Duncan Paia'Aua

Creativity and a sharp tactical brain define the rugby of Duncan Paia'Aua, the Samoan international who pulls the strings for US Arlequins Perpignanais. Born on 20 January 1995, Paia'Aua is a versatile back equally at home at fly-half or inside centre, where his vision and distribution allow him to dictate the shape of an attack. He reads space well, varies his kicking game intelligently and has the footwork to threaten the gain line when an opening appears. A player who has gathered experience across multiple competitions before settling in the Top 14, he brings a calm, organising presence to the Perpignan backline. Having represented Samoa at international level, Paia'Aua adds an edge of Pacific flair to USAP's playmaking ranks, combining instinctive attacking touches with the game management expected of a senior decision maker. For Perpignan he is relied upon to control tempo, manage territory and link the forward effort to a backline eager to play with width and pace.