New signing Ava Seumanufagai urged to join Leeds Rhinos by club’s old boys

The 27-year-old prop played with Galloway at Wests Tigers and Segeyaro for Cronulla Sharks.

“I have only heard good things about Leeds,” he said. “A good mate of mine, Keith Galloway, used to play here and he and other mates have said it’s a great club to come to. I am feeling blessed to be here. I spoke to Chicko [Segeyaro] and Keith and I know a couple of boys at other clubs and spoke to them as well.”

Seumanufagai arrived in Leeds yesterday and trained with his new team-mates this morning. He said: “There were no flights into Manchester so I got a flight from Tokyo to London and then got the train up to Leeds.

“Training was all right, but I was a bit tired to be honest! It was a long flight over, but I am glad to finally be here.

“It has been a long time coming, we were waiting for my visa for about a week and a half. I had to have my bags packed and, as soon as I got my visa, I got the next flight over. It is good to be here and finally get into it.”

Of his introduction to Rhinos, where he is contracted until the end of 2021, he said: “It was kind of like the first day of school, meeting everyone. The training was the easy part of it, the harder part was meeting people and remembering names. The boys are awesome, they have been really welcoming and I am looking forward to spending more time with them.

“It is a massive move for me, it is my whole life. I have pretty much upped and gone.

“It took maybe about a month to decide and once I did I was pretty excited. I am looking forward to playing [in Super League] and seeing this side of the world as well. It is a new experience for me.”