Niusalelekitoga and Pacome swap clubs on loan

Both clubs fill a specific gap in their squads.

Soyaux-Angouleme director of rugby Alexandre Ruiz confirmed the swap on Friday night after his side’s 26-28 defeat to Provence Rugby in round six of the Pro D2. Niusalelekitoga came off the bench that night.

Centres for La Rochelle

La Rochelle, hit by several injuries in midfield, had already brought in New Zealander Tevita Ofa as a medical joker earlier in the week. Niusalelekitoga, who can play centre or wing, made 12 Pro D2 appearances last season, six of them starts, scoring three tries. He has played four games this season, with one try.

According to Rugbyrama, the loan is a prelude to a permanent move: the Fijian would join La Rochelle from the 2027-28 season, after finishing the current campaign in Angouleme.

He will get three months in the Top 14 and come back with experience to finish the season with us.

Alexandre Ruiz

A goal-kicker for Angouleme

Pacome goes the other way. Signed from Colomiers in the summer of 2025, he has played just one Top 14 game this season, 47 minutes. He made eight appearances last season, seven of them starts. He knows the Pro D2 well: 23 games for Colomiers in 2024-25, 18 starts and 121 points.

Soyaux-Angouleme are short at fly-half and full-back, where Corentin Glenat, Jules Dubecq, Peter Lydon, Remi Brosset and Nadir Bouhedjeur are injured or returning from injury.

He will add value at 10 and 15, where we are short of numbers at the moment.

Alexandre Ruiz