Former Wallabies Leroy Houston and Saia Fainga’a sign overseas deals

FORMER Wallabies Leroy Houston and Saia Fainga’a are on the move to Europe after signing with Bordeaux-Begles and London Irish respectively.

Leroy Houston at Wallabies media day at The Event Centre in Caloundra.

AUSTRALIAN international forward Leroy Houston has signed a two-year deal with his former Top 14 club Bordeaux-Begles from Queensland Reds, the French club has confirmed.

Houston, 30, returns to the western French outfit where he played in 2011 but left after just one season after failing to convince.

The following season he moved to French Pro D2 side Colomiers, before heading to England for a successful three seasons at Premiership side Bath, playing 94 matches until 2016.

Since mid-2016 he has lined up for the Reds and was called up once for Australia duty against Argentina in the 2016 Rugby Championship.

The Reds confirmed that New Zealand-born Houston had been released from the second year of his contract at his request.

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Leroy Houston at Wallabies media day at The Event Centre in Caloundra.

“Leroy has been a great contributor to the squad this year and while he has had injury concerns to contend with through the middle part of the Super Rugby campaign, we agreed to his request for an early release on personal grounds,” said coach Nick Stiles.

Meanwhile, former Wallabies hooker Saia Fainga’a will leave the Brumbies at the end of the Super Rugby season to join London Irish.

Fainga’a and twin brother Anthony, 30, returned to the Brumbies in the off-season but have failed to make a major impression on the field due to injury.

Saia, who continues to battle a foot injury, will finish the season with the Australian conference winners who have two regular season matches after the June Test window before they host a final in Canberra.

“A move to London Irish presents me with an exciting challenge and one which I want to make the most of,” Fainga’a said.

Anthony and Saia Fainga’a at Auckland’s Wesley College during the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

“I’ve heard great things about Irish and it’s certainly a forward-thinking club with big plans for the future.”

Anthony Fainga’a has been released from the club and travelled to Osaka earlier in the week to link with the Kintetsu Liners who he played with last season.

The former Wallaby hasn’t played Super Rugby this season after a frustrating run with injuries.

Brumbies No 8 Jordan Smiler has also reportedly signed a contract to play alongside Matt Giteau at Suntory in the Top League season after the ACT-based franchise’s finals push.

Brumbies forwards coach Dan McKellar, who will take over in the head role from Stephen Larkham at the end of the season, has foreshadowed a number of contract announcements in the coming weeks.

The Brumbies are set to re-sign a slew of off-contract players, while star flanker David Pocock will return from a sabbatical next year and fly half and co-captain Christian Lealiifano is progressing well as he targets a remarkable return to rugby after a bone-marrow transplant.

Originally published as Former Wallabies Leroy Houston and Saia Fainga’a sign overseas deals