Pala'amo's Leeds move falls through

(GETTY IMAGES)

Samoa international Fosi Pala'amo will not be able to join up with Guinness Premiership club Leeds Carnegie this season after having his visa application rejected.

He cannot reapply for a UK visa for 12 months, ending his immediate hopes of joining the Yorkshire side.

Leeds chief executive Gary Hetherington said: "We are obviously disappointed as a club that we will not have a player of his international quality available to us this season.

"But more importantly, we are disappointed for Fosi that he will not be able to take up his contract with us.

"He will not be able to play for another club in the United Kingdom in the next year. However, we hope he can join up with another club in Europe in the short term and possibly be able to return to Leeds in the future."

Leeds, meanwhile, remain hopeful that another front-row forward - American Mike MacDonald - will gain visa clearance.

Hetherington added: "We are hopeful of hearing some more positive news on Mike MacDonald in the coming days regarding his visa.

"Our local MP, Greg Mulholland, has been of a great deal of assistance to us in this process, and we are hoping to bring matters to a conclusion in the near future."

Leeds are currently bottom of the Premiership, having collected just two points from five games.