Ospreys eye Manu signing
NASI Manu has emerged as a No.8 target for Ospreys head coach Toby Booth.
The six-cap Tongan international – who played at last year’s World Cup after successfully overcoming testicular cancer – is a free agent after leaving Italian side Benetton.
It is understood the Ospreys are keen on Manu to fill a big void at the back of their scrum with a payas-you-play offer on the table.
Booth has added Stephen Myler, 35, to his squad with Wales fly-half Gareth Anscombe still nursing a knee injury and Booth is also keen on another new 10 for the longer term.
Jackson Garden-Bachop of the Hurricanes and Highlanders man Mitchell Hunt are both names under consideration. New Ospreys owners Y11 Sports & Media have ambitious plans for the region and are prepared to back Booth on recruitment.
New Zealand-born Manu, 31, left Benetton in June after three years. His time in Italy was hit by his surgery to remove an abnormal growth in 2018. Months of chemotherapy followed and he missed the entire 2018/19 PRO14 season.
His first game in more than a year saw him come off the bench for Tonga in their opening World Cup defeat by England.
Manu has also had his fair share of injuries which means the Ospreys do not want to commit to a longterm deal at present.
Should the former Crusaders, Highlanders and Edinburgh man arrive in Wales he would bring international class to a problem position.
The Ospreys have lost Dan Baker as a No.8 option, with the Wales international joining France’s Stade
Montois, but Morgan Morris and Gareth Evans remain on the region’s books. Morris is promising, if still only 21.
Booth is working hard to firm up his back-room team and add new players ahead of PRO14 action resuming on August 22.
He is still to appoint a forwards coach, and as revealed in TRP last week, wants Adam Jones of Harlequins as his firstchoice option.