Munster have announced the arrival of Auckland Blues centre Francis Saili on a two-year contract
The 24-year-old, capped twice by the All Blacks, has appeared in 33 Super Rugby games for the Blues and is thought of as a rising star of New Zealand rugby.
His signing is great news for Munster, who will be hoping Saili can inject fresh life into an often moribund midfield and boss Anthony Foley was certainly delighted by the capture.
‘We are really pleased that Francis has committed his future to the province,’ Foley said. ‘He is a talented centre with an impressive skill-set and he possesses the physical attributes to excel in the northern hemisphere . I believe he will be a great addition to our backline and we look forward to welcoming him to Munster.’
Saili is expected to arrive once his 2015 commitments in New Zealand are completed, and he is looking forward to moving to Ireland this year.
He said: ‘I believe this is a fantastic opportunity for me and I am fortunate to move to a club held in such high regard, with values and traditions I can relate to from my time here in the Blues. This experience will stand to me as a player and I believe I can continue to improve and grow within the Munster set-up. As difficult as it is to leave the Blues I look forward to the exciting challenge ahead.’
