FRENCH FRONT-ROWER RABAH Slimani will put off his coaching aspirations and sign a playing deal with Leinster, according to both the player and his Clermont head coach Christoph Urios.
Reports in the French media on Tuesday said that the 34-year-old former French international will join Ireland’s eastern province on a two-year contract.
Tighthead Slimani will be a direct replacement for Michael Ala’alatoa, who will move in the opposite direction to Clermont after three years in Dublin.
Clermont boss Urios confirmed to French publication La Montagne that Slimani had previously signed a contract to become a coach with his current employers but that his impending Leinster move was an “incredible opportunity”.
“He told us of his desire to play again, but we could not match the two years offered to him by Leinster,” Urios added. “We now have to break this contract between us and we will not keep it. I told him it was an incredible opportunity for him to play there.”
Slimani confirmed separately to La Montagne that he has completed his medical with Leinster.
Scrum specialist Slimani played 149 games for Clermont across eight seasons. He previously spent almost a decade at Stade Francais, clocking up over 200 appearances for the Parisians.
