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#Post#: 142853--------------------------------------------------
Jibulu interview - tough reading!
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: October 2, 2025, 6:43 am
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HTML https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2025/10/02/nathan-jibulu-interview-sale-harlequins-prem/
--- Quote ---
> “Quins is obviously a great club,” Jibulu tells Telegraph
Sport. “I grew up there and haven’t lost love for it. But I felt
that going into last season, it wasn’t quite do-or-die but I’d
put my head down and grafted over the summer. I really wanted to
have that breakthrough where I was starting games and getting a
good run.
>
> “Then in that first six-match block, I only started one game,
against Newcastle. There were mind shifts within that period.
I’d think ‘why am I even thinking about trying to leave, I
should stay’. Other weeks I was getting 10 minutes off the bench
and thinking ‘I’m not showing what I can do, why should I stay?’
>
> “Ultimately, and it was a tough choice, it came down to what I
wanted. Sale came in at the perfect time, really, at a point
when I didn’t think I was going to start much at Quins. And I
have personal aspirations – international aspirations – within
the game.”
--- End Quote ---
--- Quote ---
> “And people don’t talk about this, but for a club to go out of
their way to contact you and make you feel wanted gives you the
feeling that they really have a plan for you. That’s not to say
that Quins didn’t, but it felt like Sale were saying ‘there’s a
spot in this team for you to grow into and make your own’. It
was almost too good [an opportunity] not to take, because I
think that is what will take me to the next level.”
--- End Quote ---
Someone dropped the ball massively here. It was obvious the
season before that he should've been pushing Walker for the
starting shirt very quickly.
It's an interesting read and he has exactly the right attitude
to become a world class player. Extraordinarily frustrating for
a Quins fan.
#Post#: 142855--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jibulu interview - tough reading!
DIR By: Quinto
Date: October 2, 2025, 7:09 am
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I was just about to post this. Thought it was a good and honest
interview that doesn't reflect well on the management
#Post#: 142857--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jibulu interview - tough reading!
DIR By: MaidstoneQuin
Date: October 2, 2025, 7:27 am
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So as expected, we forced him out because we didn't reward his
clear potential which most saw except the people that mattered,
instead persisting with Walker. He won't be the last to leave
like this either Quins simply lack proper ambition (our
recruitment backs that up) and Sales approach shows it was
appreciated
#Post#: 142858--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jibulu interview - tough reading!
DIR By: FatQuin
Date: October 2, 2025, 7:38 am
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If it’s true, it’s pretty depressing. How we that is only his
side of the story.
#Post#: 142859--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jibulu interview - tough reading!
DIR By: The Absolute Quintet
Date: October 2, 2025, 7:39 am
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Seems like massive balls-up for both parties, but after just six
games he throws his toys out of the pram? There are two sides to
every story....just saying.
#Post#: 142862--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jibulu interview - tough reading!
DIR By: mrpj1985
Date: October 2, 2025, 8:08 am
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We've had tough exits a fair bit since the pandemic, Mike Brown
standing as clearest example. Remember Joe Marler putting the
shoe into Ed Spokes (who is still there).
Think, as others have mentioned, he should have been starting
more, but he'll be sitting behind Luke C-D, so it's not like
he's gone to another wildly different scenario.
In terms of him being selected, can see the argument of wanting
people who were going to be there and try to develop them and
see what we've got vs picking the best people you've got
available to you, regardless of the following year. Hence, going
for Riley more once the renewal was done as the option to go
for.
That seems misguided now, as Turner has come in, so they've made
their feelings clear.
All in all, a big loss for a variety of reasons, some of which
are on the player, most of which are, sadly, on the Harlequins
staff.
#Post#: 142874--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jibulu interview - tough reading!
DIR By: FrostAndFire
Date: October 2, 2025, 10:21 am
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It's a tough one, and I get why players get frustrated, but
sometimes you've got to wait your turn. I suspect if he hadn't
left, he would have had more games this season. But Walker is
better. I know he's not young and fresh and exciting like
Jibulu, but he has deserved being the first choice.
#Post#: 142883--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jibulu interview - tough reading!
DIR By: Rocker
Date: October 2, 2025, 5:52 pm
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I thought that players weren't allowed to be approached until
January?
#Post#: 142885--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jibulu interview - tough reading!
DIR By: Yareet
Date: October 3, 2025, 1:26 am
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--- Quote from: Rocker link ---
>
> I thought that players weren't allowed to be approached until
January?
>
--- End Quote ---
It’s been the last year of the contract for (I believe) a year
or so
#Post#: 142886--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jibulu interview - tough reading!
DIR By: Harleking
Date: October 3, 2025, 1:27 am
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Obviously players need to wait their turn but I do kind of feel
that the club could have met him half way here. Only he knows
how close he was to staying but from the interview it looks like
it wouldn't have taken too much. Fair enough if he was behind
someone world class or a club legend but that's not really the
case here. I don't think we would have lost much by giving him a
few starts.
On a related note its kind of annoying how bad we have been on
keeping hold of his academy players recently. We could
theoretically have had a front 5 of Baxter, jibulu, sinckler
(could have included collier but we got most of his career out
of him), lamb and tizard if 4 out of 5 of them hadnt gone
elsewhere. Maybe other clubs have the same issue and we don't
notice as much but it doesn't feel like it.
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