Toronto Arrows Announce Return of Mieres, Wadden, Arrival of Sione

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TORONTO, ON – The Toronto Arrows are pleased to announce a third group of significant signings ahead of the 2022 Major League Rugby season.

The club is excited to confirm that Gaston Mieres and Adrian Wadden are returning for the upcoming campaign, and that the duo will be joined by Australian prop Fa’alelei Sione.

Gaston Mieres
Wing / Fullback | Punta del Este
Arrow #32

Mieres, 32, is back for a fourth season with the club after featuring in 26 matches (23 starts) for the Arrows between 2019 and 2021.

Widely regarded as one of Major League Rugby’s deadliest finishers, the 5’11”, 170lb Uruguayan holds club records in several statistical categories, including tries scored (13), carry metres (1,751), linebreaks (28), and offloads (20).

Mieres’ career totals also include 73 tackles (90.1% completion), seven dominant tackles, 31 tackle breaks, and 738 kicking metres (19 kicks in play).

Mieres has collected 76 caps for Uruguay – second-most all-time for Los Teros – including making 66 starts and scoring 17 tries. He featured for his national team at both the 2015 and 2019 Rugby World Cup, and recently played a key role in helping Los Teros secure qualification for the 2023 tournament.

Mieres has also represented Uruguay at the Rugby World Cup Sevens in both 2013 and 2018, as well as at the Junior World Rugby Trophy in 2009, and played his grassroots rugby with Lobos.

 

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Fa’alelei Sione
Prop | Canberra, Australia

Sione, 25, joins the Arrows from Australian side Eastern Suburbs, where the prop made 16 appearances over the previous two seasons in New South Wales’ Shute Shield.

The 6’, 275lb forward has experience playing at the pinnacle of professional rugby in the southern hemisphere, making eight appearances in Super Rugby with his hometown Brumbies in 2017 and 2018. Sione later joined up with current Arrow Sam Malcolm at Manawatu in New Zealand, featuring 20 times for the National Provincial Championship’s Turbos in 2018 and 2019.

Known to teammates as “Lei,” the former Junior Wallaby suited up for Australia at the 2016 World Rugby Under 20 Championship.

Adrian Wadden
Lock | Mississauga, Ontario
Arrow #49

Wadden, 25, is back for a second campaign with the club after making 14 appearances (eight starts) in his debut season in MLR.

The 6’5”, 245lb lock was a consistent presence in the Arrows lineup throughout 2021, accumulating 225 carry metres on 55 carries, 197 ruck arrivals, 67 tackles (84.8% completion), 29 lineout takes, five tackle breaks, four offloads, two lineout steals, one linebreak and one try.

Wadden has made several international appearances for Canada in recent years, including national development team selections to Canada ‘A’ (2016 and 2017 Americas Pacific Challenge; 2016 UK / Ireland Tour) and the Canada Selects (2018 France Tour). He was also selected to Canada’s under-20 squad in both 2015 (as an under-ager) and 2016.

The rangy forward originally joined the Arrows following the completion of his successful three-year spell at Leeds Beckett University (England), where the Mississauga native was a standout in the BUCS Super Rugby league.

Wadden is a graduate of the Ontario Blues provincial program, and also played two seasons of Ontario University Athletics rugby with the McMaster Marauders (2014, 2015) prior to becoming a nationally-carded athlete.

He played his grassroots rugby with the Oakville Crusaders.

 

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“We’re thrilled to have both Tone and Adrian back with the Arrows,” said Mark Winokur, Toronto Arrows Chief Operating Officer and General Manager. “Gaston is a total pro and a very key member of our backline, and Adrian had a solid first year in MLR and will continue to go from strength to strength.”

“Lei is a powerful runner and scrummager who has played at the top level of the professional game, and we are excited to bring him to MLR and Toronto.”

The Arrows have now signed 13 players ahead of the club’s 2022 MLR campaign.

The club will be making additional signing announcements in the coming weeks as 2022 season preparations continue to build.

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]