Toulon confirm Messam signing
TOULON have confirmed the signing of former All Blacks loose forward Liam Messam.
The 33-year-old will leave New Zealand at the end of the Chiefs’ Super Rugby season after signing a two-year deal with the bigspending French club, who announced the move yesterday.
Last month French rugby newspaper Midi Olympique had reported Messam was being chased by another French club, Lyon, but their offers have been trumped by Toulon, who are home to fellow Kiwis Malakai Fekitoa, Ma’a Nonu and Alby Mathewson.
Toulon were on the lookout for a replacement for Springbok Duane Vermeulen, who is heading back to the Stormers after the current Top 14 season.
Club president Mourad Boudjellal had said on Thursday he ‘‘will be replaced by an international level player that we will announce in the next 48 hours’’.
Jerome Kaino’s name was tipped to be the man to fill those shoes, with the All Blacks veteran also off contract this year and having had a number of clubs talk with him.
However, it’s Messam, instead, who will add his powerful and athletic frame to the back row of Toulon, who finished fourth in the Top 14 last season and are sixth just over halfway through GETTY IMAGES their current campaign.
Messam played 43 tests for the All Blacks between 2008 and 2015, and is the Chiefs’ most-capped player in history, with the former captain having notched 161 appearances since his debut in 2006.
Following the 2015 World Cup victory he linked with Toshiba in Japan, then returned to sevens, where he strove to make the team for the Olympics. But after missing selection for Rio, Messam made a shock return to the Chiefs late in the 2016 season, playing for both them and Toshiba since.
He will line up for his final season with the Chiefs when they begin their season on February 24, against the defending champion Crusaders in Christchurch, then it will be to France, to quite likely round out his career.
The Chiefs will have to turn to some younger options in the back row, having also lost Michael Leitch to the Sunwolves at the end of last season.
Messam will compete for a starting spot at the Chiefs with the likes of Taleni Seu, Mitchell Brown, newcomer Luke Jacobson and Canadian international Tyler Ardron.