After his All Black career ended one season shorted than he intended, Waisake Naholo is settling into his new home with the London Irish.
After his All Black career ended one season shorted than he intended, Waisake Naholo is settling into his new home with the London Irish.
Whanganui's expat former All Black Waisake Naholo is looking to hit the cold ground running at his new home with London Irish this weekend.
The 28-year-old winger had signed with the Gallagher Premiership team in February this year, while still hoping to make the All Blacks' Rugby World Cup squad,until a knee injury saw him miss seven weeks of Super Rugby for the Highlanders.
Naholo came back for the last four Highlanders matches, before rejoining Taranaki in the Mitre 10 Cup, but by then test newcomers George Bridge and Sevu Reece had surpassed him to make the All Black squad for Japan.
Having finished up with Taranaki in mid-October after their disappointing campaign to miss the Cup Championship semifinals, Naholo flew out to join his new Northern Hemisphere club last weekend.
He is likely to line up for their home match with Leicester at Madejski Stadium on Monday, NZ time.
"It feels a bit cold, but it's good to be here finally," he said.
"It's something a bit different from what I'm used to back home.
"London Irish were the first club we looked at and I quite enjoyed it.
"I knew a few [players], obviously Terrace [TJ Ioane], we were down at the Highlanders together.
"Motu Matu'u, he's well known by everyone."
Currently sitting 10th of 12 teams on the Premiership table with a 1-2 record, Leicester will be hoping Naholo sparks a upsurge in fortune for the club, and he will no doubt want the same after his final season of New Zealand rugby did not go the way he hoped.
"Just getting the most out of my time here," Naholo said when asked his goals.
"When I get named to play, when I'm really enjoying it and really get to express myself."
After debuting for Wanganui in the Mitre 10 Heartland Championship as an 18-year-old while still at City College, Naholo moved to Taranaki and played Super Rugby for the Blues before switching to the Highlanders.
He scored 45 tries in 62 games for the franchise, and made his All Blacks debut in 2015, ultimately scoring 16 tries in 26 tests.
