Saint: Salesi Ma'afu
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Northampton Saints have announced that Australian international prop Salesi Ma'afu will join the club ahead of the 2013/14 season.
Ma'afu is rated as one of the top props in Australia. The 6ft, 126kg, tight-head has 14 Wallaby caps to his name, along with Australia 'A' and Barbarian representative honours.
Born in Sydney, Ma'afu - whose brother Campese is also an international prop - has built up extensive Super Rugby experience with the Brumbies and latterly Western Force. His international debut came in 2010, and after fighting back from a serious arm injury he helped Australia to third place in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, including starting the bronze medal match with Wales.
Unfortunately a broken arm sustained during the latter stages of the Force's 2012 Super Rugby campaign meant that Ma'afu missed the Rugby Championship and November tour, but he starts 2013 as part of the Wallabies' training squad.
However later in the year Ma'afu will be swapping Subiaco for the Saints, and director of rugby Jim Mallinder says that the 29-year-old has the ability to make a big impact on Aviva Premiership Rugby.
"We have been impressed by what we have seen from Salesi," said Northampton Saints boss Jim Mallinder.
"He has built up a good reputation as one of the top props in Australia and has been a big part of the Wallabies' recent improvements in the set piece.
"Salesi will add a great deal to our group of props and the squad in general going into next season, and we're looking forward to welcoming him to Franklin's Gardens later in the year."
Comments
shrimps says...
hmmmm i had thought saints were smarter than this.
Posted 19:29 06th February 2013
Bones7 says...
What a shocking buy. He's average in terms of Australian props, he'll get chewed up and spat out in the Prem I'd have thought. Scrummaging is very average and so is his carrying and defending. There are so many Super Rugby props, even amongst Australia's much derided stocks, that can scrummage better and work better round the park. Saints will be struggling up front at this rate next season. Losing 3 top props in Tonga'huia, Mujati and Doran-Jones and replacing them with a bloke with a long term injury problem in Corbisiero and an Aussie journeyman is shocking on their part.
Posted 09:46 06th February 2013
davodiablo says...
I'm off to North Korea to get me some democracy .
Posted 07:14 06th February 2013
three6three6 says...
Over rated..... and unproven at international level! Good enough for the Premiership? Let us wait and see.... He will certainly have a hard act to follow at Northampton who have lost some quality props in recent times.
Posted 04:54 06th February 2013
GoWalesGo says...
If anyone can get this fat old lump to scrummage it's Dorian West. He obviously sees some potential in him otherwise he wouldn't have been interested.
Posted 14:43 05th February 2013
GoWalesGo says...
If an
Posted 14:41 05th February 2013
5Lock4ward says...
I mentioned in a previous article that the Saints were hemorrhaging props but now it looks like the Wallabies turn to bleed. And they of all international squads can least afford it.
Posted 13:14 05th February 2013
bullitt says...
@georgesmith
By proxy because he's Australian. Duh!
Posted 11:41 05th February 2013
georgesmith says...
Good-riddance for the Wallabies. He is anything but a 'top prop'.
Posted 09:09 05th February 2013
boksmashoffice says...
a wobblie in the scrum.Not good for saints.They might have second thoughts and do the Cameron Shepherd on him.
Posted 21:43 04th February 2013
ArmchairGeneral says...
6ft, 126kg. That's something to work with. Why should Saints train an Oz prop Pre WC when Oz is in England's pool! Come on Jim. Thought you wanted to be one day an England coach... This is not working for England!
Posted 19:13 04th February 2013
Nastyned says...
What on Earth is the point of signing a Wallaby prop? Hope I'm proved wrong on this one.
Posted 19:04 04th February 2013
NHsaints says...
Not liking this one too much from a club signing perspective...however a stint with the saints will see him return to the Aus national side as their top prop, maybe even an international standard one too...
Posted 16:59 04th February 2013
ArmchairGeneral says...
He will be leaving Pre World Cup. This is the second Ozzie prop to come you Europe! Coals to Newcastle!
Posted 14:42 04th February 2013
melkdave says...
OUCH an Australian prop,and massive shoes to fill.One thing is sure he will be a far better scrumager after a stint in the AP
Posted 13:03 04th February 2013
1st58 says...
Normally like saints recruiting - but not this one!
Posted 13:03 04th February 2013