Samoan International Fautua Otto signed by Bristol Rugby – Rugby Union news
Bristol based Rugby Union Football Club, Bristol Rugby, has announced the signing of Samoa’s international winger and centre Fautua Otto. Officials at the club confirmed the signing of the international winger in a statement released
on their website on Tuesday, May 31.
Bristol competes in the Rugby Football Union’s English RFU championship after their relegation from the premiership at the end of the 2008/09 season. Bristol Rugby finished in eighth position at the end of the 2010/11 league championship,
managing only eight wins from 22 games they have played in the season. The signing of the international winger has definitely strengthened their back line for the next season as they continue to fight for a premiership berth.
Samoan born Otto made his international debut for Samoa’s national rugby union team against Tonga on June 12, 2010. He so far has played five games for Samoa’s national rugby union team and scored a try. He took the field in the starting xv once while coming
on as a substitute on four occasions.
The 25-year-old utility back Otto is a familiar face in England courtesy of the try he scored playing against the England at Twickenham on November 20, 2010.
Earlier in 2010, Otto impressed everyone with his magnificent skills and abilities during the 2010 International Rugby Board Sevens World Series. He scored 18 tries in the tournament that saw Samoa win their first Sevens title. Samoa finished with the 164
points on the 2009/10 IRB Sevens World competition.
Bristol Rugby head coach, Liam Middleton, has expressed his satisfaction over the signing of the utility back. He praised Otto’s remarkable ball handling and tackling abilities.
Middleton confirmed that he was on the lookout for the Samoa’s utility back since his exceptional performance in the 2010 IRB World Sevens series. He said, “He has been an instrumental part of a very successful Samoan Sevens side, so when we started to look
for an outside centre, he was my first target.”
Otto is likely to be included in the Samoa’s 2011 Rugby World Cup (RWC) Squad. Middleton has termed Otto’s World Cup experience as beneficial for the club. He said, “He will bring his World Cup experience to Bristol when he returns in October and that will
be valuable to us." Otto will join the Bristol Rugby at the end of the 2011 RWC in October, 2011.
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