Northampton Saints can today confirm that Temo Mayanavanua will depart the Club at the end of the 2024/25 season to return home and pursue a playing opportunity in Fiji.
The lock joined the Club following the conclusion of Fiji’s 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign, and, after overcoming a knee injury, became Saint #2085 that same year when he came off the bench at Saracens.
A further 18 appearances followed in his first season in Black, Green and Gold, the last that term coming in the Gallagher Premiership Final where Saints triumphed 25-21 over Bath Rugby to lift the league trophy.
Mayanavanua has made 35 appearances in a Saints shirt to date, scoring his only try so far in Northampton’s pool stage clash with Castres Olympique in this season’s Investec Champions Cup.
“It has been a blessing for me and family to be at Saints,” said Mayanavanua. “From the very start, and even before I came over, the way they looked after my wife and son to get them settled in was so special.
“I felt a really good buzz from the first day. Everyone made me feel like it was home and that it was a special group. Going onto win the Premiership last season speaks volumes about that, and now progressing to the Investec Champions Cup Final echoes that too.
“But I have been away from Fiji for nearly eight years, and for my wife it has been six. It really hit me when we went home recently, and were surrounded by family especially seeing my son with his cousins.
“Before, us boys from the islands had to go abroad to play as there was no career path for us. Now there is a professional team in Fiji, we have that option.
“Saints are always going to have a special place in my heart. It has been a really tough decision to make, we have really loved our time here in Northampton.”
Temo Mayanavanua
“The supporters, especially, have made us feel so welcome and that has made it so hard to choose whether to go home or stay.
“Winning the Premiership was a career highlight for me, it’s not something I ever thought I would achieve. I arrived having won the Challenge Cup with Lyon and didn’t know I’d have more success with Saints. I really got a taste for it, and I’m determined to see us enjoy more success before I sign off.”
Despite being just 27 years old, Mayanavanua has already racked up 31 international caps for Fiji, the most recent of which he earned in the Autumn Nations Series – including starting in a famous victory over Wales in Cardiff.
Temo 🤝 Courtney
— Northampton Saints 😇 (@SaintsRugby) June 1, 2024
A moment of brute strength that secured our passage to Twickenham. pic.twitter.com/JbSrlRNDEv
After joining Saints at the start of last season, Mayanavanua got stuck straight into the action as he featured heavily across the Gallagher Premiership and Investec Champions Cup – winning his first eight matches in Black, Green and Gold.
The lock’s physicality and deft handling made him an integral figure in Saints’ squad and earned him a place in the matchday 23 for all five of Northampton’s knock-out matches last term.
It is a trend that has extended into this campaign, but it is not just Mayanavanua’s influence on the field that director of rugby Phil Dowson sees as his lasting impact.
“Temo had a huge impact for us last season,” said Dowson. “When we watched him play for his former club, we really liked how physical he was, but we probably didn’t see then how unbelievably skilful he was and how good a reader of the game he is. These are obviously facets of his game that will be sorely missed.
“But off it, Temo has been a father figure to what is a young squad. He has looked after them and he has led in his own way. So, we are very sad to see him go because he has had a huge impact from the moment he came in and he will continue to for the rest of the season.
“But an opportunity presented itself to play professional rugby in his home country which means he will, of course, be much closer to his family. And while we are disappointed to lose him, we understand the decision he has made and will wish him all the best when the time comes.”
