Dave Rennie speaks on re-signing Leone Nakarawa as Glasgow Warriors prepare for La Rochelle Challenge Cup clash

Leone Nakarawa in action for Racing 92 against Glasgow at Scotstoun in 2016

Now 31, Nakarawa was sacked by Racing 92 this week after failing to explain why he reported back from the World Cup more than two weeks late. Despite that breach of discipline, the lock, one of the most creative players in the game, is sure to be heavily in demand.

But Rennie, while knowing that his budget might not be the biggest, is hopeful that Nakarawa’s continuing friendship with Warriors players such as Ryan Wilson could sway things in Glasgow’s favour.

Rennie: There will be an approach for Leone

“He’s really tight with a lot of these boys,” the head coach said on Friday.

“I know Wilson’s in constant contact with him. Yeah, he’s a fan favourite, he loved it here, the boys loved him, so if we can make it happen that would be brilliant.”

Asked if an approach would be made to Nakarawa or his representative, Rennie continued: “Yes, there will be. Obviously it’s only become official today. Like I say, there’ll be a bit of follow-up now.”

Rennie himself had not made contact with the player’s agent when he addressed journalists at lunchtime on Friday after naming his Warriors team for Saturday's Champions Cup match in La Rochelle.

But he has kept a close eye on the situation since Nakarawa was suspended by Racing, and hopes that he will have sufficient funds to make a plausible offer.

“Well, we’ll be dipping into everyone’s pockets to find out,” he added. “Obviously we’ve heard a whisper that [the dismissal] could happen. From what I understand, the whole of Europe are making phone calls to his agent, so we’ll see how that pans out.”

Racing chastised Nakarawa for 'lack of team spirit'

In their statement ending Nakarawa’s contract, Racing said this was not the first time they had had to upbraid him for going AWOL. His behaviour, they said, showed a total lack of team spirit and “set a deplorable example for the Racing players when his status as the best player in the 2018 Champions Cup should have led him to set a better example”.

By contrast, during his three seasons at Scotstoun from 2013 - a spell which ended a year before Rennie arrived - Nakarawa always appeared to be settled happily with the club and did not have a reputation as a trouble-maker. The then Glasgow coach Gregor Townsend was a big admirer of his ball-carrying and offloading skills, occasionally playing him at No 8 to get the most out of that side of his game. It was at lock, however, that he enjoyed the highlight of his time as a Warrior, the PRO12 final win of 2015 in which he was named man of the match.

If Rennie were to pull off a major coup by signing Nakarawa over the next week or two, the timing could hardly be better. Glasgow are struggling in the PRO14, where last week’s home defeat by Leinster was their fourth loss in seven matches, and their European hopes are in the balance too after their initial win over Sale was followed by a loss to Exeter.

Team news for La Rochelle clash

Rennie has made ten personnel changes from that loss to the Irish province for tomorrow afternoon’s match in France, including the return at half-back of Adam Hastings and George Horne. Fraser Brown and Zander Fagerson are restored to the front row, where they are joined at loosehead by Alex Allan, who is deputising for the injured Oli Kebble.

“The scrum collapsed last week and he went head first into that,” the coach explained of Kebble, a key member of the pack.

“He had concussion about a month ago, so we’re being cautious. He has started protocols and we don’t want to rush him back in. He may miss both European games.”

La Rochelle, bottom of Pool Two with no points from their first two games, are captained by former All Black Victor Vito and include ex-Glasgow prop Sila Puafisi on the bench.

Glasgow Warriors: T Seymour; N Matawalu, N Grigg, S Johnson, D van der Merwe; A Hastings, G Horne; A Allan, F Brown, Z Fagerson, J Gray, S Cummings, C Gibbins (captain), R Wilson, M Fagerson. Replacements: G Turner, A Seiuli, A Nicol, R Harley, T Gordon, A Price, P Horne, K Steyn.

La Rochelle: K Murimurivalu; V Rattez, J Sinzelle, P Aguillon, Pierre Boudehent; J Plisson, A Bales; D Priso, J Orioli, R Herrera, T Jolmes, M Tanguy, Z Kieft, K Gourdon, V Vito (captain). Replacements: B Lebrun, R Wardi, S Puafisi, T Lavault, Paul Boudehent, T Kerr Barlow, B James, B Plessis-Couillaud.

Referee: L Pearce (England).