CONNACHT HAVE ANNOUNCED the signing of back row Nepia Fox-Matamua ahead of next season.
The 23-year-old will join the province on a two-year contract, having previously worked with Connacht head coach Pat Lam at Auckland in his native New Zealand.
Fox-Matamua began his ITM Cup career with the Kiwi province in 2012, when he played twice. The openside flanker then transferred to North Harbour in 2013, making three appearances, before returning to Auckland last year for two further games.
The former St. Peterโs College back row helped club side University to a Gallaher Shield success in 2014, while he has also featured in sevens rugby.
Lam has previously used his Auckland connections to convince hooker Tom McCartney to join his Connacht project, while high-profile Kiwi pair Mils Muliaina and Bundee Aki have also been persuaded to move to Ireland.
Fox-Matamua is the great-great grandson of legendary Mฤori rugby player George Nepia, a former All Black who was inducted into the New Zealand sports Hall of Fame.
Intriguingly, Fox-Matamua has played Gaelic football for the Marist Rangers GAA club in Auckland, meaning he already has a sense of the culture he can expect in Ireland. [Thanks to John Griffin for bringing this fact to our attention].
โWeโre delighted to be in a position to announce Nepia,โ said Lam. โWith Willie [Faloon] returning to Ulster, another quality openside flanker was needed for next seasonโs squad.
โI have worked with Nepia at Auckland. He is a great team man and having captained different sides in his young career, he also possesses excellent leadership qualities.
โTechnically he is an out-and-out number seven with natural ball skills that have seen him excel in Sevens rugby as well. I know that he is the type of player and person that will fit in very well to the Connacht community.โ
Exciting signing, and a clear indication from Pat of the style of Rugby he sees Connacht playing. People concerned at his lack of height, pfff, doesnโt seem to have done Steffon Armitage any harm..
Small, stout and strong; sounds like a natural ground hog; perfect openside
I am always concerned when I see young overseas talent coming in to the provinces as it effectively blocks a place for a young Irish Player to develop. I wonder could Lam have got a good back row player to transfer from the Leinster Academy thus providing him with the attraction of more game time with Connacht. If not this young player from NZ seems like he has the potential to make a significant impact with Connacht.
Jennings retirement has made a few young Leinster open-sides stay put, rumours were out that VanDerFlier was a targetโฆ