Hull FC tie down Samoa international Ligi Sao to kick off important period

The 30-year-old has made 70 appearances for the Black and Whites since his arrival from New Zealand Warriors ahead of the 2020 campaign.

Sao, who represented Samoa in last year's World Cup final, is enjoying life in Hull despite the club’s recent struggles.

“I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to stay in Hull for another two years with my family who love it here," he said.

“The last couple of years have been tough for us but that experience brings you together as a group. It will mean so much to us if we can turn our form around and we are looking forward to a bright future.

“For me, I have a big responsibility to help some of the younger boys coming through and clearly there is a strong emphasis on that at the club as we look to build for the future.

"I want to ensure I am one to lead by my actions on the field."

Hull are facing a busy period with another 19 players approaching the end of their contracts.

Head coach Tony Smith views the retention of Sao as an important deal for the club.

“As a 30-year-old, Ligi is one of the senior players in our squad, so we feel his experience will be of great value moving forward," said Smith.

“He’s great for helping out some of the younger guys coming through in our squad, which is really important for their development.

“And I still feel as though we are yet to see Ligi Sao at his best for Hull FC. Sure, there have been glimpses of what he can contribute at that level but we now need to challenge him to demonstrate that on a more consistent basis.

"I’m looking forward to continuing working with him.”