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Hull FC sign Kiwi centre Setaimata Sa in time for Super League game at Leeds Hull FC sign Kiwi centre Setaimata Sa in time for Super League game at Leeds
(35 minutes later)
Hull FC have completed the signing of Setaimata Sa, the former New Zealand centre who has endured a frustrating 18 months in rugby union with London Irish, and he is likely to go straight into their squad for Friday night’s Super League fixture at Leeds. Hull FC have completed the signing of Setaimata Sa, the former New Zealand centre who endured a frustrating 18 months in rugby union with London Irish, and he is likely to go straight into their squad for Friday night’s Super League fixture at Leeds.
Sa had played union as a boy in Canterbury but made only four senior appearances for Irish, who he joined on a three-year deal from the Catalan Dragons in the autumn of 2012.Sa had played union as a boy in Canterbury but made only four senior appearances for Irish, who he joined on a three-year deal from the Catalan Dragons in the autumn of 2012.
He is a timely recruit for Hull and their coach Lee Radford, as last Saturday’s defeat by Hull KR at the Magic Weekend in Manchester was their fourth in five matches and left them outside the top eight play-off positions.He is a timely recruit for Hull and their coach Lee Radford, as last Saturday’s defeat by Hull KR at the Magic Weekend in Manchester was their fourth in five matches and left them outside the top eight play-off positions.
“Setaimata is a great signing for us,” Radford said. “He is exactly the calibre of player we should be bringing into this club and a significant move in terms of our recruitment process.“Setaimata is a great signing for us,” Radford said. “He is exactly the calibre of player we should be bringing into this club and a significant move in terms of our recruitment process.
“He is a player that can come straight into our side and make a significant improvement to our team. He has a fantastic character and temperament and while he is a good bloke off the field, he is a fierce competitor on it which is what we want.“He is a player that can come straight into our side and make a significant improvement to our team. He has a fantastic character and temperament and while he is a good bloke off the field, he is a fierce competitor on it which is what we want.
“He was missing rugby league and is really keen to make his mark at Hull FC, which is very pleasing. The first thing he said when he signed was he couldn’t wait to play in a Hull derby. That is exactly what you want to hear as a coach.”“He was missing rugby league and is really keen to make his mark at Hull FC, which is very pleasing. The first thing he said when he signed was he couldn’t wait to play in a Hull derby. That is exactly what you want to hear as a coach.”
Sa was a World Cup winner with the Kiwis in 2008, when he was playing for the Sydney Roosters. Hull have been struggling in the three-quarters all season after losing Tom Lineham, the powerful wing who made such an impact last year, with an ankle injury, and a deal for the rugby union wing Tom Biggs recently fell through. But Lineham is approaching a return and Ben Crooks could be back in contention for the Leeds game, although Jason Crookes must serve a two-match suspension after his dismissal against Hull KR. Sa was a World Cup winner with the Kiwis in 2008, when he was playing for the Sydney Roosters. Hull have been struggling in the threequarters all season after losing Tom Lineham, the powerful wing who made such an impact last year, with an ankle injury, and a deal for the rugby union wing Tom Biggs recently fell through. But Lineham is approaching a return and Ben Crooks could be back in contention for the Leeds game, although Jason Crookes must serve a two-match suspension after his dismissal against Hull KR.