Rugby News: Foketi's new deal, All Black off to France, more financial chaos in UK as giants suspended

Wallabies and Waratahs centre Lalakai Foketi has extended his deal through to the end of 2025.

Foketi has been the leading Australian inside centre during Super Rugby this season and is expected to be part of the Wallabies’ Rugby Championship and World Cup campaigns.

“I’m super stoked to stay here at the Waratahs for the next two years,” Foketi said in a statement.

“Sydney is home for me and my family and there’s nowhere else we would rather be.

“I feel the group we have here at the moment is yet to reach its full potential and I look forward to working hard with my teammates and the coaching staff to make that happen.

“I’ve had a small taste of Test Rugby over the past two years which has really lit a fire inside me to earn more opportunities at that level and I know I’ll need to continue to work hard to make that happen.”

Foketi made his international debut against Wales in Cardiff in 2021 and has played just four more Tests – with injury affecting his chances.

(Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images)

Wallabies head coach Eddie Jones said: “Lalakai is an experienced player who has all the attributes to be a standout centre at Test level.”

“He’s also a strong communicator and to have him re-sign with Australian Rugby for two years is really positive.”

NSW Waratahs head coach Darren Coleman added: “La is a quality man and a quality player. He’s got a strong carry, has good distribution and game sense and is one of our most solid defenders. He’s also very popular among the playing group.”

“His Rugby experiences from different competitions brings a real point of difference to our team, so to have him locked in for the next two years is a massive positive.”

Weber off to France

French Top 14 powerhouse Stade Francais has announced the signing of All Blacks and Chiefs halfback Brad Weber.

Weber confirmed recently that his playing future would be in Europe and he was unveiled by the Paris club on Wednesday.

A Stade Francais twitter posts read: “17 caps in the jersey of the All Blacks, nine seasons with the province of Waikato. The conductor and experienced co-captain of the Chiefs will be in charge next season.”

Weber, 32, is a contender for one of the All Blacks’ halfbacks slots at the World Cup later this year.

London Irish suspended

The financial crisis gripping English club rugby claimed another victim on Wednesday when London Irish was suspended from the entire league structure for missing its latest deadline to pay staff and players.

Worcester Warriors and Wasps have already been banished from the English Premiership over the past years for financial reasons, meaning the top division is set to become a 10-team competition.

The Rugby Football Union said neither the current owner of London Irish, Mick Crossan, nor an American consortium planning to buy the club were able to prove they had the finances to compete in the top flight for the 2023-24 campaign.

The outstanding 50% of May’s payroll owed to staff and players was not paid before the final deadline set by the RFU of 4 p.m. UK time on Tuesday.

Given the failure of the takeover and Crossan’s intent to stop bankrolling the club, London Irish’s prospects for survival as a professional outfit appear extremely bleak, with more than 100 staff members in limbo.

“We will be working closely with London Irish to confirm what the future of rugby at the club looks like,” RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney said. “With regret, this will not be in any league next season.”

After six months of talks, neither proof of funds nor the information required for the fit and proper persons test demanded of new owners were provided. The RFU, therefore, has acted to prevent the club going out of business during next season.

London Irish finished in fifth place in the recently completed season.

“This is desperately sad news for everyone who is part of the London Irish community as well as all the players, fans, staff and volunteers for whom this club means so much,” Sweeney said.

“In the absence of transparent proof of reliable long-term funding and for the duty of care for all involved at the club, the sad decision has now been taken to suspend the club from RFU leagues.”

Among the players in London Irish’s squad are England winger Henry Arundell and Italy center Luca Morisi.

A hardship fund has been set up by the RFU, Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Players’ Association to help anyone in need of financial assistance and this is to be extended to those most affected by the demise of Wasps and Worcester.

Irish were due to celebrate their 125th anniversary next year.

RFU chair Tom Ilube hinted at a reduction in funding for the league due to its “failing business models.”

“Rugby has an underlying need to professionalize its management off the pitch, just as it has done on the pitch over the past 25 years,” Ilube said. “To thrive, rugby clubs need to have a wide-ranging offering and varied revenue streams. All three clubs that have failed this season have had fragile business models for many years. The structure and ownership of a stadium is a factor alongside reliance on a single funder, challenging societal trends, financial mismanagement, and an insufficiently large fan base.”

Irish have debts in the region of 30 million pounds ($37 million) and do not own their own stadium, instead playing at English soccer team Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium after a 20-year spell at Reading’s Madejski Stadium.

On Friday, they were issued with a winding-up petition by Britain’s tax authority over an unpaid tax bill.

Worcester and Wasps were expelled from the Premiership after entering administration — a form of bankruptcy protection.

Worcester was placed in compulsory liquidation while being pursued for unpaid tax before Wasps, a two-time European champion and one of England’s most storied clubs, was hit by a winding-up order from the revenue department for 2 million pounds in unpaid tax after financial issues stemming from its relocation from London to Coventry in 2014.