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US Eagles World Cup flanker Tony Lamborn has signed a Super Rugby contract with the Blues. The 28-year-old is one of eight loose forwards named in the 40-man squad confirmed by the Auckland-based franchise for the 2020 campaign.
It’s the third Super Rugby team that Lamborn has been attached to. The former Hawke’s Bay standout played four matches as a replacement with the Hurricanes in 2016. After captaining Southland in 2018 and brief stints in Major League Rugby with the San Diego Legion and NOLA Gold, he trained with the Melbourne Rebels in 2019 but did not make an appearance with the side.
Lamborn is one of two North American internationals currently signed to play Super Rugby in 2020. Canada’s World Cup captain Tyler Ardron will enter his third season with the Chiefs.
The squad includes 10 capped internationals. Four were part of New Zealand’s World Cup squad – prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi, lock Patrick Tu’ipulotu, flyhalf Beauden Barrett, and center/wing Rieko Ioane. Samoa World Cup hooker Ray Niuia is also named.
Other All Blacks caps include prop Karl Tu’inukuafe, hooker James Parsons, and flanker Dalton Papali’i. England center Joe Marchant, a late cut from the World Cup squad, arrives on loan from Harlequins.
BLUES 2020 SQUAD
LH: Alex Hodgman, Ezekiel Lindenmuth, *Karl Tu’inukuafe
HO: Kurt Eklund, *Ray Niuia, *James Parsons
TH: Sione Mafileo, Marcel Renata, *Ofa Tu’ungafasi
LO: Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, Josh Goodhue, Jacob Pierce, *Patrick Tu’ipulotu, Baden Wardlaw
FL: Blake Gibson, *Tony Lamborn, *Dalton Papali’i, Tom Robinson, James Tucker
N8: Akira Ioane, Waimama Riedlinger-Kapa, Hoskins Sotutu
SH: Finlay Christie, Sam Nock, Jonathan Ruru
FH: *Beauden Barrett, Otere Black, Jack Heighton, Stephen Perofeta, Harry Plummer
CE: TJ Faiane, *Rieko Ioane, *Joe Marchant, Tanielu Tele’a
WI: Caleb Clarke, Jordan Hyland, Emoni Narawa, Mark Telea
FB: Matt Duffie, Jared Page
*denotes international
