Wednesday 18 June 2014 19:33, UK
Newcastle have announced the signing of Tongan forward Uili Kolo’ofai on a two-year deal.
Equally at home at lock or in the back row, the Auckland-born 31-year-old has played club rugby around the globe, most recently in France for Colomiers.
Kolo’ofai, who qualified to represent Tonga through his parents and made his international debut against Romania, spent time in Japan before moving to Europe, where he appeared for both Crociati RFC and Cavalieri Prato.
Falcons director of rugby Dean Richards believes his latest recruit will add further competition for places in the pack, particularly as he can feature at a number of positions.
“I’m very pleased to welcome Uili to the Falcons," Richards told the club's official webite.
"He is a versatile forward and I’m looking forward to him making a valuable contribution to the team’s performances next season.
“I like what I have seen of him to date and expect him to increase the competition for places in the second and back rows, which will in turn drive forward the standards within the squad”
