Junior All Black Sefo Kautai has landed a contract with the Brumbies after impressing coaching staff earlier this year when drafted in to cover the club's depleted prop ranks.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 25-year-old tighthead played five times for the Brumbies in 2021, before linking with the Queanbeyan Whites in the John I Dent Cup.
"I'm really pleased to be coming back to Canberra with the Brumbies," Kautai said.
"I didn't know what to expect when I came in last season, but the club were just so welcoming to me, and I loved every minute of it.
"Working with our coaches, the experienced front-rowers we have has been great for me and my game and I'm just looking forward to getting back to the Brumbies for preseason and doing my best for the club."
Brumbies coach Dan McKellar said the prop's efforts while providing injury cover earlier this year had earned him a full-time contract.
MORE CANBERRA SPORT
"We were really impressed with Sefo last year, so we're delighted we'll have him back again this season," McKellar said.
"Given he had no preseason with us, had a mountain of detail thrown at him, we thought he did exceptionally well and with his age profile, we think he's someone who can grow with us.
"Tighthead props aren't exactly easy to find so to have Allan [Alaalatoa], Rossy [Tom Ross] and Sefo gives us tremendous depth in a position which you need to be strong at any level of the game, and I'm excited to see how good Sefo can be with a preseason under his belt."
Meanwhile, Dave Rennie's Wallabies flew to Japan on Wednesday to kickstart their spring tour, which begins against the Brave Blossoms next weekend before Tests against Scotland, England and Wales.
Waratahs centre Izaia Perese is hopeful of making his Australian debut as he makes his return from a shoulder injury which has ruled him out of Tests so far this year.
The 24-year-old Perese is one of four uncapped players in the 37-man squad, which also includes northern hemisphere-based stars Will Skelton, Tolu Latu and Rory Arnold.
Perese joined the Wallabies on tour in 2016 as a development player and also in 2017 as a full squad member, but is still to earn a Test cap.
Starting his career with the Reds where he played 17 times, Perese made the switch to rugby league and played two games with Brisbane in 2019 but he was sacked in 2020 after being charged with a drugs-related offence.
He was able to take up a a short-term rugby contract in France, which he called his "rock-bottom", before joining NSW for this year's Super Rugby, where he made a big impression.
"I've thought about it the last couple of weeks and had a chat with Mum and it's sort of funny that I'm back here now," Perese said.
"It's all meant to be, union is my game and they gave me a second chance.
"I just think it's amazing ... this time around I won't take it for granted."
Perese was in the sights of Wallabies coach Rennie to face the French in July but dislocated his shoulder against the Chiefs in the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman a few weeks earlier.
With AAP
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
