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Bristol's latest intriguing signing: Ratu Naulago, the British Army soldier from Fiji who has lit up league

By Online Editors
(Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images for Harlequins)

Pat Lam’s penchant for headline-making recruitment has taken another intriguing step, Bristol Bears signing Ratu ‘Siva’ Naulago, the Fijian who had been playing rugby league with Hull. The flyer scored an impressive 17 tries in 21 appearances, including a double in the 2020 Super League campaign opener versus Leeds Rhinos.

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The 28-year-old is a serving soldier in the British Army and has been given a temporary release from active service to pursue his opportunity in professional sport. “With Siva being an EQP rugby union player and a British Army soldier, we looked at him closely,” said Lam. 

“He is incredibly fit, with great pace and an eye for the try line. He’s been consistently outstanding in his relatively short time in Super League and that’s testament to the great work from the team at Hull FC. A lot of people are sitting up and taking notice of his spectacular performances.

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“When Conor (McPhillips) and I spoke to Siva we were really impressed by his determination and reasons to succeed but also his willingness and humility to want to help those around him succeed as well. We believe he will fit in very well to our Bears team systems and structures on and off the field as well as the demands of the Premiership.

“He will add quality depth to our backline and we thank the British Army for their co-operation and the incredible work that they do.”

A winger with an eye for the try-line, Naulago has represented the British Army on the international stage in both the 15-man code as well as 7s, even playing for Harlequins in the 2015 Singha Series finals.

He said: “I’m delighted to have signed for Bristol for the next few seasons. Pat has put together a great squad in recent years and the team are really starting to make their mark both in the English Premiership and European competitions.

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They play a really attractive brand of rugby which I think will suit me and get the best out of me as a player. I was hugely impressed by the new training facilities and their aspirations and ambitions as a club. They want to be challenging at the top end of the game and there seems to be a real buzz around the city.

“I’m looking forward to working with Pat and Conor and bringing something different to the squad. Moving to Bristol means my wife and I will be close to family and friends also, which is very important to me.

“I would like to thank Hull FC for the opportunity they gave me in professional rugby – I will always be thankful for that. I have loved my time at the club and the fans have made me feel very welcome. I hadn’t considered playing anywhere else in rugby league. I have too much respect for the club and for what they have done for me, so leaving for another Super League team was never an option.

“I’m fully committed to the club for the rest of this season when we do get back playing and I am determined to do my best for the team to finish on a high, it would be fantastic to try and win something with the club. I would also like to thank the Army for their continued support with my rugby career which I’m extremely grateful for.”

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Chris Fowke, chief operations officer of Army Rugby Union added: “Army Rugby are delighted to see Siva sign with Bristol Bears. Following an extremely successful time with Hull RL, where his high try-scoring rate saw him become a fan favourite, we are sure that the ethos and set up at the Bears will see him continue to succeed.

“Not only is he an exceptionally talented rugby player, but he also embodies the values and standards of the British Army, we wish him well in his new partnership with the Bears.”

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Jon 8 hours ago
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This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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john 11 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

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