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The Colorado Raptors have announced the signing of New Zealand u20 international Sam Slade for the 2020 Major League Rugby season. He joins fellow arrivals Mike Curry and Michael Stewart as a utility forward able to cover both lock or loose forward.
Slade was part of the ‘Baby Blacks’ side that won the 2017 World Rugby u20 Championship in Georgia. He started at lock in the final against England. The 22-year-old has played for three different provinces in the Mitre 10 Cup – Auckland, Manawatu, and most recently Counties Manukau where he started five games as a blindside flanker in 2019.
The Raptors roster now stands at 32 players for the upcoming campaign. Slade is one of five with recent New Zealand provincial experience, the others are Curry, Stewart, returning tighthead prop Marco Fepulea’i, and new outside back Mason Emerson.
