Exeter Chiefs have bolstered their attacking options ahead of the new 2022/23 season with the addition of Tongan international Solomone Kata.
Initially signed on a one-year deal, the powerful back arrives in Devon from Super Rugby franchise, Moana Pasifika, and immediately offers a huge physical threat to the Chiefs back division.
Born in Neiafu in Tonga, Kata moved to New Zealand in 2011 to take up a rugby scholarship at Sacred Heart College in Auckland. And it didn’t take long for his talents to be spotted, linking up with National Rugby League sides, New Zealand Warriors and then Melbourne Storm, before switching to the 15-man game.
“He’s explosive, he’s dangerous and he’s a quality player,” said Rob Baxter.
“Obviously, he’s just got it so he will take a few days to get up to speed, but you can tell by meeting him that he’s already settling in well to the group and will give us those options we need in midfield.
“It’s no secret that Ollie Devoto is still some way away from returning, Henry [Slade] and Hendo [Tom Hendrickson] are still recovering from operations too, so we were looking a bit thin in that area.
“That said, when a guy of Sol’s quality comes onto the market, we had a good look at him – we liked what we saw – and we’ve brought him here. It’s over to him now to get on the field and show us what he can do.
“Talking to him, you get that feeling that’s he’s up for a new challenge. He’s here now and he’s ready to go. In an ideal world, we would have liked to have signed him for more than a year, but he said ‘I’ll take the year, I’ll take my chance’ because he does think he will take-off over here. We will see what happens then.”
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EXETER CHIEFS INCOMING SIGNINGS, PREMS ONLY ‘OUT’ PLAYER:.
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Rob Baxter has moved to find replacements for Jonny Hill, Sam Skinner and Sean Lonsdale with the Devon side set to add 24-year-old lock early next week, according to The Rugby Paper.