Joe Tekori

The 6’6, 130kg juggernaut was set to hang up his boots after a stellar career at French giants Toulouse, but a sighting of the Samoan at a rival club suggests there may be another season left in his tank.

Tekori joined Toulouse in 2013 following a six-year stint at Castres, and has called the Pink City home ever since. A cult figure for es Rouge et noir, the idea of the secondrow playing his rugby anyway else might seem odd to the home fans, but another year would be a welcome sight for neutrals.

The 35-year-old lock/back row would almost certainly have been named in Samoa’s final World Cup squad if available, having helped the Pacific Islanders to qualify by beating Germany in a two-legged play-off last year.

But Tekori didn’t feature for Samoa in last year’s November Tests – instead playing for Toulouse in the Top 14 – and has now confirmed that he will not play at his fourth World Cup, having decided to retire from Test rugby.