St Helens set to sign Newcastle Knights star

Newcastle Knights back-rower Sione Mata’utia is set to take up a long-term deal with St Helens.

The Australian Daily Telegraph report that the 24-year-old will reunite with former coach Kristian Woolf ahead of the 2021 season.

Mata’utia, who can also play in the centres, is the younger brother of Castleford star Peter and has made 124 NRL appearances since bursting onto the scene as an 18-year-old.

He is also the youngest ever player to represent Australia after making his Test debut at 18 years and 129 days against England in the 2014 Four Nations.

The move has paved the way for two other major transfers down under, with Newcastle using the cap space to sign North Queensland playmaker Jake Clifford, while Benji Marshall will reportedly fill Clifford’s void at the Cowboys.

Mata’utia’s capture is a valuable one for St Helens and goes a long way to plug the hole left by the outgoing Zeb Taia and Joseph Paulo.

He follows NRL veteran Joel Thompson to the club and the duo will provide Saints with a fearsome back-row partnership for the 2021 campaign.