Ex-Saitama wing Marika Koroibete joins Indian side

Former Saitama Wild Knights wing Marika Koroibete has joined Indian sevens side Chennai Bulls on a lucrative short-term deal.

Koroibete, 33, who scored three tries this season for the third-place play-off winners, will play for his new side in the second instalment of the HSBC-backed Rugby Premier League from 16 to 28 June in Hyderabad, India.

© JRLO

The ex-Wallabies winger last represented Australia in 2024 and, after five seasons in Kumagaya, is one of eight players who have left the inaugural League One champions.

His new team Chennai Bulls, who are owned by AVID Sports, a division of the Indian-Australian company AvidSys Group, won the first edition of the six-team competition – which is the first franchise-based sevens rugby league – last year.

Koroibete is likely to be in demand by Australian clubs for a return to Super Rugby next season and could catch the eye of more suitors while playing in India for the first time in his career.

The Fiji-born wing scored in Saitama's final win against Suntory Sungoliath in 2022 and started League One's championship match in the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 seasons as they lost to Kubota Spears and Toshiba Brave Lupus respectively.

Koroibete scored 30 tries in 67 appearances for the club who will be bringing in Wallabies star-turned NRL sensation Mark Nawaqanitawase next season.

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