USA international forward Samu Manoa is not returning to Northampton Saints despite recent reports.
The Toulon forward, who can play at lock or in the backrow, was rumoured to be heading back to the Aviva Premiership after commentators from a Top 14 game said he was heading back to Saints.
Samu Manoa is not coming back to @SaintsRugby. Nothing in the rumours from France yesterday.
— Graham McKechnie (@GrahamMcKechnie) April 9, 2018
However, BBC Northampton’s Graham McKechnie has confirmed those reports are wide of the mark.
The 32-year-old was a hugely popular figure at Northampton after joining from San Francisco Golden Gate in 2011, winning the supporters’ player of the year award in 2013 and 2014.
MORE STORIES:
-
20 great players out of contract in 2018
-
England captain a doubt for Springbok tour
-
Could scrum-half Joe Simpson be leaving Wasps?
-
Worcester Warriors report record losses
He helped the club to claim a Premiership and Challenge Cup double in 2014, but the lure of a big-money switch to Toulon proved too much as he exited Saints a year later.
They would need to buy Manoa out of his contract, which is understood to be worth around £600k per year and runs until 2019.