The Leicester Tigers have secured the services of seasoned former England and British & Irish Lions prop Mako Vunipola, currently with Pro D2 leaders Vannes, to enhance their forward pack options for the forthcoming season.
Reports from The Daily Telegraph indicate that Vunipola, who has spent the past two campaigns playing in Brittany following a distinguished career with Saracens, has agreed to terms for the next season.
Vannes, a club aiming for a prompt ascent back to the Top 14, had opted not to extend Vunipola’s contract for the upcoming season, having already recruited his replacement, former France U20 international Ugo Boniface, from Bordeaux.
Vunipola, a New Zealand native who will reach 36 next January, is widely expected to transition into a coaching role upon retiring from playing; however, this will not occur for at least another season subsequent to his transfer to Welford Road.
It is understandable why the Tigers, who are set to lose Welsh international Nicky Smith to Sale Sharks, moved quickly to acquire him, given his history as a key member of a Saracens team that claimed four Premiership titles and three European Cups.
A finalist in the 2019 World Cup, Vunipola, boasts 79 caps for England and three Lions tour selections, having made nearly 200 appearances for the North London club before his move to France, where he has recorded three tries across 32 matches.
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He is not the sole prop set to join Leicester in the upcoming season. Last month, we unveiled that Geoff Parling successfully secured the signing of La Rochelle tighthead Joel Sclavi, whose agreement with the Top 14 club is set to expire at the conclusion of the current campaign.
The 31-year-old Argentina international Sclavi, who has spent the majority of his career in France with clubs like Pau, Soyaux Angoulême XV Charente, and currently La Rochelle, has found it challenging to secure a consistent starting spot in Ronan O’Gara’s squad this season.
The Tigers fended off competition from Gloucester to acquire Sclavi, who was born in Mar del Plata and contributed to the La Rochelle side that triumphed in the Champions Cup in 2022.
