Fiji Water Flying Fijians second rower Temo Mayanavanua will be joining the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua for next season’s Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific after announcing his departure from the Northampton Saints by the end of this Gallagher Premiership season.
The 27-year-old has confirmed this, saying he has been away from Fiji for nearly eight years, and for his wife, it has been six years, so it hit him when they came home recently, and were surrounded by family, especially seeing his son with his cousins.
Mayanavanua says that before, players from the islands had to go abroad to play as there was no career path for them, but now, since there is a professional team in Fiji, the players have that option.
While acknowledging his time at the Saints, Mayanavanua says it has blessed him and his family to be at the club.
He says from the very start, and even before he went over to the Saints, the way the club looked after his wife and son to get them settled in was so special.
He adds that the Saints are always going to have a special place in his heart, and it has been a tough decision to make.
Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson says Mayanavanua had a huge impact on them last season, and he has been a father figure to a young squad.
Dowson says they are very sad to see him go, but an opportunity presented itself to play professional rugby in his home country, which means he will, of course, be much closer to his family.
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