queensland Reds while Manaaki Selby-Rickit has joined Japanese club Urayasu D-Rocks. Kaleb Trusk also left the side to link up with Suntory Sungoliath and is joined in Japan by Shaun Stevenson. Ardie Savea and Anton Lienert-Brown are also enjoying sabbaticals in Japan.
Crusaders star Tom Christie has also signed for PREM Rugby club Newcastle Red Bulls and is set to be joined by Hurricanes prop Pouri Raketi-Stones.
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The 28-year-old has represented the All Blacks XV and the Maori All Blacks, playing more than 50 Super Rugby games for the Hurricanes.
“Signing with Newcastle Red Bulls is an exciting chapter,” the prop said in a statement from the club.
“They’re building something great, and I can’t wait to add to it. I’m really looking forward to working hard with this group and making our fans proud.”
The former Junior World champion with New Zealand u20s has penned a two-year deal with Newcastle and could press for international selection as he is qualified to represent England.
READ MORE: NRL star sets sights on Wallabies ‘dream’ after agreeing terms on Waratahs switch
