Temo Mayanavanua set for Champions Cup swan song after confirming exit

Northampton Saints lock Temo Mayanavanua will leave the club at the end of the season, where he is poised to sign for the Fijian Drua in his homeland.

The 27-year-old joined the Saints after the 2023 World Cup, and has gone on to make 35 appearances to date, scoring one try.

Despite his tenure at Franklin’s Gardens being brief, it has been laden with success. The lock came off the bench in the Gallagher Premiership final last season as the Saints beat Bath 25-21, something he has described as a “career highlight”.

The Fijian has the opportunity to add more silverware before he departs, with his side set to face Bordeaux-Begles in the Investec Champions Cup final. Mayanavanua started in the heroic 34-37 victory over Leinster in the semi-final, and will likely start in the final in Cardiff, which will be one of his final matches in green, black and gold.

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“It has been a blessing for me and family to be at Saints,” said Mayanavanua.

“From the very start, and even before I came over, the way they looked after my wife and son to get them settled in was so special.

“I felt a really good buzz from the first day. Everyone made me feel like it was home and that it was a special group. Going onto win the Premiership last season speaks volumes about that, and now progressing to the Investec Champions Cup Final echoes that too.

“But I have been away from Fiji for nearly eight years, and for my wife it has been six. It really hit me when we went home recently, and were surrounded by family especially seeing my son with his cousins.

“Before, us boys from the islands had to go abroad to play as there was no career path for us. Now there is a professional team in Fiji, we have that option.

“Saints are always going to have a special place in my heart. It has been a really tough decision to make, we have really loved our time here in Northampton.

“The supporters, especially, have made us feel so welcome and that has made it so hard to choose whether to go home or stay.

“Winning the Premiership was a career highlight for me, it’s not something I ever thought I would achieve. I arrived having won the Challenge Cup with Lyon and didn’t know I’d have more success with Saints. I really got a taste for it, and I’m determined to see us enjoy more success before I sign off.”

Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson added: “Temo had a huge impact for us last season. When we watched him play for his former club, we really liked how physical he was, but we probably didn’t see then how unbelievably skilful he was and how good a reader of the game he is. These are obviously facets of his game that will be sorely missed.

“But off it, Temo has been a father figure to what is a young squad. He has looked after them and he has led in his own way. So, we are very sad to see him go because he has had a huge impact from the moment he came in and he will continue to for the rest of the season.

“But an opportunity presented itself to play professional rugby in his home country which means he will, of course, be much closer to his family. And while we are disappointed to lose him, we understand the decision he has made and will wish him all the best when the time comes.”