Monday Afternoon Round Up

Sunwolves reveals 2017 Super Rugby squad

Sunwolves head coach Filo Tiatia has revealed his squad for the upcoming Super Rugby season.

Players in: Takeshi Hino, Kyosuke Kajikawa, Willie Britz, Uwe Helu, Yoshitaka Tokunaga, Shuhei Matsuhashi, Malgene Ilaua, Yuhimaru Mimura, Takahiro Ogawa, Tanaka, Yuki Yatomi, Hayden Cripps, Hikaru Tamura, Timothy Lafaele, Kenki Fukuoka, Teruya Goto, Yasutaka Sasakura

Players out: Shinnosuke Kakinaga, Futoshi Mori, Tim Bond, Tim Bond, Yoshiya Hosoda, Naohiro Kotaki, Taiyo Ando, Andrew Durutalo, Shokei Kin, Atsushi Hiwasa, Daisuke Inoue, Mifiposeti Paea, Ryohei Yamanaka, Kentaro Kodama, Viliami Lolohea, John Stewart, Yamada, Hajime Yamashita

Sunwolves 2017 squad

Forwards: Keita Inagaki, Masataka Mikami, Koki Yamamoto, Takeshi Kizu, Takeshi Hino, Shota Horie, Takuma Asahara, Heiichiro Ito, Koo Jiwon, Hitoshi Ono, Kyosuke Kajikawa, Shinya Makabe, Liaki Moli, Willem Britz, Edward Quirk, Uwe Helu, Yoshitaka Tokunaga, Shuhei Matsuhashi, Malgene Ilaua, Yuhimaru Mimura

Backs: Keisuke Uchida, Takahiro Ogawa, Fumiaki Tanaka, Kaito Shigeno, Yuki Yatomi, Harumichi Tatekawa, Hikaru Tamura, Yu Tamura, Hayden Cripps, Teruya Goto, Kenki Fukuoka, Timothy Lafaele, Derek Carpenter, Yasutaka Sasakura, Kotaro Matsushima, Riaan Viljoen

Piutau to join Bristol in January

Siale Piutau has agreed a switch from Yamaha Jubilo to Bristol Rugby after signing a deal that will see him with the club until the end of the 2016/17 campaign.

“Siale brings the necessary intensity and physicality required to make an impact in the top flight and that abrasive style will benefit our style of play,” commented Head Coach Mark Tainton.

Piutau represented Tonga at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, playing all four group games against Georgia, Namibia, Argentina and New Zealand.

He has previously represented Wasps in the Aviva Premiership, alongside his younger brother Charles.

Clermont confirm Rabah Slimani signing

France tighthead prop Rabah Slimani has signed a three-year deal with Clermont for next season with an option for a further year.

“He has great experience at a high level. We know what a strong force he can be in the scrum. We’re very happy to welcome him into our squad next season,” commented Clermont head coach Franck Azema.

Slimani is Clermont’s second confirmed signing ahead of next season, joining Scotland scrum-half and captain Greig Laidlaw.