Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Coup for Wasps as they bring in ex-All Blacks forward Fifita

(Photo by Craig Mercer/MB Media/Getty Images)

Wasps have signed former All Blacks lock and flanker Vaea Fifita, the 29-year-old who won the last of his eleven Test caps in the July 2019 Championship match versus the Springboks in Wellington. The 6ft 5in, 111kg Tongan-born player, who moved to New Zealand for school, was a Super Rugby title winner in 2016 for the Hurricanes alongside current Wasps players Brad Shields and Jeff Toomaga-Allen.

ADVERTISEMENT

A try-scorer against the touring Lions in 2017 for his club, he debuted that same year for the All Blacks off the bench versus Samoa and his first start is remembered for how he sprinted in from 40 metres out to score.

He out-ran Argentine backs Santiago Cordero and Joaquin Tuculet in a man of the match performance. He had re-signed last October for another year at the Hurricanes but will now leave the Wellington-based franchise.

Video Spacer

The making of England star Maro Itoje

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 0:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
      Video Spacer

      The making of England star Maro Itoje

      Jim Hamilton was lucky enough to spend some time with Vitality ambassador and former teammate @maroitoje before he jets off to South Africa for the British & Irish Lions Series.
      The Saracens lock told us all about how he got into rugby from his days at school and how family plays a key role in his life.

      Wasps boss Lee Blackett said: “We have been looking for a quality lock and back-rower and Vaea fits the bill perfectly. 

      “We are therefore delighted to be able to bring an experienced international forward like him on board for next season. We are all excited to work with him and the strong group of forwards we have at the club for next season.”

      Fifita added: “I’m proud to be joining one of the most historic rugby clubs in the world. I can’t wait to get started on what promises to be a very exciting journey with Wasps. I will be working hard to help the team achieve as much success as possible. My family and I look forward to experiencing everything that England has to offer.”

      A player with immense speed for his size, Fifita should be invaluable at the lineout for Wasps as his impressive athleticism saw him make the most lineout steals (22) of any New Zealand player in Super Rugby since the beginning of 2016. He played more than 50 games for the Hurricanes, while also appearing for the Wellington Lions. 

      ADVERTISEMENT

      ADVERTISEMENT

      O2 Inside Line: All In | Episode 5 | Making Waves

      Confidence knocks and finding your people | Flo Williams | Rugby Rising Locker Room

      Tackling reasons for drop-out in sport | Zainab Alema | Rugby Rising Locker Room

      Krakow | Leg 3 | Day 2 | HSBC Challenger Series | Full Day Replay

      Kubota Spears vs Tokyo Sungoliath | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

      Jet Lag: The biggest challenge facing international sports? | The Report

      Boks Office | Episode 39 | The Investec Champions Cup is back

      Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry? | New Zealand & Australia | Sevens Wonders | Episode 5

      Trending on RugbyPass

      Comments

      0 Comments
      Be the first to comment...

      Join free and tell us what you really think!

      Sign up for free
      ADVERTISEMENT

      Latest Features

      Comments on RugbyPass

      J
      JW 1 hour ago
      Reds vs Blues: Ex-All Black missed the mark, Lynagh’s Wallabies statement

      Agree re Lynagh.


      Disagree Beaver got it wrong. Blues made that look easy. It might be a brawn over brains picture though? More in the last point, but, and this may have changed by player selection, the Reds were very lucky this game. Tele’a should not have been red carded as Ryan landed on his shoulder, and both Tate and Jock (was it) should have been yellowed carded for their offenses in stopping tries. We also had a try dissallowed by going back 10 phases in play. We all should have learned after the RWC that that is against the rules. So straight away on this simple decisions alone the result changes to go in the Blues favour, away from home and playing fairly poorly. The sleeping giant if you will. I didn’t agree with the Blues take either tbh, but to flip it around and say it’s the Reds instead is completely inaccurate (though a good side no doubt you have to give them a chance).


      And you’re also riding the wave of defense wins matches a bit much. Aside from Dre’s tackling on Rieko I didn’t see anything in that match other than a bit of tiny goal line defending. I think if you role on the tap for another second you see the ball put placed for the try (not that I jump to agree with Eklund purely because he was adamant), and in general those just get scored more often than not. They are doing something good though stopping line breaks even if it is the Blues (and who also got over the line half a dozen times), I did not expect to be greeted with that stat looking at the game.

      8 Go to comments
      A
      Ashley Carson 1 hour ago
      'Not real Lions': How the 1989 British and Irish tourists put Australia on the map

      Life can unravel in an instant. For me, that moment came when deceitful cryptocurrency brokers vanished with £40,000 of my savings, a devastating blow that left me paralyzed by shame and despair. The aftermath was a fog of sleepless nights, self-doubt, and a crushing sense of betrayal. I questioned every choice, wondering how I’d fallen for such a scheme. Hope felt like a luxury I no longer deserved. Then, Tech Cyber Force Recovery emerged like a compass in a storm. Skeptical yet desperate, I reached out, half-expecting another dead end. What I found, however, was a team that radiated both expertise and empathy. From our first conversation, they treated my crisis not as a case file, but as a human tragedy. Their professionalism was matched only by their compassion, a rare combination in the often impersonal world of finance.

      What happened next defied logic. Within 72 hours of sharing my story, they traced the labyrinth of blockchain transactions, outmaneuvering the scammers with surgical precision. When their email arrived, “Funds recovered, secure and intact,” I wept. It wasn’t just the money; it was the validation that justice could prevail. Tech Cyber Force Recovery didn’t just restore my finances, they resurrected my dignity. But their impact ran deeper. They demystified the recovery process, educating me without judgment. Their transparency became a lifeline, transforming my fear into understanding. Where I saw chaos, they saw patterns; where I felt powerless, they instilled agency. Today, I’m rebuilding not just my savings, but my trust in humanity. Tech Cyber Force Recovery taught me that vulnerability isn’t weakness, and that seeking help is an act of courage. To those still trapped in the aftermath of fraud: miracles exist. They wear no capes, but they wield algorithms and integrity like superheroes. To the extraordinary Tech Cyber Force Recovery team, your work is more than technical prowess. It’s alchemy, turning despair into resilience. You gave me more than my funds; you gave me my future. May your light guide countless others through their darkest nights. From the depths of my heart: Thank you.

      Consult Tech Cyber Force Recovery for help.

      MAIL.. Techcybersforcerecovery@cyberservices.com

      3 Go to comments
      TRENDING
      TRENDING URC statement: Munster-Bulls error and 'entirely untrue' Piardi rumours URC statement: Munster-Bulls controversy and 'entirely untrue' Piardi
      Search