WALTER WEIGHT FIGHTER
Warriors beef up with 18-stone Tonga winger
GLASGOW WARRIORS have added beef to their back division with the recruitment of 6ft 5ins, 18-stone Tongan powerhouse Walter Fifita.
The 24-year-old winger – who previously played for North Harbour in New Zealand’s National Provincial Championship – arrived in Scotland over the weekend and began training yesterday.
He is available for selection immediately and will compete for game time against Rufus McLean, Kyle Steyn, Sebastian Cancelliere, Cole Forbes and the currently injured Ratu Tagive.
Fifita said: “I’m stoked to be signing for Glasgow and start this new chapter in my career. I can’t wait to step out onto the field with these guys and I’m really happy.
“I love to carry the ball and hopefully I can show the fans what I can do.”
Fifita made his debut for Tonga in a 102-0 thrashing by New Zealand back in July and has picked up two more caps in a 37-15 defeat against Samoa and a 54-10 win over the Cook Islands.
Head coach Danny Wilson said: “He’s a big, abrasive player who we believe can be a real asset to us out wide.
“We’re looking forward to fully integrating him into our environment ahead of the next block of fixtures and we’re looking forward to seeing him perform in front of a packed out Scotstoun crowd.”
Meanwhile, Warriors’ scrum-half Jamie Dobie is hoping he makes the cut when Gregor Townsend names his initial training squad for Scotland’s four Test autumn schedule.
But he knows he is up against stiff competition with Ali Price, George Horne, Ben Vellacott and Scott Steele all in the selection mix.
The 20-year-old was called into the national squad as an apprentice during the Six Nations earlier this year and was soon promoted to a full-time member of the group. He then appeared to be in line for his first cap during the summer before Covid led to Scotland’s mini tour to Georgia and Romania being cancelled.
Dobie said: “There’s a lot of scrum-halves in Scotland who are looking to get into those places, so there isn’t space for everyone.
“Hopefully, in whatever capacity it is, I can be involved. You learn in every training session when you are working with these boys.”
SOUTH AFRICA’S Bulls have called up Morne Steyn for Saturday’s URC clash with Edinburgh.
Steyn, 37, scored the winning points for the Springboks against the Lions in the summer.
Gunners coach Mike Blair said: “He is a RollsRoyce. He’s a conductor who puts the team in the right places.”