Fiji star loses out on 1 million euros after Top 14 giants win court case

Fiji rugby star Leone Nakarawa has lost his court battle with Racing 92 after the Top 14 club fired him following the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

The second-rower sought 1 million euros in compensation from the Parisian club after he was dismissed for failing to return to the club on time after the World Cup in Japan.

Nakarawa flew back to his home country, Fiji, after the team’s elimination from the tournament. He failed to return to France on time, taking an extra 15 days of vacation without the necessary approval, which led to Racing 92 terminating his contract.

Failure to return on time

The second-rower would go on to rejoin Glasgow Warriors on a short-term deal before a stint at Toulon and now turns out for Top 14 club Castres.

Racing 92 and Nakarawa have since been locked in a legal battle with the lock pursuing 1 million euros for the wrongful termination of his contract.

After failing to win the case the industrial tribunal, Nakarawa appeared before the judges of the Paris Court of Appeal where he claimed that the club had sent him oral authorisation to extend his leave.

“It was legitimate, both in terms of his health and his investment for his employing club, for him to take leave before resuming competition,” said his lawyer, Arnaud Dubois.

Stuart Hogg in ‘advanced talks’ to make shock retirement U-turn at mega-rich Top 14 outfit

Blackmail

However, Paris Court of Appeal judges did not agree and said that Nakarawa and had formulated a form of blackmail to return to the club.

“It emerges from reading the exchanges of WhatsApp messages communicated that Mr. Nakarawa had formulated a form of blackmail by making his return to training conditional on the payment of certain sums,” the conclusion read.

The Fijian international’s agent had proposed that Racing 92 should fine Nakarawa two months’ salary to avoid the situation being taken to court.

The 36-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down despite being in the latter stages of his career having played 28 matches for Castres across the Top 14 and Challenge Cup this season.

MORE NEWS HERE