Racing 92 sack Nakarawa for ‘deplorable, inconceivable’ late return from RWC

Former European Player of the Year Leone Nakarawa has been sacked by Racing 92 after returning two weeks late from the Rugby World Cup, the Top 14 side have announced.

The Fiji international, who claimed European Professional Club Rugby’s top individual award in 2018, was scheduled to be back in Racing training on October 28.

However, Nakarawa had an “unjustified absence” until November 12 and missed the European Champions Cup clash with Saracens on November 17, Racing revealed in a statement on Friday.

The club say Nakarawa refused to answer messages and that he had been accused of “abandoning his post” previously, too.

Racing have cancelled the player’s contract, stating the action was “essential”, and claim his absence “caused a lot of damage”.

“This is a deplorable example for the players of Racing 92,” the statement read. “His title of the 2018 European Player of the Year should have encouraged him to be exemplary.

“At Racing, the only star is the team, and the individualistic attitude of Leone Nakarawa is inconceivable. It denotes a total lack of team spirit and a characteristic insubordination.”

Nakarawa joined Racing in 2016 from Glasgow Warriors, who are now reportedly interested in bringing the lock back to Scotland.

The 31-year-old has 62 caps and featured in each of Fiji’s four matches at the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

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