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The San Diego Legion have signed a pair of loosehead prop in Djustice ‘DJ’ Sears-Duru and Faka’osi ‘Oti’ Pifeleti. Sears-Duru arrives from the LA Giltinis by way of New England, with the Free Jacks receiving salary cap considerations in exchange for his rights. Pifeleti’s returns to San Diego from Austin, his rights acquired in the recent Dispersal Draft.
After spending three seasons in Seattle that included a Major League Rugby title in 2019, Sears-Duru made the move to LA for 2022. The 28-year-old Canadian played 13 games including 7 starts. He recently won his 64th test cap for his country on their November tour to Amsterdam.
For Pifeleti, 26, it’s back to where started in MLR. He featured in 34 games with San Diego between 2019 and 2021, joining the AG’s in 2022. This past season saw the once-capped Eagle make 13 appearances for Austin including 7 starts.
San Diego now have four international props on their roster including new Eagles cap Nathan Sylvia and former Wallaby tighthead Paddy Ryan. The additions of Sears-Duru and Pifeleti likely means that Sylvia will switch back to the right side of the scrum. He featured at tighthead for the USA during their recent World Cup Qualifiers after playing mostly loosehead for San Diego since 2019.
