LEINSTER HAVE ANNOUNCED the signing of centre Charlie Ngatai from Lyon.
The New Zealand international joins having made 88 appearances for the French club over the past four seasons, helping them to claim the European Challenge Cup last month.
Ngatai, who has one cap for New Zealand. is scheduled to arrive in Dublin ahead of pre-season training this summer.
“I’ve had a great few seasons in Lyon but I’m now excited to get started in a new environment, a new team culture and to take on new challenges,” Ngatai said.
“I’ve had a few good chats with Leo and it will be exciting to play alongside some new and also some familiar faces.”
📢 | Leinster Rugby can confirm the signing of Charlie Ngatai from European Challenge Cup winners, Lyon.
— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) June 16, 2022
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Welcome, Charlie! 🙌#FromTheGroundUp pic.twitter.com/rp9O31UYTG
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen added: “I first came across Charlie back in 2014 when I visited the Chiefs late-on in my playing days and as I was preparing to make the transition into coaching.
Even then, as a young man, you could see the influence he had on that Chiefs squad and that influence I think has only increased over the years with Lyon most recently.
“He’s a New Zealand international and I believe would have been capped far more only for his injury issues which were well-documented at the time but he has been back playing now a number of years and you could see even in the Challenge Cup final in Marseille just how influential a player he is.
“The important element for us I think when you look at some of the experience we are losing out of the environment this season with departures and retirements, is that Charlie will be an ever-present figure around UCD and will be a great asset to our younger players in terms of his leadership and experience.
“We look forward to welcoming Charlie and his young family to Dublin very soon.”
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