THE familiar face of Cooper Vuna greeted Ben Te’o when he pitched up at Worcester Warriors.

The pair played rugby league together in New Zealand in their early teens and have been reunited on the other side of the world in a different code.

While Vuna might be a flamboyant player on the field who often interacts with the fans, Te’o insists he is reserved but keen to leave his mark on the pitch.

“I first met Cooper when I was 14 and playing rugby league at Auckland trials,” recalled Te’o, now 29.

“Cooper was one of the young superstars then, was picked up very early and played some National Rugby League (NRL) trial matches at about 16 or 17.

“We both went into NRL, he then went to union and I followed a little bit after.

“Cooper was the only guy I knew at this club. It had been a long time since I had seen him and a lot has changed as he’s a big family man now with four children.”

Vuna finished last season as Warriors’ top league try-scorer with nine, two more than Bryce Heem.

Te’o said: “It’s quite funny Cooper and I have ended up all the way over in England on the other side of the world.”

New Zealand-born Te’o represented Samoa at the 2008 Rugby League World Cup and won a NRL title with South Sydney Rabbitohs.

He cut his union teeth in two seasons with Irish outfit Leinster and is eligible to play for England.

“When a player is out of contract, they check the market and see what is out there,” said Te’o.

“I wanted to come over here and have a go in the Premiership.”

His arrival at Sixways aroused plenty of interest among fans.

“It’s a nice feeling the fans are excited about seeing me play,” said Te’o.

“I am excited to play in front of them and that’s why I train hard and prepare well, so I can put on a good performance, hopefully help the team win and the supporters can go home happy too.”

He added: “I am not a showman. I expect to be consistent every week, a strong defender and a strong runner who plays hard, is physical and brings it every week. Hopefully, the fans will appreciate my efforts.”