1
'It hasn't come easy': Drua hero Kemu Valetini opens up on tough '10 years'
Fijian Drua flyhalf Kemu Valetini will hold a special place in rugby history after kicking the winning penalty goal against the champion Crusaders in Lautoka last weekend.
ADVERTISEMENT
Having come on for his Super Rugby Pacific debut in the 80th minute, the fairytale finish couldn’t have been scripted any better for both Valetini and the Drua.
Valetini later described his debut as “unreal”, as the Drua shocked the rugby world with the 25-24 win over the defending Super Rugby Pacific champions.
The significance of the clutch kick will go down in history as one of the greatest moments in the Fijian Rugby.
But Valetini’s journey to that now famous moment has been anything but smooth sailing.
The 28-year-old, who is the older brother of Wallaby Rob Valetini, has had to overcome injury after injury en route to his Super Rugby debut.
In his own words, “it hasn’t been easy.”
“It’s probably been about a solid 10 years that I’ve been in and out of contention of ‘am I going to make it? Am I going to not make it?’ I’m 28 now so you start to think of life after footy,” Valetini told RugbyPass.
“You start to doubt yourself if you’re going to make it because as you get older, teams start to look for the next generation to come through.
ADVERTISEMENT
“For myself, just dealing with a lot of injuries; knees, shoulders and just when you think you’re coming back and you’re feeling good, something else happens.
“It just been obstacle after obstacle for the last 10 years. Probably the last two years I’ve had a solid year without any injuries so that’s helped my progression.
“It hasn’t been easy.”
Valetini played with the Melbourne Rising during the 2018 National Rugby Championship campaign, and was given the opportunity to train with the Rebels during the following preseason.
But disaster struck – a knee injury brought an end to his time in Melbourne.
ADVERTISEMENT
From there, the playmaker pursued an opportunity in Spain, but had to come back to Australia early due to the outbreak of the Covid pandemic.
Another knee operation forced him out of “pretty much” the entire 2020 campaign, and the 2021 season was interrupted by Covid once again.
Then, after years of persistence, Valetini finally hit his stride with in the northern beaches of Sydney – impressing with Manly in the prestigious Shute Shield.
But amongst all this, Valetini did consider giving up on his Super Rugby dream.
“I just thought that maybe it’s time to start thinking of settling down and working a job, try building a future after rugby,” he added.
“But in my head, it never went away for me. Even with all the injuries that I had, in my head, I always had it in my head that I’d make it one day.”
Valetini realised his dream during last Saturday’s stunning win over the Crusaders, and kicked the winning penalty in the 83rd minute.
“To do that against the Crusaders, the defending champions and have my debut like that… ultimately winning the game for Fijian Drua was unreal.
“I probably won’t forget (it) for a very long time.”
Valetini has been named in the No. 22 jersey for the Fijian Drua’s trip to Brisbane, where they’ll take on the Queensland Reds at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments