The New England Free Jacks signed Tevita Sole to a 3-year contract through the 2024 Major League Rugby season. The 22-year-old loosehead/tighthead prop (23 in January) is 6’0″ and 265lbs.
Tevita is from Nuku ‘alofa, Tonga, and attended Tonga College’Atele. He moved to New Zealand in 2019 and played with the Bay of Plenty U19s under Free Jacks Assistant Coach Mike Brown in 2018 and then played with Tonga U20s in the World Rugby Junior Trophy competition.
In 2020 he played with the China Lions for one match in the Global Rapid Rugby competition before the league shut down due to the Covi-19 pandemic. He resumed playing with the Bay of Plenty in 2021 and won the Chiefs Centurion Cup.
New England Free Jacks Comments
“Best feeling ever,” exclaimed Sole when asked about the next chapter in his rugby career. “I’m very happy to be a part of the New England Free Jacks for 2022 and can’t wait to see new faces and meet new people. I can’t wait to get over there and do what we love, and thanks for having me be a part of the club! Malo ofa lahi atu,” which translates to, ‘thanks and love.’
“Tevita is a young prop with a huge amount of potential,” commented Free Jacks Assistant Coach, Mike Rogers. “He plays both sides of the scrum, is an excellent scrummager, and has a high work rate. Tevita will really complement our domestic props well and will bring a lot of energy to our environment. I have a huge amount of respect for Tevita as a player and person and I am sure that he will become a real crowd favorite in Boston.”
At the age of 22, Sole has already gathered plenty of experience playing tough competition all around the Oceania region. The Free Jacks look forward to having the bruising prop step foot on the Veterans Memorial pitch this 2022 season.
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