Former Highlanders and Otago enforcer has joined the Sharks with immediate effect and his capture has been hailed by director of rugby Steve Diamond.
Sale have moved to bolster their squad for the second half of the campaign by signing Samoan international TJ Ioane who has joined the Sharks with immediate effect.
The 25-year-old flanker, who previously played for Otago and Super 15 side the Highlanders – has signed for the rest of the campaign with the option to further extend his stay and has already been integrated into the Sale squad.
A member of the New Zealand schools side back in 2007, Ioane was part of the Samoan Test side that played England in November and as well as playing as a blind side flanker, he can also operate as a number eight.
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And Sale boss Steve Diamond believes Ioane’s aggressive brand of rugby will be a perfect fit for his team as the Sharks seek to step up their assault on a second successive top six Premeirship finish.
“TJ is a great signing for us and I am sure that he will become a very valuable member of our squad and be very popular with our fans,” said the Sale director of rugby.
“He’s a great player. He comes highly recommended by Dan Braid which says everything and he can play at either number six or number eight and is a big ball in carrier so we’re delighted he’s joined us.
“He has chosen to play for Samoa in the World Cup which is why he didn’t get a Super 15 contract in New Zealand and we’re delighted he’s joined us.
“TJ wanted to play abroad, to expand his rugby and he knew one or two of our players who told him what a great environment it was. “
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For his part, Ioane – cousin of Australian Test star Digby Ioane – has already got his first two training sessions under his belt and is in the mix to be included in Sale’s squad for Saturday’s Premiership clash with champions Northampton.
And Ioane, who arrived in Manchester on Monday having traveled 12,000 miles from Wellington in New Zealand, revealed that he been given an advance crash course in what to expect at Sale by his Samoan team-mate Johnny Leota.
“Its been a bit of a mind-blowing experience going straight from the New Zealand summer to the English winter. Its a bit cold here in Manchester but Johnny warned me about that before I got here!
“It makes it a bit easier that I know Johnny well and I have also played against Dan Braid back in New Zealand.
“It also helps that those boys are two of the leaders of the Sale team.
“Johnny painted a pretty vivid picture of Sale to me and having played against Braidy back in New Zealand, its great to see that he’s still in good shape here and I want to learn as much as I can from them.
“I’m looking forward to getting an opportunity to play for Sale.
“I’ll have to quickly learn the calls and team pattern first with the season being halfway through and then, hopefully, I can be included in the matchday 23 squad.
“Hopefully, Sale will see that I tackle hard and run hard and that I can bring some enthusiasm and aggression to the forwards and the defence and make an impact.”
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