The New England Free Jacks have announced the singing of former Queensland Reds prop Sef Fa’agase on a two-year deal through the 2022 Major League Rugby season. He arrives from New Zealand where he has most recently been playing for Otago in the Mitre 10 Cup.
Though born in Auckland, Fa’agase spent much of his life in Australia. After impressing for Brisbane City in the 2014 National Rugby Championship (NRC) he joined the Reds in 2015 and would play four Super Rugby seasons with the team.
Fa’agase earned selection to an Australia XV to play against the French Barbarians in 2016, and was included in the Wallabies training squad the following year. He returned to New Zealand to play for the Highlanders in 2019 before a stint in Japan Top League with the Canon Eagles earlier this year.
The 29-year-old is comfortable on both sides of the scrum but should feature more on the loosehead side for the Free Jacks. He is a direct replacement for Donald Brighouse, who has opted not to return from New Zealand despite originally being contracted through the 2021 season.