Tuala revelling in the ‘love’ he’s getting from Saints faithful

FEELING RIGHT AT HOME - Ahsee Tuala enjoyed his Saints debut in Saturday's win over Wasps (Picture: Sharon Lucey)

And the Samoan full-back is now eager to ensure his dream debut translates into a big future at Franklin’s Gardens.

Tuala has joined Saints on a deal until the end of the season, covering for knee injury victim Ben Foden.

And the new No.15 got off to a flying start on Saturday, taking just eight minutes to open his Northampton try-scoring account in the 29-6 LV= Cup win against Wasps.

Tuala appeared to be an instant hit with the Saints faithful, who delighted in his first touches in green, black and gold as he collected the kick-off and booted the ball 50 metres into touch.

And the former Counties Manukau player said: “I got a good try at the beginning and it was awesome.

“It was a great atmosphere to play in and the support of the crowd was awesome.

“I’ve had a lot of love shown through Twitter and the support shown from Saints fans has been awesome.”

And the experiences so far have only made Tuala more hungry to ensure his stay at Saints is not a fleeting one.

“It’s a great opportunity,” he said. “I’m definitely looking for a long-term future here so I’ve just got to perform on the pitch and do the best I can for the team.”