LEICESTER TIGERS HAVE confirmed the signing of former Fiji international wing Nemani Nadolo ahead of next season.
The 32-year-old will join Geordan Murphy’s Tigers from French club Montpellier.
The imposing 6ft 5ins and 130kg Nadolo will add firepower to the Leicester squad, having scored prolifically for Montpellier, the Crusaders, and the Green Rockets in Japan during his career so far.
Nadolo announced his surprise retirement from Test rugby with Fiji early last year, ruling himself out of involvement at the World Cup as he focused on his club career with Top 14 outfit Montpellier.
The Fiji native grew up in Australia and played for the Aussie U20 side after showing his potential in the club game. Nadolo had short stints with Bourgoin in France and the Exeter Chiefs before a move to Japan in 2011.
His form for the Green Rockets and with the Fijian national team – for whom he played 29 times, scoring 19 tries – convinced the Crusaders to bring Nadolo to Super Rugby in 2014 before Montpellier lured him back to France in 2016.
The powerful wing has continued to score freely since, notching 53 tries in his 69 appearances in all competitions.
Tigers head coach Murphy is looking forward to getting Nadolo’s game-changing ability to Leicester this summer.
“It’s certainly one to get excited about, no matter who you are,” said Murphy, who will move into the director of rugby role at Leicester when Steve Borthwick joins as head coach after the Six Nations.
“He’s a star of the international game and a player that crowds all over the world have been able to enjoy see play.
“Now, the Tigers faithful get that chance and the playing squad, as well as coaching staff, get the opportunity to work alongside and with Nemani from next season.
“Nemani certainly possesses the traits of a player that Tigers fans look for and if we didn’t believe he could come here and do for us what we know he’s capable of, we wouldn’t have signed him.
“I don’t think it will be long before we are hearing ‘Nadolo’ chanted from the Terrace at Welford Road.”
