2015 World Cup-winner Nehe Milner-Skudder’s move to Top 14 club Toulon is reportedly in jeopardy due to ongoing shoulder complications.
According to French sports daily L’Equipe, the 28-year-old might never arrive at Toulon to take up a three-year contract that was signed in December last year.
The 2015 World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year missed the entire Vodacom Super Rugby campaign this year due to ongoing issues from a previous shoulder operation. Milner-Skudder was consequently ruled out of All Blacks selection for the 2019 World Cup and looks set to be surplus to requirements at the French club.
The hot-stepping wing’s career has been plagued by injury since he burst on to the international stage four years ago, when he starred in helping the All Blacks claim their third World Cup title. Since then, however, he has been restricted to just five international appearances in three years.
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Milner-Skudder recently worked as a pundit on SuperSport during the World Cup, and was set to join Bok lock Eben Etzebeth and former All Blacks Julian Savea and Liam Messam at Toulon. Etzebeth is due to arrive at the club before the end of the year to honour his three-year deal, but Milner-Skudder’s arrival is uncertain because of his latest injury setback.
Having featured 35 times over a four-year spell with the Hurricanes, Milner-Skudder has not played any rugby in just over a year, and his contract with Toulon has reportedly not yet been approved by the French League. Before this takes place, he will have to undergo a medical examination but that looks unlikely to happen because of his ongoing shoulder issues.
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