Wigan's Thomas Leuluai is to return home to Auckland in 12 months' time after agreeing a three-year deal with New Zealand Warriors.
Hooker to head home when his Wigan contract expires
Wigan's Thomas Leuluai is to return home to Auckland in 12 months' time after agreeing a three-year deal with New Zealand Warriors.
The 26-year-old hooker or half-back, who made his Test debut at the age of 18, joined London Broncos from the Warriors in 2004 and moved to Wigan three years later. He has been capped 30 times by the Kiwis.
"I love playing in the Super League and Wigan's a great club to be a part of but, at some point, I was going to head home again," Leuluai told the Auckland club's website www.warriors.co.nz.com.
"I also had a real desire to go back to where it all started at the Vodafone Warriors. I'm looking forward to a new challenge and achieving new goals."
Leuluai will link up in Auckland with former Leeds and New Zealand head coach Brian McClennan, who has succeeded Ivan Cleary as Warriors boss for the 2011 season.
"Thomas is so highly regarded in England and brings a lot of experience despite being only 26," said McClennan.
Outstanding
"He is an outstanding performer for Wigan and he has also established himself as a vital player for the Kiwis.
"Equally capable at six, seven or nine, he's a real big-match player as he has proved winning the World Cup and Four Nations finals with the Kiwis as well as the Super League Grand Final and the Challenge Cup final with Wigan.
"It's also great for us to have players of Tommy's quality coming back to the Vodafone Warriors, just as Logan Swann did a few years ago."
At the time of his NRL debut in 2003, Leuluai was the youngest-ever player to appear in a first-grade match for the Warriors.
