Italian international joins Peterborough Lions

New Lions players Nico Defeo (left) and Tom Aviss.

Hot on the heels of snapping up Ampthill scrum-half Tom Aviss, the Bretton-based National League Division Three club have now added a young fly-half with international experience to their squad.

Nico Defeo played for Italy Under 20s two seasons ago when at the Bedford Blues Academy.

The former Bedford Modern School first XV skipper qualified for Italy through his grandparents, Alessandro and Felica, who came to Bedford in the early 1960s.

The season before last he played for French club Plouzane AC Rugby in Federal 3 before joining Cambridge last term.

Lions head coach Darren Fox said: “It’s another great signing for us. These are the sort of players we need to be adding to our squad if we are to achieve our goals.

“Tom and Nico are young up and coming half-backs who I’m looking forward to working with and develeoping. More big signings should follow in the next few weeks. ”

Prop Chris Cutts this week became the latest player to walk through the Lions exit door. He has joined Shelford.

Other regular members of last season’s side to move on are Adam Barnard, Wade Schoemann (both Cambridge) and Nico Steenkamp (Borough).