The Austin Herd have signed two Pacific Challenge representatives for the 2020 Major League Rugby season. Samoa ‘A’ cap Potu Leavasa and Fiji Warriors select Enele Malele will join the re-branded team as it looks to rebuild following their winless 2019 campaign.

Leavasa, 23, joins the Herd from the Warringah Rats in Sydney’s Shute Shield competition, where he has played the last two seasons. The 6’5″ (1.96m) specimen prefers the No8 position but can also play at lock. He represented Samoa at the Americas Pacific Challenge in 2018 and the World Rugby Pacific Challenge earlier this year. Leavasa was previously part of the Melbourne Rebels academy program.

Arriving from Fiji is Malele, a starter with the Fijian Drua who were finalists in this season’s Australian National Rugby Championship. A flyhalf or fullback, the 29-year-old played for Fiji’s development side at the 2018 Nations Cup, and again this year at the Pacific Challenge where he also played one match at inside center. At 6’3″ (1.90m) he is a rangy runner who kicks well out of hand.