Clermont confirm the signing of Los Puma Lavanini

Leicester Tigers and Los Pumas second rower Tomas Lavanini has signed a two-year deal with Top 14 giants Clermont.

Lavanini joined the Leicester Tigers ahead of the 2019/20 season and has since racked up 21 appearances for the club but has featured just twice during the 2020/21 season.

A test veteran with 56 appearances for Los Pumas, Lavannini will arrive at Clermont ahead of the 2021/22 season and adds to the club's second-row stocks which includes the Lanen brothers as well as Paul Jedrasiak and Sébastien Vahaamahina.

He has also been brought into the club after the departure of Sitaleki Timani who has been released from his contract for personal reasons.

Clermont Director of Rugby Franck Azema praised his new recruit telling the club's website:

"This is obviously excellent news for the club. Tomas is a world-class player, who is among the most recognized specialists in his post at the international level. He embodies the fighting spirit and state of mind of the Argentinian pack, whose character and reputation are well known. He is obviously a recognized Pumas fighter but also a still young player (28 years old), who travels a lot and has good hands.We are convinced that he will fit perfectly with the game we want to put in place and will pull the whole group to the top thanks to his qualities and his character. "

Azema also bid Timani farewell after five seasons at the club saying:

"We did everything we could to hold Sita down, at least until the end of this season, but we couldn't go beyond his will and hold him against his will. The health situation, in the international context that we know, weighs very heavily on his family unit. It is a decision that we are obliged to respect even if we deeply regret it."