FLYING Fijians lock Temo Mayanavanua will depart the Northampton Saints at the end of the season with speculation that he could be joining the Fijian Drua.
The club confirmed that he will leave at the end of the 2024/25 season to return home and pursue a playing opportunity in Fiji.
The lock joined the club following the conclusion of Fiji’s 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign, and, after overcoming a knee injury, became Saint #2085 that same year when he came off the bench at Saracens.
A further 18 appearances followed in his first season in Black, Green and Gold, the last that term coming in the Gallagher Premiership Final where Saints triumphed 25-21 over Bath Rugby to lift the league trophy.
Mayanavanua has made 35 appearances in a Saints shirt to date, scoring his only try so far in Northampton’s pool stage clash with Castres Olympique in this season’s Investec Champions Cup.
“It has been a blessing for me and family to be at Saints. From the very start, and even before I came over, the way they looked after my wife and son to get them settled in was so special.
“I felt a really good buzz from the first day. Everyone made me feel like it was home and that it was a special group. Going onto win the Premiership last season speaks volumes about that and now progressing to the Investec Champions Cup Final echoes that too.
“But I have been away from Fiji for nearly eight years, and for my wife it has been six. It really hit me when we went home recently and were surrounded by family especially seeing my son with his cousins.
“Before, us boys from the islands had to go abroad to play as there was no career path for us. Now there is a professional team in Fiji, we have that option.
“Saints are always going to have a special place in my heart. It has been a really tough decision to make, we have really loved our time here in Northampton,” he said while speaking to the club.
Director of rugby Phil Dowson also hinted at Mayanavanua’s possibility of joining the Drua.
“But an opportunity presented itself to play professional rugby in his home country which means he will, of course, be much closer to his family. And while we are disappointed to lose him, we understand the decision he has made and will wish him all the best when the time comes.”
Despite being just 27-years-old, Mayanavanua has already racked up 31 international caps for Fiji, the most recent of which he earned in the Autumn Nations Series – including starting in a famous victory over Wales in Cardiff.
