Worcester sign Zimbabwean prop
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Zimbabwe tighthead prop Farai Mudariki will head to the Premiership after signing a contract with Worcester Warriors.
Mudariki is part of the Zimbabwe squad that spent a night on the streets of Tunisia in protest at the hotel in which they were put up in preparation for their World Cup qualifier against Tunisia this weekend.
The prop has nine Test caps for Zimbabwe, scoring a try on his debut against Madagascar in a 2015 Rugby World Cup qualifier, and is set for his tenth appearance this weekend against Tunisia.
The 23-year-old is set for the switch to Sixways at the end of this year’s Rugby Africa Gold Cup, which serves as a qualifier for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Mudariki becomes Alan Solomons’ 11th signing ahead of the new season and joins from State Tarbes Pyrenees (Federale 1 – third tier of French Rugby) after spending two seasons at Castres Espoirs, the youth Academy side for Top 14 outfit Castres.
Meanwhile, Matti Williams, who can play at hooker or flanker, has signed a one-year contract extension at Sixways with Academy duo Justin Clegg (lock) and Zac Xiourouppa (back row) promoted to the first-team.
Warriors Director of Rugby Alan Solomons said: “I’m very happy with the shape of our squad for the 2018/19 campaign. We have plenty of strength in depth and I’m genuinely excited about next season.
“A big work-on for us is our consistency. The team has shown on a number of occasions that we can compete with the best in the league but now we must seek to do that on a regular basis as we look to try and drive up the Premiership table,”
Worcester Warriors: Josh Adams, Niall Annett, Jonny Arr, Luke Baldwin, Darren Barry, Ashley Beck, Callum Black, Ryan Bower, Anton Bresler, Justin Clegg, Matt Cox, Cornell du Preez, Alafoti Faosiliva, Michael Fatialofa, Dean Hammond, Michael Heaney, Bryce Heem, Francois Hougaard, Tom Howe, Perry Humphreys, Simon Kerrod, Carl Kirwan, Jono Lance, Sam Lewis, Marco Mama, Gareth Milasinovich, Isaac Miller, Ryan Mills, Farai Mudariki, Wynand Olivier, Chris Pennell, Pierce Phillips, Dewald Potgieter, Nick Schonert, Jamie Shillcock, Jack Singleton, Joe Taufete’e, Ben Te’o, Scott van Breda, GJ van Velze, Francois Venter, Ethan Waller, Duncan Weir, Matti Williams, Zac Xiourouppa
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