6 May 2014

Connacht sign World Cup winning All Black Muliaina

11:40 am on 6 May 2014

The Irish rugby club Connacht have signed World Cup winning All Black Mils Muliaina in a major coup for the province, who have been struggling in the shadow of its Heineken Cup challenging domestic rivals.

The former New Zealand fullback, the second All Black to play 100 Test matches, signed a one-year deal to play with the west of Ireland side after returning to the Chiefs last year following a stint in Japan.

Muliaina will re-link with Connacht coach Pat Lam after being coached by the former Samoan international at the Blues.

Connacht, who lie fourth from bottom in the RaboDirect PRO12 and are set to play in the second tier of European rugby next season, say the 33-year-old would operate as a player-mentor and would work in particular with Robbie Henshaw, widely seen as a future international replacement for Brian O'Driscoll.