Confirming his departure from the Wests Tigers last month, winger Solomon Alaimalo has officially joined a new team for the 2025 season.
Revealing that he was switching back to the 15-man code, it has now been confirmed that Alaimalo has signed with Moana Pasifika for the 2025 Super Rugby season.
He is among 14 new signings for the club, which also includes All Black and 2023 World Rugby Player of the Year Ardie Savea.
It would only take eight rounds before Alaimalo would make his NRL debut for the Wests Tigers this season after moving across the ditch. Still, he impressed in limited opportunities on the field, averaging 105 running metres and scoring two tries in the process.
Earlier in the year, Alaimalo spoke to Zero Tackle about the transition of switching codes and playing under a national hero and someone that he idolised, Benji Marshall.
Compared to former Dally M Medallist Roger Tuivasa-Sheck before his debut, his arrival saw him become the second Super Rugby player to sign with the club in recent seasons, following Triston Reilly, who now plays for the NSW Waratahs.
Alaimalo revealed that he is proud of himself despite admitting that the transition from the different sports was "tough," especially considering his shortened pre-season.
"Pretty tough, bro. The short pre-season for myself probably didn't help, but I did all I could to sort of catch up," he said at the time.
"I'm pretty proud of myself and where I am now compared to where I was in December, and enjoying it as well".
A mainstay for New Zealand's Super Rugby clubs during his time in the 15-man code, the flyer played for the Chiefs and Highlanders before taking a break from the sport in 2021.
He then returned to the rugby union field for the Waikato Chiefs and, more recently, Canterbury, which competed in New Zealand's National Provincial Championship.
Zero Tackle asked the winger about what it meant to be playing under Marshall, to which he responded it was the main factor in leaving rugby union and joining the Wests Tigers.
"It's amazing, especially being a Kiwi and watching him when I was growing up," he continued.
"He's a coach that I love to play for, and that's a big motivating factor in me moving across the ditch with my partner."