INTERNATIONAL CLUB RUGBY
Flying Fijian Nakarawa back in top form
Good news for Fiji Rugby, Edinburgh has confirmed to Scotsman News that veteran lock Leone Nakarawa is back at training with the Glasgow Warriors.
He could be vital for the Flying Fijians line up for the International Test matches this year.
Nakarawa missed the Autumn Test and with this news Flying Fijians head coach Vern Cotter will now be montoring the Mokoisa Kadavu nagtive’s progress.
Cotter will be excited with the veterans return as he will be a key man in Fiji’s lineouts should we face Ireland and New Zealand in this year’s International Test Matches.
The forward spent lockdown in his native Fiji then returned to Scotland with a knee injury. Rehab took longer than originally anticipated and the popular lock has yet to play for the Warriors this season.
But Glasgow coach Danny Wilson revealed that Nakarawa is in contention to feature against Lyon in the Heineken Champions Cup on Saturday, should the game go ahead.
“If he gets through this week’s training, he’ll be available for next weekend,” said Wilson. “He’s made massive leaps in the last couple of weeks, trained fully with us in the last week.
“It’s not 100 per cent certain yet, because he’s still got to get through the second stage of contact stuff after doing the first stage this week. But if he gets through that, we should be able to get him out there in some way, shape or form.
“There’s still a risk attached to it, but hopefully it’s positive.”
Wilson also gave a brief update on his plans to recruit former Glasgow stand-off Duncan Weir from Worcester Warriors.
“He’s a player that I highly rate. I think he’s a good ten, and from the minute I took the job, it’s an area in which I’ve wanted to strengthen. Unfortunately we couldn’t, for obvious reasons.
“There are a couple of situations where we are hoping to add to that, and when I can I’ll update you a bit more.”
One player on the way out is Lewis Bean whose loan deal has now expired and the forward will return to Northampton.
“His loan period with us is now up, which is a real shame,” said Wilson. “When the international period kicks off again, we would need the likes of Lewis, but I don’t think we’ll have him. I’ll be trying hard to get him back, because he’s been important to us.”