Two players of Fijian heritage are among the five new recruits in the Highlanders squad for next year’s Super Rugby Pacific competition. They are hooker Soane Vikena and flanker Veveni Lasaqa, both of whom have signed two-year contracts.
Soane Vikena comes from Nasilai in Rewa and was part of the Blues squad that won the Super Rugby title. In 2020, he played for the Blues Under-20s and was named the Blues Development Player of the Year. Vikena represented the New Zealand U20 team from 2020-2021 and played for Auckland in the National Provincial Championship. He made his Super Rugby debut for the Blues in 2021 against the Crusaders. Vikena is known for his energetic play, strong open-field running, excellent tackling, and accurate line-out throwing.
Veveni Lasaqa made his Super Rugby debut against the Reds this year. The 22-year-old played for Bay of Plenty in the NPC. Born in Lautoka, Lasaqa moved to New Zealand to attend Tauranga Boys’ College.
The other three players joining the Highlanders are Will Stoddart, former New Zealand sevens rugby winger Caleb Tangitau, and Josh Wahaanga.