Toulouse announce surprise departure of Junior Vaivai
Super League strugglers have confirmed that USA international centre Junior Vaivai has left the club with immediate effect.
The 32-year-old made 31 appearances since joining the French club midway through the 2019 season, with five of them coming in Super League. It is not yet known where Vaivai’s next destination will be.
Vaivai has scored 50 tries in 105 career appearances for South Sydney Rabbitohs, Penrith Panthers, Hull KR and Toulouse.
He has won eight caps for the USA since making his international debut in 2016. Vaivai played for America in the last World Cup in 2017 and then at the Nines World Cup in 2019.
Vaivai is the cousin of former professional wrestler turned actor Dwayne ‘The Rock‘ Johnson.
Junior Vaivai background
The New Zealand-born centre or winger made his NRL debut in 2009 for the Rabbitohs. He scored eight tries in 21 games before joining the Panthers, the club he made his debut against.
Vaivai made 11 appearances for Penrith in the 2011 season. He left the Panthers at the end of that season and continued playing in the lower grades Down Under.
He made a return to first-grade action in 2018 with Hull KR. Vaivai scored 14 tries in 35 appearances for the Robins between 2018-19.
Vaivai made the move to the Championship with Toulouse midway through the 2019 campaign. He helped Sylvain Houles’ side gain promotion to Super League last season as they went 2021 unbeaten.
Toulouse debut for Corey Norman
Australian half-back Corey Norman could make his debut for Toulouse against Huddersfield on Friday night.
Last month, the 31-year-old came out of retirement to join the French Super League club until the end of the season.
Norman has made more than 200 appearances in the NRL for Brisbane Broncos, Parramatta Eels and St George Illawarra Dragons. He made a solitary appearance for Queensland in State of Origin in 2019.
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