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'Test rugby is a big commitment and I have done it for 10 years but if they asked I would love to'

By Chris Jones
(Photo by Adam Pretty - World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)

Josh Matavesi is backing Fiji to make a major impact in the new Eight Nations tournament despite the squad never having trained under new coach Vern Cotter and nearly a year having passed since they played a test fixture.

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While the odds seem stacked against the Fijians, who have been drawn in a four-team pool with France, Scotland and Italy in the new tournament being played over the four weekends from 13 November to 6 December, Bath centre Matavesi knows all about the world-class talent available to Cotter.

The former Scotland and Montpellier head coach will hold his first training camp with the squad in France on October 25, following what has become a “ normal” preparation for Fiji. This will be Fiji’s fourth camp to be held in France and recognises the fact that the majority of their professional players are based in Europe. The training camp held prior to the 2019 Rugby World Cup featured 18 players based in France and 14 from the UK and Cotter will name a similar squad next week.

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Nadolo talks to RugbyPass

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Nadolo talks to RugbyPass

Cotter, who replaced John McKee in January, can call upon stars including Semi Radradra, who scored a brilliant solo try for Bristol in their big European Challenge Cup win over Dragons, Glasgow’s Leone Nakawara, Viliame Mata at Edinburgh, Leicester’s Kini Murimuvalu, Peceli Yato at Clermont, La Rochelle’s Levani Botia and Joshua Tuisova at Lyon. The wide range of talent available to Cotter is highlighted by the fact Brive have seven Fijian’s in their squad with another four at Castres. Cotter has also been trying to persuade players based in New Zealand to opt for Fiji rather than try for All Blacks honours.

Matavesi retired from test rugby after the World Cup which saw Fiji lose their final pool match 29-17 to Wales and they have not played a test since that contest. While he opted to call it a day after winning 24 caps, Matavesi, who is still only 29, admits the joy he is getting from helping Bath bid for the Gallagher Premiership title has recharged his rugby batteries and he would consider a return to national colours if Cotter made that call.

Matavesi, who is preparing for Bath’s home clash with Gloucester when 1,00 fans will be allowed in the ground on Tuesday, told RugbyPass: “Many of the Fiji players in Europe are the best at their clubs and it is a great to be involved in the Eight Nations tournament. The benefits that come with being in this tournament will be fantastic for the boys and the player pool will grow with more fixtures and we will get even better. I hope the boys go out and be brave, show their style of play.

“Test rugby is a big commitment and I have done it for 10 years and if they asked I would love to, but let’s see what happens. During lockdown I really missed the game and I told myself I would just enjoy rugby when it restarted. If Vern wants me then we can have a conversation.

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“I was involved in our camp in Toulouse last year before the World Cup and while you cannot do a lot physically you can go through strategy and team values. You do get a lot out of it and can bond with the coaches and it will be important to get face to face with Vern and understand what it’s like to work with and what the vibe is.”

The Matavesi family will be supplying hooker Sam to the Fiji squad and he is currently with Northampton and the youngest member of the clan – Joel – helped Newcastle return to the Premiership which means all three brothers will be operating in the top flight of English rugby next season.

Bath have moved up to third in the Premiership and Matavesi has been at the heart of their impressive run and added: “We really work hard at our shape in attack at Bath and there is more than one way to skin a cat and we back ourselves to have the courage to go wide but we also have the pack which is going really well. We are not trying to be the All Blacks – just the best we can be.

“Our win at Sale was really important and we imposed our style of rugby of them and that was credit to the forwards who put their bodies on the line. It is fantastic that the fans will be back against Gloucester and I am sure the 1,000 will generate enough noise to make up for those who would love to be there. Ben Spencer joined from Saracens, is a really good guy and a great influence on the other scrum-halves and we want to play quick but also have that kicking game.

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“Our target is to get to the Premiership final but we have a massive game against Gloucester and then play Saracens. Momentum is with us but we cannot afford to get ahead of ourselves.”

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J
Jon 3 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

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”?

35 Go to comments
j
john 6 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.

28 Go to comments
A
Adrian 8 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

28 Go to comments
T
Trevor 11 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
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