Clermont Auvergne hooker Folau Fainga\u2019a will return to Australia for the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season, after penning a deal with Rugby Australia and the NSW Waratahs.<\/p>\n
The 30-year-old front-rower has amassed 38 caps for the Wallabies to date, but last donned the Gold jersey in 2022 during the end-of-year tour.<\/p>\n
He is the latest player to return home from the Top 14<\/a>, joining former Bordeaux-Begles back-rower Pete Samu in making the switch.<\/p>\n As a result, Fainga\u2019a will be available for selection for the 2027 Rugby World Cup<\/p>\n \u2018I feel I have plenty to offer on and off the field\u2019<\/p>\n Commenting on the move, Fainga\u2019a said:\u00a0\u201cI couldn\u2019t be more excited to return to Australia<\/a>, and particularly to my home city of Sydney with the NSW Waratahs.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Waratahs is somewhere I started my professional rugby journey in the Under-20s and to be coming back to work under Dan and play with some guys I know really well is something I\u2019m massively looking forward to.<\/p>\n \u201cTo be closer to family is something I\u2019m grateful for as well, after being away from them for nearly 10 years now.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel I have plenty to offer on and off the field and am looking forward to working hard and giving myself every opportunity to make a positive impact on Australian Rugby.\u201d<\/p>\n His return to Australia, and therefore the Wallabies selection pool, comes at a timely juncture for their hooker stock following the retirement of Dave Porecki after the British and Irish Lions series.<\/p>\n In that time, Billy Pollard, Josh Nasser and Brandon Paenga-Amosa have all had gametime in Joe Schmidt\u2019s side.<\/p>\n Jake Gordon \u2018excited\u2019 to make Wallabies return but full of praise for \u2018incredible\u2019 Nic White<\/a><\/p>\n