London Skolars are delighted to announce the signing of former Toulouse Olympique XIII and Avignon player Patelisio Pelo.
Pelo, known to Rugby League fans as Tely Pelo, arrives in the UK to bolster Joe Mbu’s squad ahead of the 2014 Kingstone Prsss Championship 1 campaihn, which begins on the 2nd March.
Pelo, aged 29, was born in New Caledonia and moved to France in 2004 to take up a degree in Physical Chemistry and to pursue sporting activities. He played with the University of Tolouse rugby union team in his first year and got asked to play for the league side the following year such was his impressive form. Tely started out on the wing and quickly moved inside to the centre.
In 2006 Tely joined up with a local amateur side, Ramonville XIII for whom he was an ever present on the wing.
After just 3 years playing rugby league Tolouse Olympique XIII recognised his undoubted talent and potential and beat of stiff opposition from many elite 1 clubs for Telys signature for his first professional contract in 2008. He spent his first season playing for the reserve team, St Gaudens XIII on the wing. He was an ever present for the first team playing in the Championship in the uk for the following two seasons, after moving successfully in to the pack switching between prop and second row.
Tely moved on to Avignon in 2011 playing over 80% of games at either prop or second row. In the 2012/2013 season Tely was a key member of the Avignon side and helped them to victory in the prestigious Lord Derby Cup.
In 2011 and 2013 Tely was selected to play for Wallis and Futuna in rugby sevens at the Pacific games, the games involve all the major Pacific nations such as Fiji, Western Samoa, New Zealand and PNG and he fully expects a call up to the games in 2015.
Known to have a good turn of pace for a big man Skolars head coach Joe Mbu is sure Pelo has all the ingredients to make him a firm fans favourite at New River: “Whilst a lot of the focus has been on some of the players who departed the club in the close season, such as Dylan Skee and James Anthony, I have been working hard to make sure we have quality players coming into the club who can make a real impact this coming season. There was considerable interest from a number of clubs in acquiring Tely’s services so I am delighted he has decided that the next phase of his career will be spent with Skolars. I am looking forward to working with Tely and believe that he has all the attributes to be a huge success over here”.
