Leicester Tigers sign Samoa hooker Richie Asiata
Leicester Tigers have signed Samoa hooker Richie Asiata for the 2026-27 season.
The club listed the deal as ‘New signing 2026-27: Richie Asiata’ on its official news page on 13 October 2026 Leicester Tigers. Asiata, 30, arrives from Australia’s Queensland Reds after more than 50 Super Rugby appearances BBC Sport.
Super Rugby is the leading professional club competition in the southern hemisphere, built around sides from Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. Fifty-plus games at that level means week after week of fast, physical rugby, where fatigue builds quickly and small errors cost points. It is a demanding place to learn the front row.
Asiata plays hooker, the front-row forward who throws the ball into the lineout, the restart used when the ball goes into touch, and packs down in the middle of the scrum, the eight-against-eight shove for the ball. He is valued as much for accuracy as for power. A crooked throw or a loose scrum can hand the opposition the ball.
His international route crosses three nations. Born in New Zealand, he first represented Australia at Under-20 level before qualifying for Samoa on heritage. He won his first two caps, the term rugby uses for senior international appearances, for Samoa earlier this year.
That switch has stuck. Asiata is in Samoa’s squad for next month’s Nations Cup fixtures. He will therefore arrive at Leicester as a current Test player, used to the step up in pace and intensity that comes with international rugby in the autumn window.
Asiata spent several seasons in Queensland and re-signed with the Reds for the 2026 campaign Queensland Reds. The move to England is his first club switch to the northern hemisphere, where winter conditions place an even greater premium on set-piece, the scrum and lineout, and on kicking for field position.
For supporters, this means depth where it hurts most. Hooker is a specialist job. Lineout throwing, scrummaging and tackling in the tight channels demand clear thinking under fatigue. A 30-year-old with long Super Rugby service brings that craft.
Leicester get experience. Samoa keep a Test hooker playing regularly. Asiata gets a new stage.
