Paris (AFP)
The second Samoan line Joe Tekori, French champion in June with Toulouse, announced Tuesday to end his international career at two months of the World Cup in Japan (September 20 - November 2).
This is not a surprise since this part of the cloakroom Toulouse was present Tuesday at the training of recovery of his club instead of preparing with his national team: Tekori, aged 35 and has 37 selections since 2007, no will not play a 4th World Cup after 2007, 2011 and 2015.
"I would like to announce today the end of my international career", he clarified on this occasion on Instagram. "I wish all the best for the Manu Samoa guys for the preparations for the World Cup and for the years to come," he said.
Tekori last wore the Samoan jersey in July 2018, during the victorious roadblock against Germany that allowed the Samoans to validate their ticket to Japan.
Tekori is not the first player from the Pacific archipelagos to announce his international retirement before the World Cup: Montpellier Fijdiens Timoci Nagusa and Nemani Nadolo had preceded him at the end of January.
Some voices raised to denounce the lack of resources of these archipelagos face the powerful clubs of the Top 14, sometimes suspected of putting pressure on these players to give up the selection.
© 2019 AFP