Northern Edition

Select Edition

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

Melbourne Storm's Solomone Kata is crossing codes for a Super Rugby stint

Brumbies signing Solomone Kata reacts during a Tongan Test match against Australia at Mount Smart Stadium last year (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)

Tonga and New Zealand rugby league international Solomone Kata has switched codes to join the Brumbies. The 24-year-old has signed a three-year contract with the Canberra-based Super Rugby franchise, having previously played in the NRL with the New Zealand Warriors and Melbourne Storm.

ADVERTISEMENT

Capped six times by Tonga, and on five occasions by the Kiwis, the utility back has been signed from 2020 to add depth to the Brumbies backline. “He is a point of difference player with a physical profile to add to our squad,” said Brumbies coach Dan McKellar.

“He is a very powerful and dynamic footballer who has the ability to stress any defensive line. At this stage, we see him as a utility back and we will be open-minded about the position he plays.”

Kata, who scored 45 tries in 93 matches for the Warriors, joins the Brumbies from the Storm, where he did not make a first-grade appearance.

“I have heard very good things about the Brumbies and how they have developed their players … I can’t wait to get to Canberra to start my professional rugby union career,” Kata said.

Kata, who was born in Neiafu in Tonga, moved to New Zealand in 2011 prior to a switch to the Melbourne Storm this year.

WATCH: Christian Leali’ifano not certain he can manage three RWC games in a row

Video Spacer
ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

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

F
Flankly 1 hour ago
'Absolute madness': Clive Woodward rips into Borthwick in wake of NZ loss

Borthwick is supposed to be the archetypical conservative coach, the guy that might not deliver a sparkling, high-risk attacking style, but whose teams execute the basics flawlessly. And that's OK, because it can be really hard to beat teams that are rock solid and consistent in the rugby equivalent of "blocking and tackling".


But this is why the performance against NZ is hard to defend. You can forgive a conservative, back-to-basics team for failing to score tons of tries, because teams like that make up for it with reliability in the simple things. They can defend well, apply territorial pressure, win the set piece battles, and take their scoring chances with metronomic goal kicking, maul tries and pick-and-go goal line attacks.


The reason why the English rugby administrators should be on high alert is not that the English team looked unable to score tries, but that they were repeatedly unable to close out a game by executing basic, coachable skills. Regardless of how they got to the point of being in control of their destiny, they did get to that point. All that was needed was to be world class at things that require more training than talent. But that training was apparently missing, and the finger has to point at the coach.


Borthwick has been in the job for nearly two years, a period that includes two 6N programs and an RWC campaign. So where are the solid foundations that he has been building?

4 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Are the All Blacks doomed to a 70% flatline? Are the All Blacks doomed to a 70% flatline?
Search