UK: Northampton sign Zimbabwe prop Kundiona from French side USON

Tighthead Kundiona, 26, will arrive at Franklin’s Gardens this summer from Pro D2 side Nevers, for whom he has made 49 appearances since joining in 2022.

The six-foot front row was also part of the Zimbabwe side that won the Rugby Africa Cup in 2024 and will be a key part of the Sables’ push for Rugby World Cup 2027 qualification this year

Kundiona will become the second Zimbabwe-born prop to represent Northampton, following in the footsteps of Brian Mujati.

“We initially spoke with Cleopas around 18 months ago, and we’ve continued to watch him over at Nevers,” he said. “If you’re a young prop playing regularly in Pro D2, then you’re definitely doing a lot of good things on the pitch.

“He’s garnered a huge amount of experience in what is a very tough French league, and he’s someone with a lot of athleticism; he’s a big man, but he is also fast and very powerful.

“He really impressed us with the way he spoke about everything he wants to achieve during his career, and how he wants to push himself as hard as possible to get there – we thought he would fit in really well with us here at Saints.

Northampton Saints Director of Rugby Phil Dowson has admitted that England winger Ollie Sleightholme will struggle to be back for much of what remains of the regular season.

“So, we’re excited to get Cleopas on board and very optimistic that he can have a big impact within our front-row group in Northampton.”

Kundiona started his career with the Sharks in South Africa, before moving to France with Chambery in 2021 and then onto Nevers the following year.

He said: “Saints is a huge Club with a lot of heritage, and speaking to the coaches about the prospect of continuing to learn and progress my game in Northampton, it felt like this was a really positive move for me to make.

“I’m extremely grateful for this opportunity, it feels like a blessing for me to make this step and it has taken a lot of hard work and perseverance.

“The coaching, the facilities and the fanbase in Northampton are all incredible, so I am very excited to be signing for Saints.

“I am also really looking forward to playing in the Premiership for the first time in my career. The league is definitely faster than Pro D2, and I’ve already watched plenty of Saints’ matches so I am relishing the chance to work alongside the players already at the Club.

“I want to be able to assert myself and my skillset on the field. As a prop, scrummaging always comes first and foremost, but from there I love to get around the pitch as much as I can and put my teammates into space. Defensively, I love being in the fight and helping to put the team in a position to win matches.

“The support for Saints in Northampton is clear to see and that’s a great thing. The Club is a big part of the community and as a player, you always want to feel like you’re playing for something bigger than yourself. Seeing the stadium packed out every week means a lot, so I am very excited to play in front of that crowd next season.”