Samoa sensation set to join Irish

Samoa international Setaimata Sa will join up with the London Irish squad this week.

The former Catalan Dragons' star penned a three-year deal last year and will be available for London Irish for the remainder of this season and the coming seasons, having secured his UK Visa.

The move to London Irish means that Setaimata will be returning to his sporting roots. Originally from Canterbury Crusader territory, as a schoolboy Rugby Union star in New Zealand he was scouted by NRL club the Sydney Roosters in 2006.

He subsequently moved to the Super League and Catalan Dragons in 2010. Sa has a good try-scoring record in senior Rugby League, scoring 13 tries in 66 games for the Sydney Roosters and 10 tries in 39 games for the Catalan Dragons.

A dual Rugby League international, he has been capped three times by New Zealand, helping them to win the World Cup title in 2008 and five times by Samoa. He made his international debut for Samoa last November in their triumph over Canada without having played a single game of Rugby Union.

London Irish Director of Rugby Brian Smith said: “It has been a long process but we a delighted that Sa can now join up with the squad.

“He is itching to be involved and the squad is looking forward to having him on board. Once he gets the hang of playing Rugby Union again there will be no better all-round midfielder in the country.”