(Reuters) - Leicester Tigers have strengthened their front row with the signing of Australia international hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau on a two-and-a-half year contract, the English Premiership club said on Thursday.
Polota-Nau, a powerful ball-carrier, has made more than 140 appearances in Super Rugby for Waratahs and Western Force and has 78 Australian test caps, including World Cup campaigns in 2011 and 2015.
"Taf is a fierce player with a huge amount of experience in Super Rugby and at Test level," Tigers coach Matt O'Connor said in a statement.
"He started Australia's recent Bledisloe Cup win over the All Blacks and was a key member of the Waratahs team that won Super Rugby in 2014.
"We think he will add a lot to a very competitive group of quality front-rowers here, working with other international players including Tom Youngs, Dan Cole, Ellis Genge and Logo Mulipola, and we look forward to his arrival next month."
Polota-Nau is named in the starting lineup for the Wallabies test against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday. The 32-year-old will join the Tigers next month.
(Reporting by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru, Editing by William Maclean)
