Leicester Tigers sign Afa Pakalani

Leicester Tigers have confirmed the signing of Tonga international back Afa Pakalani.

A former captain of Tonga Under-20s and a member of Australia’s Sevens programme during 2014, Pakalani won his first Test caps with Tonga against Pacific rivals Fiji and Samoa in the summer of 2017.

 “Afa is a good player in the back three, he has played his first Test rugby this year and he is a good age profile for us," said Tigers head coach Matt O’Connor.

“We’ve been looking for a bit of depth in our backline options and we look forward to working with him.”

The 25-year-old Pakalani can play at full-back and wing, and arrives in Leicester after previous experience with Auckland in New Zealand and in Super Rugby with the Waratahs, making his debut there as a teenager in 2011.