Fiji team-mates helped to convince Temo that Saints was the right move for him

The 6ft 6ins lock will join the black, green and gold from Lyon, helping to fill the void left by Toulon-bound David Ribbans.

Mayanavanua, the nephew of Sevens legend Osea Kolinisau, who captained Fiji to their first Olympic gold medal in 2016, already knows plenty about life at Saints thanks to conversations at international camps.

Saints have brought the best out of the likes of Sam Matavesi and Api Ratuniyarawa, who is now at London Irish, in recent years.

And Mayanavanua can't wait to follow in the footsteps of his fellow Fijians at the Gardens.

“I am very excited to sign for Northampton Saints and head over to play in the Gallagher Premiership – one of the best leagues in the world," said the 25-year-old.

“I have watched Northampton from afar for a while now, and I love how the team plays – looking to keep the ball alive at all times.

"It’s an exciting squad with a lot of young players, so I can’t wait to get into the mix at Saints, try to learn more and improve as much as I can.

“I first heard about the club from some of my Fiji team-mates in camp. Of course, there are always nerves when you move to a new country and new competition, but they all had a lot of great things to say about Saints, and they are players I trust and look up to which helped me make my decision."

Born in Bau, Mayanavanua captained his country’s Under-20s side in 2017 before making his senior international debut against Georgia in 2020

He has racked up nine Test caps so far for the Flying Fijians, and scored on his uncapped debut against the Barbarians.

“I have enjoyed chatting to the coaches about their vision for the future, and the club has a proven track record of helping players to get better," said Mayanavanua, who has made 55 appearances for Lyon.

"I’ve learned a lot over the last two years in France, particularly around playing in a more physical competition – coming to Europe from New Zealand, it is a completely different ball game.

“The tempo of the Premiership is something that really excites me, and if I can bring some physicality with me, I believe Northampton will be a fantastic place for me to develop both aspects of my game.”