"Explosive, dangerous, quality player" - Leicester Tigers sign Exeter Chiefs star

Kata, a 28-year-old Tongan international capable of playing as a center or wing, joined Exeter as Rob Baxter's fifth signing last season.

During his time with the Chiefs, he made 20 appearances and scored five tries, one of which came during his debut against the Tigers in September.

According to The Rugby Paper, Kata will be the 14th player leaving the Chiefs this summer and will become the sixth new addition to the Leicester squad.

Born in Neiafu, Tonga, Kata relocated to New Zealand in 2011 to pursue a rugby scholarship at Sacred Heart College in Auckland. His exceptional abilities quickly caught the attention of rugby league teams, leading him to play for the New Zealand Warriors and later the Melbourne Storm, before transitioning to the 15-man code.

Kata's journey then took him to Canberra in Australia, where he spent two seasons with the Brumbies, forming a partnership with former Chief Nic White. In 2022, he joined Moana Pasifika for the Super Rugby competition.

Not only has he achieved a remarkable track record of success, but he's also known for his exceptional player development and his team's exciting and innovative brand of rugby.

Nonetheless, it's impossible to maintain a perfect record in the transfer market after spending more than a decade at a rugby club.

Even the best in the business are prone to making mistakes, and here are some of the worst signings he's made. It's worth noting that a few of the players on this list have gone on to become stars after their disappointing stints at Sandy Park.

First on the list is Niko Matawalu, the Fijian wizard who arrived at Chiefs from Bath with high expectations following his impressive performance at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

Unfortunately, off-field issues limited the scrum-half/wing's opportunities, and he only played once for the Exeter Braves in December 2016 before departing for Glasgow Warriors, where he quickly became a regular in the starting lineup.

Signed for the club 11th Jan 2011 but was registered under his Aussie passport and therefore cost the club 2 points and £5,000 for fielding too many overseas players. He was then convicted of drink driving, banned from the road for 18 months, and released by the club in May 2011.

He failed to score a single try in his four appearances for the Chiefs. His career has done nothing but rise ever since so that's nice. Hopefully, he'll do much better with Leicester Tigers after signing with them for the 2020/21 season.

In 2013, the Wallabies forward signed a short-term contract to join the Exeter Chiefs during the 2010/11 season in order to get game-time prior to bid for a spot in Australia's Rugby World Cup squad, having missed 18 months of action with nerve damage to his shoulder.

However, his stay in the UK with the Chiefs was cut short after suffering a knee injury in training with Exeter following a collision with teammate Paul McKenzie.

The promising England U20 back-row player was signed from Gloucester in 2020 as a highly-anticipated talent for the future. Despite his exciting potential, he suffered four consecutive losses in his four appearances for the club before moving on to Northampton Saints. However, he recently left Franklin's Gardens by mutual agreement due to reported clashes with the staff and an alleged attitude problem, believed to be the primary cause of the disagreement.

The 26-year-old winger arrived at Sandy Park with a big reputation after impressing for Namibia, scoring seven tries in his six games prior to the switch. Never looking comfortable, he scored just one try in just six games during his two-year stint at the club. However, he did make a significant impact off the field with his fantastic community work.