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Five outside backs will be continuing their stays in Austin for the 2020 Major League Rugby season. Accompanying the club’s transition from Elite to Herd are Sione Fangaiuiha, Peni Tagive, Reece Czarnecki, Alex Faison-Donahoe, and Zinzan Elan-Puttick.
Fangaiuiha enters his third season with the team after signing on ahead of the inaugural 2018 campaign. The 26-year-old started a dozen games this past season, showing his versatility by covering both center positions and the wing. He was called up to the Tonga Sevens squad prior to the 2018 World Cup in San Francisco but was not part of the final selection and remains eligible for the USA.
Back for a second season after a shortened first is Tagive. The rangy speedster started six games before injury ruled him out for the rest of the season. Tagive, 31, was included in the Eagles training squad for the 2018 Americas Rugby Championship after qualifying on residency.
South African-born Elan-Puttick was named vice-captain in 2019 after showing leadership qualities in 2018. He filled in at outside center in the early stages of the season until reinforcements arrived, returning to his preferred fullback spot for the second half. Injury cost him four starts but he was otherwise an ever-present in the run-on side.
Wingers Czarnecki, 27, and Faison-Donahoe, 26, have both played supporting roles in their two seasons with the club, with neither quite able to nail down a first choice spot. This past season saw Czarnecki featuring in 14 games, half of them starts, while Faison-Donahoe – who also covers fullback – started five games in an injury-disrupted campaign.
Austin’s outside backs are now heavily populated with former All Blacks winger Frank Halai incoming as well as flyer Rodrick Waters from West Houston Lions. Team Manager Corey Jones will also be available as a player and covers several positions across the backline.
