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Lee-Roy Atalifo becomes the latest Fijian to move into the PRO14
By Online Editors
Edinburgh have secured the signing of Fijian international tighthead prop Lee-Roy Atalifo for next season.
The 31-year-old has won 13 caps for the Flying Fijians and makes the move to the Scottish capital following three seasons at English Championship side, Jersey Reds.
On signing with Edinburgh, Atalifo, said: “The move represents a great opportunity for me to be part of such a historic club. I’m excited to do able to continue doing what I love and to test myself against the very best in the Guinness PRO14 as well as on the European stage.
“I’m looking forward to making the move with my family and meeting my new team-mates before starting what will no doubt be a very tough pre-season. To be able to represent such a wonderful city will be a real honour.”
Coach Richard Cockerill added: “Lee-Roy is a quality tighthead who will fit in well with the culture that we have built here within the club. He has shown at international level that he can perform at the highest level and he’ll bring plenty of experience and physicality to our front-row.”
Born in Rotuma, Atalifo graduated with an engineering degree before working as a firefighter with Fiji’s National Fire Authority.
The tighthead made his international debut against the Cook Islands in June 2014 before being named in the Fiji squad for the 2015 World Cup where he featured in three pool matches against Canada, Wales and Uruguay.
Following a short spell with Italian club Roviga Delta and at Canterbury, he joined Jersey ahead for the 2017/18 campaign and was selected in the Fiji squad for the 2019 World Cup in Japan where he came off the bench in two pool stages fixtures against Uruguay and Georgia.
He now joins fellow Fijians Viliame Mata, Eroni Sau and Mesulame Kunavula to the Scottish capital club.
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Who's obsessed. Your continual obsession with kiwi coaches is a sign of paranoia.
And the kiwi coach of the Wallabies has just coached them to a demolition of Wales a team that beat them 40 to 6 last year.
Go to commentsDidn't Earl get skinned again?
I get it, but at least your coach was a winner, right? Ours was hopeless, Rennie took over his Super team and immediately won two Championships. I might not be the best judge as it was my team but they were perennial underachievers under Foster. In any case, it's the best you've got (unlike in NZ's case), so try and get on board. Have faith that SB will be flexible enough to improve his personal if needed.
This surely has to be the best playing English side to follow in a long long time (well fans might need some more obvious proof come 6N time), so what are you waiting for?
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