Toronto Arrows Announce Signing of Centre Tasi

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TORONTO, ON – The Toronto Arrows are pleased to announce the signing of centre Tautalatasi Tasi for the 2023 Major League Rugby season.

Tasi, 28, arrives at the club from Japanese side Tokyo Gas, where the midfielder helped lead the Top East League team to the 2022-2023 championship last month.

“I’m really excited to finally be here in Toronto and officially become an Arrow,” said Tasi. “Pete has brought in a lot of class players from different rugby backgrounds and hopefully we’ll bring some silverware back to Toronto – especially the MLR Shield. I want to be a part of that journey and give this season a red-hot crack.”

The New Zealand-born, Australian-raised centre began his foray into professional rugby primarily as a league player, coming up through the ranks with his hometown Ipswich Jets, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs’ New South Wales Cup side, and North Sydney Bears before featuring for NRL side South Sydney Rabbitohs in 2016.

Tasi switched his focus to rugby union in 2018, joining Queensland Premier Rugby’s Souths ahead of earning a contract with National Rugby Championship side Brisbane City the following year.

The five-foot-ten, 230-pound midfielder then spent two years in Super Rugby, first participating in a preseason with the Melbourne Rebels leading into 2019 before making his debut for the New South Wales Waratahs later that year. He swapped Australia for Japan during the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, plying his trade with the Sunwolves alongside fellow new Arrow Corey Thomas.

During his Super Rugby offseasons, he suited up for a pair of campaigns with Shute Shield side Gordon, notably helping guide the Highlanders to a Sydney Rugby Premiership title in 2020 – the club’s first championship in 22 years.

Tasi ventured back to his home state in 2021, returning to the Queensland Premier Rugby competition for two more campaigns: first with Bond University for a standout Hospital Cup season that would see him earn the Bull Sharks’ Player of the Year honours, and later with GPS Rugby Club for the initial chunk of 2022’s fixture list.

From there, he enjoyed a successful second stint in Japan with Tokyo Gas before turning his attention to a new challenge in North America.

“I feel like a little kid on his first day at a new school,” added Tasi. “I’ve heard a lot of good things about the MLR and how quickly it’s developing, especially in Canada. Rugby is becoming more and more popular here and it’s good to hear that people enjoy playing and watching the game at higher levels. I am hoping to bring my experiences and apply it here in the MLR and North America this year.”

The club will begin its fifth season in North America’s top-flight professional rugby league with a road match against Rugby ATL on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023.

About Toronto Arrows Rugby Football Club:

Established in 2018, the Toronto Arrows Rugby Football Club is Canada’s first and only professional rugby union team.

Competing in Major League Rugby, the team is equipped to compete against top-tier North American professional club teams, providing emerging Canadian talent with enhanced and more frequent opportunities to hone their skills at an elite level.

For more information, visit https://torontoarrows.com/

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For more information, please contact:

Brock Smith
Communications Manager
Toronto Arrows
[email protected]

Header Photo Credit: Marty Melville / AFP