Clermont sack troubled Fijian

French champions Clermont terminated Fijian star wing Napolioni Nalaga’s contract on Saturday after he was unable to give them assurances he would return to France.

The 24-year-old — leading tryscorer in the Top 14 in his first two seasons (2007/08 and 2008/09) and named player of the year in the 2008/09 campaign — has not returned from Fiji since going there to get married during the winter break and his wife subsequently was injured in a car crash.

The decision to terminate his contract — which ran till June 2012 — was taken after Clermont’s sporting manager Neil McIlroy returned this week from a trip to Fiji to try and convince Nalaga to return.

“Even though the club was prepared to draw a line under this season and look forward to the next one, the Fijian player was not able to guarantee that he would come back for next season,” the club said in a statement.

“The two parties therefore came to a mutual agreement that they should terminate the contract between Napolioni Nalaga and ASM Clermont Auvergne.”

Jean-Marc Llhermet, the club’s sporting director, said that they had had no option but to end their relationship with their leading tryscorer from the last three seasons.

“We have tried everything in our power to rebuild our bridges but I believe that nothing could be done to bring Napolioni back to Auvergne,” he said.

“We are disappointed to have reached this point, but there was no other solution.

“We are running a professional rugby club and we need assusrances,” added Llhermet, who will now have to look for a replacement.

Nalaga’s last match for the club, whom he helped to win their first national title last season, was the European Cup defeat by Irish province Leinster on December 18 in Dublin.