The 17-time capped All-Black and current Tongan international Piutau is currently plying his trade in Japan Rugby League One with Shizuoka Blue Revs starring in the centres after departing the financially challenged Premiership to move closer to his family.
Leicester Tigers’ Steward had been an almost mainstay since breaking into the England team in 2021, aside from a brief experiment with Marcus Smith at 15 last year, with the serial bomb defuser a key part of England’s valiant effort against eventual winners South Africa in the closely fought World Cup semi-final.
However, Steward, who is known as one of the best under the high ball in the modern game, was dropped in place of his East Midlands rival at Northampton Saints, with Furbank scoring after five minutes in the 30-21 loss to Scotland.
Furbank had been in blistering form in the Premiership for Northampton, helping his side go top of the table heading into the Six Nations break and retained his place for the shock victory over Ireland and the closely fought loss to France on Super Saturday.
Esta historia es de la edición March 31, 2024 de The Rugby Paper.
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Esta historia es de la edición March 31, 2024 de The Rugby Paper.
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Edwards gives Gatland a little to think about
A TERRIFIC effort from Ospreys should have seen victory and it was rough justice that high-flying Cardiff escaped with an undeserved draw.
Cowan-Dickie: I'm back and buzzing
LUKE Cowan-Dickie's journey back to the pinnacle of rugby is nothing short of extraordinary.
Clow keeps Rams in touch at the top
RAMS inward approach is paying dividends with the club involved in another title race thanks in part to free scoring flyer Zachary Clow.
Powell powers over to take Quins home
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Hathaway can follow Zam Skivington
GEORGE Skivington has backed Josh Hathaway to continue to go from strength to strength as the young winger attempts to follow in the slipstream of Louis Rees-Zammit and be a big hit for club and country.
Hybrid Hash will tie Borthwick in knots
THE description 'Hybrid Central Contracts' does not inspire confidence. Hybrid usually means a bit of this, and a bit of that — and 'Hybrid Hash' would be a more apt term for the RFU contracts given to 17 England players just before the autumn series slump.
Quins leave it late to power past Falcons
MARCUS Smith showed his class on Friday night, being an imperious creator and finisher as Harlequins romped to an emphatic five-try victory on Tyneside.
We need to see a complete shake-up
A NEW year and change is on the way across many aspects of the game, not least with the possibility of an SGM creating a complete change at the RFU.
Cool McBryde steals it for RGC
BILLY McBryde held his nerve to land a last kick of the match conversion to snatch a stunning 4139 win for RGC over leaders Ebbw Vale at Parc Eirias.
Century of highs for La Rochelle
AN IMPRESSIVE milestone at Stade Marcel Deflandre was reached last night, where La Rochelle hosted their 100th sell-out match in a row – either side of the period of pandemic restrictions – a run stretching back to January 2, 2016.
