French club signs 145kg Tonga prop

Bordeaux-Begles have signed giant Tonga tight-head prop Ben Tameifuna for next season, the French Top 14 club said on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old returned from Rugby World Cup duty last year weighing 160kg before dropping down to 145kg and his Racing 92 side chose against offering him a new contract.

Elsewhere, the outfit, who led the league table before the season was declared over last month due to the coronavirus pandemic, confirmed the arrival of Cheetahs hooker Joseph Dweba.

"We decided to strengthen in terms of our power, notably among the forwards. I was impressed by South Africa winning the World Cup. They had two great sets of front-rowers," head coach Christophe Urios told newspaper Sud-Ouest.

Tameifuna and Dweba will be joined at Stade Chaban-Delmas by ex-New Zealand sevens international Ben Lam and France under-20's winger Nathanael Hulleu who are expected to soften the blow of losing Fiji's Semi Radradra to Bristol.