Northampton Saints Lock Chunya Munga Agrees to New Contract

Lock Chunya Munga, who has represented England at both under-18 and under-20 levels, has committed to a new contract, ensuring his continued presence with Premiership title holders Northampton Saints beyond the current season. The 24-year-old, who measures 6ft 7in and weighs 120kg, joined the Saints in the summer of 2023 following the dissolution of his previous club, London Irish. Munga, a former England Under-20 international, has accumulated 24 appearances for Northampton across all competitions. He featured in 14 league matches last season, contributing to the Saints’ title success, although he did not participate in their Grand Final victory against Bath at Twickenham. Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson addressed the situation on the club website, stating: “Towards the back end of last season, we were playing well and were very consistent with our selection, meaning Chunya wasn’t playing as much as he would have liked,” “He said to me repeatedly that he understood why, but didn’t like it, and it’s been fantastic to see him come in this year and really put his best foot forward for more minutes on the pitch.” “We love having him in the group and are excited to see what the next few years hold in store for him.” This season, Munga has started eight games for Northampton and captained the Saints in their Premiership Rugby Cup fixtures against Leicester Tigers and Coventry. He expressed that he is “absolutely loving” his time with the Saints and that extending his stay was “a very easy choice.” Munga further commented: “It speaks volumes about the club’s environment that even during the periods where I wasn’t in the matchday squads last season, it was still the most fun I’ve ever had in a rugby team,” “Playing with a smile on my face, aiming to be the best player I can be, and making the people that love and support me proud – that’s why I love playing the game.”