Exeter Chiefs have confirmed the signing of Welsh No. 8 Carwyn Tuipulotu with immediate effect. The 24-year-old had been searching for a new club after leaving Top 14 outfit Pau over the summer.
Tuipulotu spent recent months training with the Dragons, even appearing in a pre-season friendly, to maintain fitness while looking for a new club. The former Wales U20s international enjoyed a solid first campaign in France after joining from the Scarlets, but an injury-hit second season saw him leave.
Having previously spent time on loan at Saracens, Tuipulotu returns to the Gallagher Premiership, providing last season's beaten finalists Exeter with injury cover.
Tuipulotu's move to Exeter
“After speaking to boys that have been in and around Chiefs, they all spoke so highly of the club and its culture,” said Tuipulotu. “Speaking to Joe [Simmonds] and Harry [Williams] out in France, they highlighted how family-orientated the club is which matches perfectly with my background and the culture I come from.”
“I’m excited to have the chance to hopefully share the shirt with Greg [Fisilau]. Having grown up together, our families are just as excited. We’re cousins but we grew up like brothers, so this is an extremely special opportunity.”
Exeter boss Rob Baxter has used an injury dispensation slot to bring in the Welsh back-row, with Richard Capstick facing a long spell on the sidelines. Baxter said: “Looking at our squad, and our available depth at the moment with the likes of Richard Capstick still having a long-term injury to rehab from, we’ve taken the opportunity to strengthen our numbers at the start of the season using an injury dispensation slot.”
Tuipulotu will join up with the squad this week and be available for selection immediately.
Historic World Cup bid launched
Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Brazil have submitted a joint bid to host the Rugby World Cup in 2035, hoping to bring the tournament to South America for the first time. The joint bid plans to stage matches in 11 stadiums across 10 cities, with eight venues in Argentina and one in each of the other three countries.
The iconic Maracana in Rio de Janeiro, which has hosted two football World Cup finals, would be the choice of venue in Brazil. Spain and Japan have also expressed interest in hosting the tournament.
World Rugby will undertake site visits and feasibility assessments before identifying a preferred host by next May, with a final decision expected in November 2027. “We have the opportunity to show the world our passion for this sport, our ability to host major events, and everything our countries have to offer,” Argentine Rugby Union (UAR) president Felix Paez Molina said in a statement.
“We take on this challenge firmly believing that our region deserves an opportunity of this size. It's a project we're excited about, and we're building it together with the region's Unions and Sudamerica Rugby. Our hope is that, for the first time, a Rugby World Cup can be played in this part of the world.”
Next year's World Cup will be held in Australia, before the 2031 edition is hosted by the United States. Argentina are the most successful rugby-playing nation in the Americas, having reached the World Cup semi-final on three occasions. Uruguay have played in five World Cups, while Chile made their debut in the last tournament in France. Brazil are yet to play in a rugby World Cup.
Beyond a South American bid, 2019 World Cup hosts Japan are believed to be interested, as are Spain and Italy. A potential joint bid involving Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar was being prepared, but reports last year stated that a change in Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund’s (PIF) financial strategy resulted in the country abandoning its plan to host.
Despite the South American bid, Spain could yet be the preferred choice, with World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin having said there was an appetite to return to Europe following the 2031 tournament stateside. “We took some big strategic decisions a few years ago to go men’s and women’s in Australia and the same in the US,” Gilpin previously told Planet Rugby. “And we’ve now go to think about the balance and whether we bring 2035 [men’s] and 2037 [women’s] back to Europe. It’s almost like a regional rotation. We’ve never had that discussion strategically in World Rugby before but that’s probably the way the discussion has got to go.”
Wales duo tipped for European challenge
Wales duo Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake have been tipped to improve Gloucester's Champions Cup fortunes by a former England captain. Lawrence Dallaglio believes the signing of the Welsh captains could make the Cherry and Whites a force in Europe this season. The Kingsholm club begin their European campaign against champions Bordeaux on October 16.
“I don’t think they’re necessarily there to light up the Champions Cup and win the competition - I think they would argue that themselves,” said the former No.8. “But there are definitely signs, with the addition of Jac Morgan, Dewi Lake and their other recruits, that they’re going to be competitive.”
“I think bringing in (technical director) Chris Boyd has been a really positive move. You’ve only got to see the benefits Northampton have reaped as a result of his work. He’s the kind of strategist and visionary who can give them the structure and foundations they need, with George (Skivington) taking a much more hands-on approach in a coaching role.”
“It is so far, so good. It seems to be working really well. And what better way to announce yourself and measure yourself than the opening weekend at Kingsholm, under the lights, against the reigning champions? I’m really looking forward to that.”
Toulon boss quits
Toulon boss Pierre Mignoni has stepped down with immediate effect following a poor start to the Top 14 season. The three-time European champions have won just one of their opening five matches, leaving them 13th in the table. Following the 28-0 loss to Montpellier on the weekend, Mignoni has opted to step away at Stade Mayol. Franck Azema will take over as head coach, having previously been in charge of the club.
A Toulon statement reads: “Pierre Mignoni informed the management of Toulon of his decision to end his mission as Director of Rugby, which the club accepted. This decision comes in the context of insufficient sporting results since the start of the season.”
“Faced with this situation, Pierre Mignoni chose to fully assume his responsibilities. After exhausting all available resources, he determined that a change was now necessary to revitalize the professional team. With this decision, he hopes to enable the squad to quickly return to winning ways.”
“Franck Azéma takes over responsibility for the professional group from today and will assume the sporting direction of the team until further notice. Toulon would like to thank Pierre Mignoni for his commitment and for all the work he has done since returning to the club in 2022. In particular, he contributed to the reconstruction and structuring of the sporting project, around the professional sector and the Toulon training program, during these last seasons.”
