Leone Nakarawa

'I'm not signing him... you need lads who are hard cases'

The incoming director of rugby has been busy overhauling his squad while in his current role lead rugby consultant prior to the imminent departure of Alan Solomons. 

Diamond claimed on Tuesday that he has managed to sign every single one of the players he wanted to recruit, adding that there was one piece of the puzzle left to confirm and that it wouldn’t be Nakarawa who was linked with the club who have so far snapped up Italian duo Hame Faiva and Renato Giammarioli, Russian Valeriy Morozov, Sale pair Curtis Langdon and Cam Neild, and Australian Fergus Lee-Warner. 

Ulster dramatically do U-turn on their deal to sign Nakarawa after a medical

It was January 27 when it was announced that Dan McFarland has snapped up the Glasgow Warriors second row. 

At that time, Nakarawa had only played just the once for the Scottish club in the 2020/21 season but he went on to make seven more appearances, his most recent coming in a late April run off the bench in the loss to Benetton.

Nearly seven weeks later it has been confirmed that the one-year deal penned by the 62-cap, 33-year-old Fijian forward won’t now be going ahead.   

Nakarawa finally ready to play for Glasgow after 11 months absence

The hulking Fijian last played for the Warriors in late February before the pandemic shut the game down, and a troublesome knee injury has prevented him from seeing any action since.

Given the frequent setbacks in the Nakarawa recovery, Glasgow head coach Danny Wilson was understandably cautious about his prospects but expects to be able to utilise the lock in the rescheduled 1872 Cup match at Scotstoun.

Leone Nakarawa unlikely to play for Glasgow before December

Nakarawa returned home for the lockdown and was then granted extra leave because of the birth of his first child, before his return was further delayed by a family bereavement.

The 32-year-old, who was sacked by Racing 92 following his late return from the World Cup last year, has now returned from his homeland but Covid-19 rules mean he will be unavailable for Glasgow’s opening two matches.

Nakarawa signs Glasgow Warriors contract extension

It was thought that Nakarawa, who returned to Scotstoun in January on a short-term deal after he had his Racing 92 contract terminated, could switch to Super Rugby for 2021.  

However, he has instead decided to stick by the club he debuted for in November 2013 and then lifted the 2015 Guinness PRO12 title with prior to his departure to Paris where he became European player of the season for 2017/18 season.

Nakarawa scores on his return for Glasgow Warriors

Nikola Matawalu was also on the bench for the Warriors.

The win gave the Warriors a chance of reaching the Heineken Champions Cup quarter-finals.

The success moves them into the final best-placed runners-up spot but Dave Rennie’s men will need for both Saracens and Gloucester not to win on Sunday if they are to reach the quarter-finals.

     

Fiji rugby star Nakarawa returns to Glasgow

The 31-year-old left Glasgow for the French club in 2016 after making 69 appearances but will re-join the Warriors until the end of the season.

Nakarawa told the club he felt like he never left.

"I feel happy. It feels like I never left the club...I just went for a holiday and then I came back," he said

"Glasgow is my home. I can't forget Glasgow because that is where my professional rugby career started so it's like always in my heart and that's why I always cheer for Glasgow everyday."

Glasgow Warriors officially confirm Leone Nakarawa is returning to club

The Fijian is due to arrive in Glasgow today (Thursday 2nd), having put pen-to-paper on a deal until the end of the season.

The 31-year-old made 69 appearances for the Warriors in his first spell at the club, following his debut against Connacht at the Sportsground in November 2013.

Nakarawa – who is comfortable in the second-row or back-row – quickly became a firm favourite with the Warrior Nation, with his signature offloading ability lighting up many a match in both the Guinness PRO14 and Heineken Champions Cup.

     

Nakarawa will return to rugby in a matter of weeks

Nakarawa, sacked by Racing 92 after reporting several weeks late following the Rugby World Cup, has agreed to rejoin the club where he spent three fruitful years until the end of the season.

Dave Rennie’s Warriors expect him to arrive in Glasgow in the new year and pending travel and visa processes, hope he will be in a position to face the Italian side in Treviso.

Leone Nakarawa closing in on a return to Glasgow

Nakarawa was sacked by Top 14 club Racing 92 after he returned from the World Cup in Japan two weeks late, with a statement from the club slating the 62-test international for setting “deplorable example” for his now-former teammates.

Widely regarded as one of the world’s premier second rowers, Nakarawa’s newfound free agency has spurred interest from clubs around the globe.