“All the boys have been very welcoming, it’s been great” | Malakai Fekitoa on early days in Munster and career so far

Fekitoa’s transfer to Munster was announced in February 2022 and he made his debut against Gloucester last Friday.

Summer signing Malakai Fekitoa has been enjoying his time in Munster so far since joining from Wasps in early Spring this year.

The World Cup winner made his debut for the province last week in the preseason defeat to Gloucester.

The 30-year-old began his senior in career in Auckland ten years ago before spending a considerable amount of time with the New Zealand side Highlanders, making 65 appearances.

Fekitoa has been playing his rugby in Europe since 2017, with Toulon and Wasps being his previous two clubs before joining Munster this year and the former All-Black has been adapting to life very well in Limerick.

“I’m enjoying Limerick as well, it’s a good place to live at the moment and all the boys have been very welcoming, so it’s been great.

“Moving is always hard, I left my family at a young age in New Zealand and it was tough. I managed to get through it and did it and then you know learning a new language from Tongan to English.”

Reflecting on his European journey so far, the Tongan highlighted the Champions Cup clash between Toulon and Munster in 2018 as one of his best memories.

The quarter-final clash was won by Munster in the end but Fekitoa has fond memories of the clash and recalled on Andrew Conway’s sensational try in the game.

“Probably the highlight of my time in Toulon was when we played against Munster here in Thomond Park. That was one of my first games outside of New Zealand, it was the first time I had ever heard of the Champions Cup, I came straight from New Zealand and managed to play the first game.”

“It was the quarter-final, I know we lost to Munster, I think Conway scored an unbelieveable try from half-way and we lost the match but just the whole experience of the build-up to the game was like a test match.

Watch the interview in full below:

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Malakai Fekitoa and Munster will be in action this Friday when the face London Irish at Musgrave Park in a pre-season friendly on Friday night.