The Titans have continued to add to their impressive playing roster for 2017 by securing Fijian international Ben Nakubuwai.
Likened to legendary Queensland and Kangaroos prop Petero Civoniceva, Nakubuwai was first spotted by the Storm playing junior football in the Riverina and has been part of their development squads since his early teens.
The rangy front-rower has played 42 games for the Storm in the under-20s competition the past two seasons but has chosen to pursue his first grade career on the Gold Coast.
The similarities to Civoniceva are striking and like the former Bronco, Nakubuwai spent some of his formative years in the outside backs.
Just 20 years of age and close to finishing his university degree in sports science, Nakubuwai stands at 194 centimetres tall and weighs 108 kilograms, his physical presence evident in training sessions with seasoned first-graders.
Born in Leeton, Nakubuwai's father Pio was a dual international for Fiji in rugby league and rugby union and Ben was this year named in the NYC's Academic Team of the Year.
Nakubuwai played in Fiji's 24-22 loss to Papua New Guinea in May and in the team named to play Samoa in October was listed as Petero (Ben) Nakubuwai.
This article first appeared on NRL.com
