How rugby star Auterac’s career was rescued... by Sportsmail!
FORMER England Under 20 prop Nick Auterac has explained how his career was salvaged by a story in Sportsmail, which earned him a contract at Edinburgh.
The 29-year-old was resigned to enforced, early retirement after being released by Northampton at the end of last season, following stints with Harlequins, bath and Saracens — where he came through the academy. but after the publication of a piece by Nik Simon which highlighted the plight of dozens of players facing unemployment due to a Premiership salary cap cut, Auterac received a welcome call from north of the border.
Having abandoned his contingency plans to become a musician or a chef, he said: ‘There were some players who were out of contract last year and one of them interviewed by Sportsmail was me. Nik Simon, who did the interview, wanted to find out what it was like to be out of contract, as it was quite a difficult time with the salary cap reducing down there.
‘He spoke to me in April, asking what my plans were. I was about to retire as I didn’t think I had any options. I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do. Then as soon as the article came out, that Edinburgh head coach Mike blair must have read, Mike phoned me up and said he didn’t realise I was out of contract. We had a chat and he asked if I wanted to come up and join.
‘A few clubs came in for me after the article came out but Edinburgh was the only club I wanted to join. I had a couple of other offers down south but they didn’t quite have the purpose that coming here had for me.
‘In short, Sportsmail saved my career. I do sometimes think if that article hadn’t come out, would I be here at Edinburgh?’
Elsewhere, England have climbed above New Zealand to fourth in the updated World Rugby men’s rankings, after the All blacks’ shock home defeat by Argentina pushed them down to fifth place in the chart for the first time. The resurgent Pumas are up to seventh — meaning Scotland drop to eighth and Wales to ninth.
Former England No 8 Nathan Hughes has joined black Rams Tokyo, after leaving bristol at the end of last season.