BYU Cougars

BYU adds New Zealand rugby player to 2015 recruiting class

Published May. 26, 2015 1:26 p.m. ET

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BYU has added mammoth New Zealand rugby player Manase Tu’ungafasi to its 2015 recruiting class, and the Cougars hope he can be a fixture on the offensive line.

Tu’ungafasi, who is 6-foot-7, 322 pounds, became the sixth offensive linemen of this year’s recruiting class.

“We are excited to welcome Manase as the newest member of the BYU football program,” BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said in a press release. “He is an excellent athlete with exceptional size coming from a rugby background out of New Zealand. I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to get to know Manase, and we look forward to helping him develop as a football player here at BYU.”

Welcome Manase Tu’ungafasi to the #BYUFOOTBALL family!! pic.twitter.com/gOB8XkHMBC
— BYU Football (@BYUfootball) May 23, 2015

Tu’ungafasi, who was also recruited by Utah State and Oregon State, played rugby for Auckland Academy and was selected to the 2014 Samoa Under-20 team at the Junior World Championships.

(h/t Desert News)