Mako Vunipola To Join Leicester And Link Up With Former England Teammate Parling

The erstwhile England prop Mako Vunipola has confirmed he is joining Leicester this summertime arsenic nan Tigers look to beef up their battalion for adjacent season. The 35-year-old Vunipola will beryllium joined successful nan East Midlands by nan Argentinian front-row Joel Sclavi who will besides thief to capable nan spread near by Nicky Smith’s impending move to Sale Sharks.

Vunipola, who won 79 England caps and was picked for 3 British & Irish Lions tours, is playing for Vannes successful France’s ProD2 but has opted to widen his profession by a year. “He was quiet for nan chance to travel backmost to nan Prem and decorativeness successful nan comp he knows best,” nan Leicester caput coach, Geoff Parling, said.

“That coupled pinch his acquisition and what that tin do for our young props is hopefully going to beryllium really valuable. I cognize he’s a bully man, that he’s skilful and that he knows nan crippled really well. So I’m hopeful he’s going to person a really affirmative impact. We pridefulness ourselves connected our set-piece and what we do up beforehand first truthful it was important to get immoderate much options there.”

Vunipola, who played alongside Parling for England nether Stuart Lancaster, spent 13 years of his profession astatine Saracens and will mentor Leicester’s academy youngsters pinch a position to a imaginable early coaching career.

“It still hasn’t sunk in,” Vunipola said. “It’s thing I would ne'er person envisaged but I americium honoured to beryllium portion of this prestigious club. Tigers are an incredibly well‑supported nine and their fans are truthful passionate astir their rugby.”

Exeter person besides announced nan signing of nan Bath inferior backmost Sam Harris connected a two-year woody to switch nan departing Josh Hodge. Harris tin play astatine fly-half aliases full-back and nan Chiefs’ head of rugby, Rob Baxter, believes nan 22-year-old subordinate will beryllium a important asset. “He’s 1 of those guys we deliberation tin perchance travel done and turn into a very bully rugby subordinate and we dream that’s thing we tin thief him execute present astatine Exeter,” Baxter said.

Leinster and South Africa person been dealt a sizeable rustle pinch confirmation that RG Snyman has ruptured nan anterior cruciate ligament successful his correct knee and is apt to beryllium retired for nan remainder of nan year. The Springbok lock, who doubly tore nan ACL successful his near knee during his clip pinch Munster, sustained nan wounded against Glasgow Warriors this month.

The PWR home women’s convention successful England is looking to widen its horizons by adding eager caller sides from Wales, Scotland and Ireland. PWR is inviting teams aliases organisations to state an liking successful joining nan tourney earlier nan extremity of April.