The San Diego Legion have signed one of Fiji’s most promising young players as they have confirmed the addition of 21-year-old Tira Patterson for the 2020 Major League Rugby season. A physically imposing athlete at 6’2″ (1.88m) and 220lbs (101kg), he is primarily a winger a but can also play in the midfield.
Patterson played for Fiji in both the Oceania u20 Championship and the World Rugby u20 Trophy in 2018, the team winning the latter tournament in decisive fashion. His form was rewarded to selection to the Fiji Warriors for the senior ‘A’ level World Rugby Pacific Challenge earlier this year where he scored an impressive six tries in three games, including a hat-trick against Junior Japan.
With Jasa Veremalua now making his transition to the forwards a permanent one and Marcus Tupuola committed to the USA Sevens program, Patterson fills a gap in the Legion’s roster an will now look to make his mark in the upcoming MLR season. Fellow Fijians Save Totovosau and Keni Nasoqeqe also played for the club in 2019.