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'We're grateful': Bath sign Tongan Ma'afu Fia with immediate effect
By Kim Ekin
Bath have signed Tonga international Ma’afu Fia on loan from Ospreys, the Welsh URC club, until the end of the current Gallagher Premiership season. A Bath statement read: “A 2009 Junior World Cup winner with New Zealand U20s, Fia played provincial rugby for Manawatu before spending three seasons in the Highlanders’ Super Rugby squad.
“He switched to Wales with the Ospreys in 2015 and his performances for the Swansea-based outfit saw him earn his first of eleven Tonga caps in 2018, before representing his country at the World Cup a year later.
“Fia has been a consistent member of the Ospreys squad for the past seven years and has amassed over 100 appearances for the Welsh region. He links up with Bath with immediate effect and will be available for selection for this weekend’s match against Leicester Tigers in the Gallagher Premiership.”
Bath head coach Neal Hatley said: “We are grateful to Ospreys for allowing Ma’afu to join us as injury cover until the end of the season. He is a strong scrummager with international experience and will add value to our tighthead options alongside Will Stuart, D’Arcy Rae, Johannes and Kieran Verden.”
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Latest Comments
I think the best 15 we have is DMac. Jordan at 14.
Go to commentsIt certainly needs to be cherished. Despite Nick (and you) highlighting their usefulness for teams like Australia (and obviously those in France they find form with) I (mention it general in those articles) say that I fear the game is just not setup in Aus and NZ to appreciate nor maximise their strengths. The French game should continue to be the destination of the biggest and most gifted athletes but it might improve elsewhere too.
I just have an idea it needs a whole team focus to make work. I also have an idea what the opposite applies with players in general. I feel like French backs and halves can be very small and quick, were as here everyone is made to fit in a model physique. Louis was some 10 and 20 kg smaller that his opposition and we just do not have that time of player in our game anymore. I'm dying out for a fast wing to appear on the All Blacks radar.
But I, and my thoughts on body size in particular, could be part of the same indoctrination that goes on with player physiques by the establishment in my parts (country).
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