Joel Kpoku, a former prominent player for Saracens, has effectively departed Section Paloise mid-season, leaving the Top 14 club eighteen months before his contract was scheduled to conclude in 2027.
Pau confirmed on Friday that the erstwhile England U20 second-row forward had requested an immediate release from his agreement, marking an abrupt conclusion to his year-and-a-half tenure in Béarn. The club agreed to his request, despite a significant period remaining on his contractual terms.
Pau’s official statement declared: “Joel Kpoku has submitted a demand for an immediate release from his obligations to the Section. The club has decided to graciously grant his application.
“The Section expresses gratitude to Joel for his efforts and commitment throughout his eighteen months with Pau and extends its best wishes for his future career.”
The 6’5, 126kg player, who arrived in Pau with considerable expectations after signing a three-year deal intended to last until 2027, is understood to have experienced discontent at La Section. Kpoku has participated in only five matches for Pau this season, starting in just two of those.
The athlete, born in Newham, is now permitted to relocate without delay.
The 26-year-old elder brother of Junior Kpoku – who is capable of playing both in the second and back row – was once considered among the most physically imposing young locks in the Gallagher PREM. His ascent within English rugby took an unexpected turn when he decided to move to France in winter 2021, at which point the French-speaking player left Saracens for Pierre Mignoni’s Lyon.
“Several personal matters transpired away from the field,” Kpoku informed RugbyPass in an earlier 2024 interview. “I prefer not to elaborate extensively on that, but the primary factor influencing my decision was the sustained interest from Lyon’s former coach, Pierre Mignoni, who facilitated my transfer.
“My choice was considerably simplified by my ability to speak French fluently. I doubt I would have pursued this chance had I not been bilingual. This eased my decision, in addition to numerous discussions with relatives and acquaintances who encouraged me to embrace the unfamiliar, venture there, and experience it firsthand.
“Fortunately, during that initial year, I successfully established myself and secured a Challenge Cup victory. This effectively revitalized my professional trajectory, given my limited playing time at Saracens due to a recent injury.”
His identical brother, Jonathan, competes for Albi in the Nationale league, and this week, reports indicate that his younger brother, Junior, is set to transfer to Toulon mid-season, a team presently guided by Joel’s previous Lyon coach, Mignoni. Might Joel join Junior at RCT, or could he be enticed by an opportunity to rejoin the Gallagher PREM?
