A Tokyo Olympic Gold Medallist and fellow Fijian Rugby Sevens star are set to join the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys for the 2022 NRL season.
Iosefo Masikau and Taniela Sadrugu will arrive in North Queensland for pre-season in November and will train full-time alongside the Cowboys NRL squad for the duration of the 2022 season.
Masikau starred for Fiji in their gold medal campaign at the Tokyo Olympics in July, scoring a try in their opening pool match against Japan.
The 23-year-old shapes as a versatile outside back in his transition to rugby league and will spend time training at wing, centre and fullback.
Sadrugu has played the majority of his rugby career as a flanker and will be trained as a forward upon joining the Cowboys.
Both players have had a taste of North Queensland life as members of the Fiji squad for the recent Oceania Sevens in Townsville.
Masikau and Sadrugu join the Cowboys on Train and Replacement contracts, which allows them to train alongside the Cowboys NRL squad. Following the pre-season both players will be allocated to one of the Cowboys’ three feeder clubs in the Queensland Cup, but will remain training alongside North Queensland’s NRL squad mid-week.
“Iosefo is a very skilful player who could handle playing any position in the back five,” Cowboys Recruitment Manager Dane Campbell said.
“He has shown a high-level of athleticism and is defensively willing, which we are confident will transfer well into rugby league.
“Taniela is a very tough competitor who enjoys collision and will be trained as both a middle and edge forward.
“He has good speed and comes to us highly regarded in rugby sevens circles, so we are looking forward to seeing him transition and develop his game at the Cowboys.”
