Newcastle Falcons have completed the signing of Bath wing Cooper Vuna on a two-year deal.
The 31-year-old has played international rugby for Australia and Tonga, and arrives at Kingston Park with 47 Premiership appearances under his belt from his time at Bath and Worcester Warriors.
Falcons director of rugby Dean Richards said: “Cooper is a player I’ve admired for some time and I’m delighted to have finally got him up to Newcastle.
SIGNING: Newcastle Falcons have announced the arrival of Bath and Tonga wing @CVUNA in a two-year deal https://t.co/qMPJBtDm2O pic.twitter.com/vU4Puffj1t
— Newcastle Falcons (@FalconsRugby) June 26, 2019
“He has fantastic footwork, great power and handling ability, and he gives us another dangerous attacking option.”
A former rugby league player who made his NRL debut for New Zealand Warriors at the age of just 17, Vuna was born and raised in Auckland and is the son of former Tongan rugby union international, John Vuna.
Moving to NRL side Newcastle Knights in 2007 and scoring 35 tries in his 54 appearances, Vuna played international rugby league for Tonga before switching codes to join Super Rugby franchise Melbourne Rebels, for whom he scored 13 tries in 36 outings.
Earning two caps for Australia, he spent two seasons with Toshiba Brave Lupus in Japan before joining Worcester Warriors, spending the past year and a half with Bath where he made 16 Premiership appearances and played in both Champions Cup games against Leinster last season.