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The Fijian Drua have announced the signing of two tighthead props from Major League Rugby sides. Rugby ATL’s Manasa Saulo and Samu Tawake from Rugby United New York will make the move to Super Rugby. Both are capped internationals who depart after just one season of MLR.
Saulo is the most experienced of the two. The 32-year-old has played 47 times for Fiji including 43 tests, and was part of both the 2015 and 2019 World Cup squads. He played 13 games for ATL in 2021 with just one start. This will be Saulo’s first Super Rugby experience having previously played in the French Top 14 with Toulon and the European Challenge Cup with London Irish.
Tawake, 25, has just one cap, making his test debut as a replacement against Georgia in December of last year. He featured in 16 out of 17 games for New York including 10 starts. Prior to his MLR move Tawake played professionally in New Zealand for Canterbury and Manawatu.
ATL are set to retain the services of first choice tighthead Wikus Groenewald next season. Alex Maughan, Will Burke, and Jonas Petrakopoulos also spent time on the right side of the scrum this year. New York have now lost both Tawake and Zak Taulafo. Their other options at No3 were Brazilian international Wilton Rebolo and local veteran Kirk Hamilton.
