Newcastle Falcons sign Logovi’i Mulipola

(Photo: Getty Images)
By Jake Jones
Newcastle Falcons have secured the services of Logovi’I Mulipola from Leicester Tigers ahead of the 2018-19 season.
The Kingston Park outfit have have ended speculation linking the Samoa international with a big-money move to France by having Mulipola pen a deal with the Tigers Premiership play-off rivals.
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The 31-year-old explained his reasons to join a Falcons side on the verge of ‘something big’ as his time at Welford Road draws to its close.
He told his new club’s official website: “I have played against Newcastle Falcons many times, I like what they are doing and it’s an exciting opportunity.
“I have enjoyed my time at Leicester Tigers, I’d like to thank the fans for being so supportive towards me and of course I’ll be giving my all for them until the end of the season.
“After that it’s on to the next challenge and becoming part of something big at Newcastle. I’ll be staying in the Premiership, which is great, and it’s all about the hard work I’ll be putting in.”
The Falcons have been on a roll this season with qualification for next season’s Champions Cup in the balance heading in to the final two fixtures of the campaign, away to Leicester and at home to Wasps..
Falcons director of rugby Dean Richards said: “Anyone who has watched the Premiership over the last five or so years will know what a force of nature Logo is, and it’s great that we have been able to attract a player of such proven standing in the game.”
Richards added, “It is a sign of our growing reputation that we are able to make signings like this, adding a small number of quality players to the outstanding foundation we already have at the club, and Logo is a player who can really help us make the next step as a club.”
The front row forward, who played on both sides of the scrum for Tigers, played 95 times for the club, scoring five tries in the process. A firm favourite for his ball-carrying ability and powerful scrummaging in his six and a half seasons in the East Midlands, winning the Anglo-Welsh Cup in his first season before going on to win the Premiership title the following season.
Mulipola has 20 international caps for Samoa, the most recent of which came in November 2016 during the autumn series.