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Former Junior All-American prop Roman Salanoa has reached a career milestone in winning his first senior Leinster cap. The 22-year-old from Hawai’i was a 56th-minute replacement in the win over Ulster on Friday. He was a late addition to the match day squad after Jack Aungier pulled out with illness.
Salanoa was part of the USA’s squad for the 2016 World Rugby u20 Trophy in Zimbabwe. Also a standout football player at Kahuku High, he joined the Leinster academy program in September 2017 and was part of the Leinster ‘A’ squad that participated in the Cara Cup tournament hosted by the New England Free Jacks earlier this year.
Eagles selectors will be keen to touch base with the 270lbs (123kg) tighthead specialist knowing that his long-term allegiance could be pulled elsewhere. They do have a potential buffer with residency requirements set to change. If Salanoa is not captured in the window between September 2020 and January 2021, he won’t qualify again for Ireland until September 2022.
