The Melbourne Rebels have announced a huge signing ahead of the 2024 Super Rugby season, as Australia international Filipo Daugunu has agreed a move to the club.
Daugunu will join the rebels from Super Rugby rivals Queensland Reds, with the Wallabies winger singing a two-year-deal in Melbourne. Daugunu’s signature bolsters the Rebels 2024 squad, and becomes the sixth confirmed star ahead of next season.
The 28-year-old joins alongside Jordan Uelese and Pone Fa’amausili, international stars Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Darby Lancaster, and the incoming Taniela Tupou.
After moving to Australia from Fiji in 2017, Daugunu burst onto the Super Rugby scene in 2018, scoring 37 points and six tries in his debut season for the Queensland Reds. Two seasons later, the electrifying playmaker was selected for the Wallabies during their opening Bledisloe match against the All Blacks, and marked the occassion with a debut try.
Daugunu has since accumulated 7 Test Caps for Australia, scoring two tries, while also making 69 appearances for the Reds, scoring twenty-two tries for a total of 120 points over six years of Super Rugby action.
Daugunu spoke to the Melbourne Rebels website, about his excitement to join the club.
“Having played my entire professional career in Queensland, the time was right to experience something new and come to such a great city like Melbourne,” said Daugunu.
“Queensland have made me the player I am today and I will be forever grateful for that, but I am looking forward to this next chapter in my career and playing for the Melbourne Rebels.
“The Rebels have played an exciting brand of rugby this year and being able to add to that, and help build on what they’re already doing well, that’s exciting.”
Melbourne Rebels Attack Coach, Tim Sampson, said the Club was thrilled to win Daugunu’s signature.
“It is important to recruit players who we think will suit our game model and Filipo is certainly a player who was of immediate interest to us,” said Sampson.
“I have always admired his all-round skill set and without playing all games this season, he still managed some impressive individual stats, notably being in the top 20 for line breaks across the competition and also in the top 10 for breakdown steals”.
“We look forward to Filipo adding his class to our existing group of quality backs”.