Friday 2 June 2017 11:32, UK
London Irish have signed another four players ahead of their Aviva Premiership return, including internationals Luke McLean and Saia Fainga'a.
McLean, who is making the move from Benetton Treviso, has 89 Italy caps to his name and played in all five of their Six Nations games this season.
The Australia-born utility back had a season in England with Sale Sharks before returning to Italy in 2015 for his second stint with Treviso.
"I'm thrilled to have signed for London Irish, a club that has big ambitions and I'm excited to join up with my new teammates," said McLean.
"The club has a top class coaching set-up headed up by Nick Kennedy, who coached the team to play some attractive rugby last season and hopefully I can add to that."
Hooker Fainga'a, capped 36 times by Australia, makes the move from Super Rugby where he has played for the Brumbies and Reds.
"A move to London Irish presents me with an exciting challenge and one which I want to make the most of," said Fainga'a.
"I've heard great things about Irish and it's certainly a forward-thinking club with big plans for the future. I'm delighted to be a part of what Nick Kennedy is building."
Winger Napolioni Nalaga will also join the Exiles ahead of next season, making the move from Lyon.
Nalaga has been leading try-scorer in France's Top 14 on three occasions and scored 105 times in 165 games for Clermont Auvergne where he was a Heineken Cup finalist in 2013.
"I'm really pleased to have the opportunity to join London Irish in the Premiership and I'll be doing everything I can to help the club perform to the high standards that this club demands," said Nalaga.
"I've always had the ambition to play in the Premiership and I can't wait to show what I can do on the big stage with Irish, a club that has fantastic support."
The fourth signing is veteran prop Petrus du Plessis, who has won the European Cup twice and Premiership title on three occasions with Saracens.
Du Plessis joined Saracens in 2009 and has gone on to make 158 appearances for them, his swansong coming when they beat Clermont to win the European title last month.
He said: "London Irish is a club steeped in history and tradition and I'm really looking forward to pulling on the famous green jersey.
"The club has a very talented pack with a mixture of youth and experience which bodes well for the future, and I'm looking forward to getting stuck in."
The signings add to Thursday's news that Scotland prop Gordon Reid, Rebels scrum-half Ben Meehan and Georgia international back-row Lasha Lomidze had joined the club.
