Veteran Fijian lock Leone Nakarawa has signed a one-year contract extension with Top 14 outfit Castres.
The deal could bring an end to his international playing career.
Nakarawa joined Castres in 2022 from Toulon.
The five-time French champions announced the deal on Thursday, with President Pierre-Yves Revol making a strange confession.
Revol said that it was not the club’s plan to grant the 2018 European player of the year a new deal but Nakarawa’s performances and attitude meant they could not turn down another year.
“It was not possible, despite his age, not to benefit a little longer from the talents of this unique player through his ability to bring the ball to life and ensure the continuity of the game. The club is very happy to have been able to re-launch the career of this extraordinary player.”
In his pomp, Nakarawa was one of the very best players in the world at the end of his career, but at the age of 35 now, he added that next season may be the final year of his career.
He said that he is “very satisfied to be able to end my career in a family club with a collective spirit that I have rarely experienced and where I found a lot of pleasure in playing rugby.”
