Newcastle Thunder secure prime signing as Huddersfield Giants' Ukuma Ta'ai agrees switch

Huddersfield Giants' Ukuma Ta'ai is tackled by Wigan's Willie Isa and George Burgess last season. (Chris Mangnall/SWpix.com)

HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS second-row Ukuma Ta’ai has joined Newcastle Thunder in a major coup for the newly-promoted Betfred Championship club.

The Tonga international, 34, scored 47 tries in 194 games for Huddersfield and won the League Leaders’ Shield in 2013.

However, he was not offered a new deal for 2021 and instead signs for Newcastle as a free agent.

Thunder director of rugby Denis Betts said: “Ukuma is a big statement signing for us as a club.

“He is a high-quality Super League player and he is going to add a great deal to our squad.

“He is a devastating back row with great ability to break open a game and will be an enforcer for us in the forwards.

“With massive amounts of experience it is a big statement that a player like him has chosen to come to Thunder and I’m looking forward to him arriving.”