Friday 12 August 2016 15:23, UK
Western Force have signed Curtis Rona from rugby league side Canterbury Bulldogs on a two-year contract.
The 24-year-old has scored 39 tries in 53 appearances for the Bulldogs and was the second-highest try scorer in the NRL last season.
Rona, who was born in New Zealand but raised in Perth, was a member of the Western Force academy before switching to rugby league in 2009.
He has spent most of his career on the wing but has also played in the centres for Canterbury this season.
"The signing of Curtis is good for us on a number of levels," said Force interim head coach Dave Wessels.
"Obviously being a local boy him coming home means a lot as we look to keep growing rugby in the state and the second thing is that he's a weapon.
"He has been incredibly successful in the NRL as one of the leading try scorers in the competition and is a really exciting player. At 24 he is still very young so we feel he fits nicely in our plans for our backline.
"At this stage with his size and speed and what he has done on the wing in the NRL we are looking at him as an outside back."
