Chiefs winger Etene Nanai-Seturo could join former Blues playmaker Harry Plummer in France after this season\u2019s Super Rugby Pacific.<\/p>\n
Top 14 giants Clermont are reportedly set to overhaul their backline ahead of the 2026\/27 season with an aggressive recruitment drive, which includes releasing at least five players.<\/p>\n
This comes after the club snapped up the signature of Wallabies and Western Force lock Darcy Swain on a three-year deal, as well as the services of Blues utility back AJ Lam, who has signed for the same length of time.<\/p>\n
Clermont recruitment and overhaul<\/p>\n
According to a report<\/a> by RugbyRama<\/a>, Clermont have set their sights on winger Nanai-Seturo from the Chiefs and have initiated\u00a0talks with the former New Zealand Sevens star.<\/p>\n Since making his move to the XV-aside game, Nanai-Seturo has been a standout performer for the Chiefs and has regularly been selected for the All Blacks<\/a> XV team, representing the side twice last November.<\/p>\n However, he hasn\u2019t been able to convince Ian Foster or Scott Robertson that he deserves an opportunity in the All Blacks set-up.<\/p>\n Nanai-Seturo\u2019s potential arrival at the club will offset the departures of several frontline players, notably former All Blacks centre George Moala.<\/p>\n Australian<\/a> trio Rob Simmons, Irae Simone, and Alex Newsome are set to join Moala in leaving the club at the end of the season, along with French backs Pierre Fouyssac and Lucas Tauzin. According to La Montagne<\/a>, the quintet will not be offered contract extensions at the club with their current deals expiring in July.<\/p>\n The likes of prop Etienne Falgoux, Sebastien Bezy (Montpellier), Tommy Raffy and Folau Fainga\u2019a (Waratahs) are the other players who will leave or have already left Clermont.<\/p>\n While there is a changing of the guard taking place at Clermont, the club have retained the services of France international winger Alivereti Raka who has signed a two-year extension through to 2028.<\/p>\n The 31-year-old has scored over 100 tries for the side he joined back in 2015, playing more than 180 matches for ASM. Raka is closing in on becoming the club\u2019s all-time leading try scorer, chasing the likes of Aur\u00e9lien Rougerie (134), Philippe Georges Saint-Andr\u00e9 (118), and Napolioni Nalaga (105).<\/p>\n Additionally, they have locked in the services of Baptiste Jauneau, Barnab\u00e9 Massa, Etienne Fourcade, Giorgi Akhaladze, Cristian Ojovan, Killian Tixeront and L\u00e9on Darricarr\u00e8re for the upcoming seasons.<\/p>\n Rugby Transfers: Springbok in demand, All Black on the market, Wallabies snub leaves, World Cup-winner linked with Test gig and more<\/a><\/p>\n New Zealand exodus<\/p>\n Nanai-Seturo could add to a growing list of players leaving New Zealand Super Rugby Pacific franchises.<\/p>\n At the Chiefs, Aidan Ross is off to the Queensland Reds while Manaaki Selby-Rickit has joined Japanese club Urayasu D-Rocks. Kaleb Trusk also left the side to link up with Suntory Sungoliath and is joined in Japan by Shaun Stevenson. Ardie Savea and Anton Lienert-Brown are also enjoying sabbaticals in Japan.<\/p>\n Crusaders star Tom Christie has also signed for PREM Rugby club Newcastle Red Bulls and is set to be joined by Hurricanes prop Pouri Raketi-Stones.<\/p>\n