Australia and New South Wales Waratahs again row Rob Leota has signed for the Prime 14’s Bayonne forward of subsequent season, turning into the most recent Wallaby to move to Europe earlier than the British and Irish Lions collection.
The 21-cap Wallaby will end his debut season with the Waratahs in Super Rugby Pacific earlier than becoming a member of the Basque outfit, who at the moment sit in fourth place in France’s prime division.
The deal will run for 2 years, which means he may return to Australia forward of the 2027 World Cup on house soil.
The 28-year-old just isn’t the Wallaby again row to be leaving Tremendous Rugby on the finish of the season. He’ll butt heads along with his present unfastened ahead team-mate Langi Gleeson in France subsequent season, who has agreed to affix Montpellier.
Fellow Australian back row Tom Hooper can also be set to swap the Reds for the Gallagher Premiership’s Exeter Chiefs subsequent season. Reds and Wallabies centre Len Ikitau appears set to make the very same transfer.
After experiencing an injury-blighted 2024, the previous Melbourne Rebels captain Leota made the transfer to the Waratahs forward of the brand new season following the Rebels’ demise. He has featured closely for his new membership this marketing campaign, nevertheless, the place the Waratahs sit in sixth place after 9 matches.
The transfer will see Leota reunite along with his former Rebels and Wallabies team-mate Reece Hodge within the southwest of France. Hodge has spent the final two seasons on the Stade Jean-Dauger, the place he’s at the moment the one Australian on their roster.
