Australian Under-18 captain Justice Taumoepeau has become the latest prospect to be poached by French rugby, signing a three-year-deal with Top 14 club Pau.
Taumoepeau, who captained the Aussie U18s to victory over New Zealand last month, announced the shock move on social media on Thursday evening. Taumoepeau will remain at the Waratahs until at least July 2027 before moving to France and is keen to continue representing Australia.
The 18-year-old is regarded as one of the hottest young stars in Australian rugby, having played first grade for Easts in their Shute Shield premiership this year, debuted for the Waratahs’ senior team in this year’s Super Rugby AU competition.
Taumoepeau, the son of former Waratahs forwards coach Pauli, had played several years in the St Josephs College first XV before that, and had been a mainstay of all NSW and Australian underage sides.
Rugby Australia and the Waratahs made a significant offer to keep Taumoepeau, according to informed sources with knowledge of the negotiations, but it wasn’t enough to stop him from signing with the Pau academy.
He will join another young Australian rising star, Zac Fittler, at the Top 14 club. Former Canberra Raiders junior Shalom Uatisone has also joined Pau on a three-year deal as a second-rower.
Taumoepeau will also be joined in France by Australian Under-18 teammates Harrison Asi (Stade Francais) and Mark Falaniko-Peterson (La Rochelle).
Former Wallaby utility back Jack Maddocks has spent the last seven years at Pau, on the northern edge of the Pyrenees. The French club has won three national championships, in 1928, 1946 and 1964 and finished eighth in the Top 14 last year.
Taumoepeau’s exit comes two years after schoolboy superstar Heinz Lemoto knocked back an offer from Rugby Australia to sign with the academy of French powerhouse Toulouse. Lemoto played for the club’s Under-21 team against Montpellier in October after recovering from a shoulder injury.
The allure of earning homegrown player status (Joueurs Issus des Filières de Formation, or JIFF) by spending three years in a French academy – after which the player is counted as a local player for the rest of their career – is increasingly seen as valuable to young players.
They can subsequently earn more money in the cashed-up French clubs, because they don’t take up the limited roster spots for foreign players.
Rugby Australia have formalised a system of ongoing connection to all the departed talent with the ultimate goal of eventually bringing them home.
During the Wallabies’s spring tour last year, four French-based Australian players – Braxton Asi (Stade Francais), PJ Poutasi (Montpellier), Ave Ma’alo (Lyon) and Lehopa Leota (Racing 92) – joined the team at training.
Tighthead prop Leota is currently in contact with the Waratahs about a possible return to Australian rugby in 2027.
At 20 years old Leota has already played 14 times for Racing 92, including seven times this season for the Parisian giants.
Last Sunday, former Australia under-16 representative and second-rower Visesio Kite, made his professional rugby debut for La Rochelle against Bayonne in the Top 14.
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