Newcastle Red Bulls captain Tom Christie has committed his future to the club with a new two-year contract that keeps him on Tyneside until at least the end of the 2028/29 season. The three-time Super Rugby winner has scored six tries in 24 games since arriving a year ago.
“We’re at the start of a really exciting journey here,” Christie said. “There’s no limit as to what can be achieved at this club. The team are working towards some big goals, and Newcastle already feels like a home from home for my fiancée Sophie and I. It’s a tremendous city and the fans make it a special place to be, so it was an absolute no-brainer in terms of wanting to extend our stay.”
Head coach Dan McFarland was equally pleased to keep his skipper. “Tom’s leadership and professionalism are having a huge influence on our other players, and it’s fantastic to get this extension locked in,” he said. “He has an incredibly high level of involvement in our games and his effort level is unsurpassed. His ability in defence and at the breakdown is well known throughout the sport, and in addition to that he is bringing a real attacking edge to his game.”
McFarland added: “In a period of so much change at the club it is great to have that core around which we can build, and in Tom we have someone who will be a real figurehead for many years to come.”
Mamoudou Meïté to La Rochelle
French publication RugbyRama has suggested that 24-year-old hooker Mamoudou Meïté is set to sign for La Rochelle from Pro D2 side Le Soyaux Angoulême XV. The report says the player has told several interested Top 14 clubs that he has chosen the club with the caravelle emblem.
The publication described the player as “young and promising” and said he has “taken his game to another level since the start of the season.” He has started four times for SA XV and scored three tries. Last season he played 27 Pro D2 matches, including 12 starts. He made his professional debut at Massy in 2022/23 and then played for Stade Français Paris from 2023 to 2025 before joining Angoulême. A move to La Rochelle would be his fourth professional club.
Ulster trio locked in
Ulster have announced that Robert Baloucoune, James McNabney and Joe Hopes have all signed new contracts with the province until at least the summer of 2029. All three are Ulster academy alumni and will continue to play an important role in the senior squad.
Ireland wing Baloucoune has re-emerged on the international scene ahead of next year’s World Cup. McNabney, 23, has recently been called up by Andy Farrell for the upcoming Nations Championship fixtures. Hopes, the 2022 Ulster Schools player of the year, is 22 and can play anywhere in the back row.
Ulster general manager Rory Best said: “We are delighted to have secured the futures of Rob, James and Joe. Rob has showcased his importance to this Ulster team and the national team with his abilities and performances. He is a Test-level winger who has really benefitted from a run of games over the past year.”
Best continued: “Both James and Joe are working hard in the early stages of their professional careers and have both shown a lot of potential in our forward pack. Everyone here was delighted to see James called up to the Ireland squad after the adversity he faced coming back from a long-term knee injury. We have full belief that all three will form an important part of our Ulster team in the coming years.”
Bongi Mbonambi to Stormers
The Sharks have confirmed that Springboks hooker Bongi Mbonambi has left the club and will join the Stormers with immediate effect. The move follows a disciplinary issue during a team-building camp, when the 35-year-old blatantly ignored head coach JP Pietersen’s rules.
The Sharks took disciplinary action, and Mbonambi’s contract was reportedly in danger of being terminated. The Durban-based club, however, says the parting is on “amicable terms.” The double World Cup winner is rejoining his former club, the Stormers.
A club statement read: “The Sharks confirm that the club and Bongi Mbonambi have mutually agreed to bring his playing contract to an end with immediate effect. The decision follows constructive discussions between both parties and has been reached on amicable terms.”
Kwagga Smith to Bulls
Springbok back-rower Kwagga Smith will return to South Africa after signing a three-year deal with the Bulls. Head coach Johan Ackermann said he was delighted to work with Smith again, having coached him previously at the Lions.
“As a youngster, he showed character and fight and integrity,” Ackermann said. “He’s a team man who has grown into a stalwart, and it’s been a privilege to watch his career unfold and establish himself as one of the best back-rows in world rugby. Wherever he goes, he makes a difference, and I look forward to him contributing both on and off the field.”