Dragons Lure Highlander to the Lair
Newport Gwent Dragons announce that Hoani MacDonald has signed a two year contract and will join the region in September 2008.
The highly-rated Highlanders’ Super 14 forward, who comes from one of the most noted rugby families in his country, played for the Junior All Blacks in 2006 and is currently involved in the New Zealand Maori squad for the 2008 IRB Pacific Nations Cup tournament.
Hoani is looking forward to the challenge of European rugby following an intense IRB Pacific Cup. He said:
“This will be an exciting move and I’m looking forward to playing some challenging rugby with the Dragons at Rodney Parade and in Europe.
“The Newport Gwent Dragons approached me in New Zealand with huge ambition to attract overseas experience ahead of an exciting new stadium at Rodney Parade and I am thrilled to commit and be part of their future goals.
“Having played with Tom Willis, James Arlidge and Grant Webb during my rugby career I’m delighted to join the Dragons among such a high calibre of player and look forward to becoming part of a strong squad of new and existing talent at Rodney Parade.”
Hoani will join fellow New Zealanders Tom Willis, James Arlidge and Grant Webb who have also signed two-year contracts with the Dragons, since Chief Executive Gethin Jenkins and Head Coach Paul Turner embarked on their overseas recruiting plan ahead of the redevelopment of Rodney Parade in 2010.
Head Coach Paul Tuner said: "We decided to move in a different direction to keep up with the other three regions, we are the only one which has never reached the quota of two overseas and four non-Welsh players," said Turner.
"Now we feel this is going to be the first season when we are building a squad to be able to arrive at the new stadium to compete well in Europe. We are no different from any other region, we should all have the same ambition.
"I've been aware of MacDonald for a year or more, he's a typical no-nonsense Southland/Otago/Highlanders player, technically sound, a good line-out forward and able to play at lock or six. I watched him play for the Maoris at the weekend and I'm delighted he's joining us. I met him in Dunedin when I was in New Zealand earlier in the year and I'm well aware of his capabilities. He comes from a big rugby family and I hope that along with Tom and Grant he will take our forward play to a new level.
"Grant arrived this week and I met him on Wednesday. He's been on the radar for a while, he has played for the Highlanders in the Super 12s and, like Hoani, is technically very good and I'll be looking to him to bring on our forward play and the likes of Dan Lydiate, Lewis Evans and James Harris."
The contract signings follow the submission of the planning application for a 15,000 capacity Rodney Parade stadium. Chief Executive Gethin Jenkins said:
“The signings reflect the ambition of the Dragons ahead of the imminent Stadium redevelopment. When Paul and I travelled to New Zealand we were determined to secure quality and experienced players to compliment the experience and emerging talent already nurtured by the Dragons within the region.
“It is important to ensure that we are signing the right type of players to join the Dragons and this formed a key reason for our trip to New Zealand. We explained our plans and the direction that the team is going and, as a result, the players have committed themselves to the Dragons for the coming two-years. There are certainly exciting times ahead for the region and the signings reflect the growing confidence here at Rodney Parade.”
Hoani MacDonald
Position: Lock/ flanker
Physical: 1.98m, 111kg
Born: 21.8.78, Invercargill
Province: Southland
Provincial caps: 44
Super 14 caps: 23
