Rugby: Promising duo bring winning mentalities

The Bay of Plenty Steamers have signed a pair of promising young Chiefs players ahead of this year's ITM Cup campaign.

Former New Zealand Schools and NZ Under-20 loosehead prop Solomona Sakalia and exciting outside back Tino Nemani have put pen to paper for the 2013 season.

The 1.9m, 118kg Sakalia, who advanced through the Wellington age group ranks while attending Wellington College, was part of the undefeated New Zealand Under-20 side which won the 2011 IRB Junior World Championships.

The 22-year-old former Marist St Pat's player is not yet linked with a club side in the Bay of Plenty but cannot wait to get a crack at ITM rugby after being named in the full Chiefs squad this season.

"I'm looking forward to the new experience and playing ITM Cup alongside some of the boys I've already played with," said Sakalia.

The young prop has made the most of his trip north for regular game time in the Chiefs' development side and is working hard on getting a crack at the next level.

"It's been really good, I've enjoyed being up here. I've been learning heaps and will hopefully get some game time for the Chiefs at some stage."

Nemani, who is in his second year with the Chiefs, has signed a one-year deal with the Steamers.

"The Bay have some really good backs so I'm just going to try my hardest to get a starting spot," said Nemani.

"I can't wait to come down to play for the Bay, hopefully we can have a good year."

The former Hawke's Bay player, who played his schoolboy rugby for Sacred Heart College, said time in the Chiefs environment has left him in good shape for the ITM Cup.

"It's pretty good here - it's really hard to crack this team because everyone is doing their job at the moment. I'm just hanging in there."