Super Rugby
Faifili Levave joins exodus from Hurricanes
May 23, 2014
Faifili Levave says "I think I'm playing some of my best footy' © Getty Images
Enlarge

Faifili Levave is the third Hurricanes player to announce his departure for Japan at the end of the Super Rugby season, the Samoa flanker having signed a two-year contract to join Toyota Verblitz club in August.

Andre Taylor and Tim Bateman have recently announced deals in Japan, while two more Samoa internationals in the Hurricanes squad, Jack Lam and Alapati Leiua, are heading to Europe. Lam will join Bristol while Leiua is heading for London Wasps.

Levave, who played for Japanese second-division club Honda Heat for six months in 2012, is effectively a replacement for Jerome Kaino at Toyota Verblitz, where will be coached by another notable loose forward, former All Blacks back-rower Filo Tiatia.

"First things first. I just want to keep playing well for the Canes," Levave told Fairfax Media in New Zealand. "I guess once we get to the tail end of the season it will probably start sinking in."

Levave said he hoped also to make Samoa's squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup, saying "I think I'm playing some of my best footy, so I guess I'll just be playing it in a different country."

© AAP

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices