Former Leicester second row Steve Mafi is excited by the chance to feature for London Irish after signing a deal to play for The Exiles. The 29-year-old, who was on the books at Welford Road between 2010 and 2014, last played for French club Castres while he has also turned out for clubs Down Under.
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Born in Australia, Mafi enjoyed stints at Greater Sydney Rams and Western Force while he has also represented Tonga on 28 occasions, including at the 2015 World Cup. “This is a fantastic opportunity for me to return to England and test myself in the Premiership,” Mafi said.
Irish will ply their trade in the Premiership next season and have been busy recruiting players over the summer, with director of rugby Declan Kidney delighted to get Mafi on board. “We know how demanding and challenging the Gallagher Premiership is, so it is important that we assemble a squad to meet the demands,” he told the club’s website. “Steve has a wealth of experience and the ability to cover several positions in the second and back row.”
