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Nemani Nadolo explains World Cup u-turn: 'I guess the fire has been relit'

By Chris Jones
Nemani Nadolo /PA

Nemani Nadolo, the powerhouse Leicester wing, believes the arrival of his son Ethan has “relit the fire” and is targeting another World Cup challenge with Fiji in France in 2023 despite the problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Nadolo admits playing international rugby with the quarantine restrictions imposed by the pandemic has been tough to deal with but is committed to helping Fiji in the Autumn tests with Spain on November 6, Wales on November 14 in Cardiff, and Georgia on November 20 even if that means yet more time confined to a hotel room.

Fiji head coach Vern Cotter, who worked with the 20 stone plus wing at Montpellier and convinced Nadolo to come out of international retirement, will base his squad for the tour on the large contingent of European-based players from the island nation. The situation is complicated by the Fijian Drua preparing to take part in Super Rugby and those players will not be included in the tour party.

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That puts more pressure on players like Nadolo to ensure Fiji continue to prepare for another World Cup challenge and the 33-year-old, said: “I have a young son who is a year and half old and the quarantine has been tough. We have done (with Fiji) the equivalent of two months quarantine on international duty and how do you get up for it? There are some days you just want to pack it in and go home but my motivation is my family and knowing I am here for a reason and be strong.

“I had this conversation with my wife the other day and once my son was born a lot changed and the drive and motivation is higher and I feel like I want to give more and the culture we are building at Leicester makes you want to come into training. I guess the fire has been relit and these are exciting times.

“Coming back to the Fiji team I made the decision to try and go all the way to 2023 but in my position, there is no shortage of wings in Fiji. I am fully committed and if my body holds up and I play good rugby I don’t see why not.

“It is the new normal to do the quarantine and the guys who get picked in the Autumn, that is one of the things they are going to have to think about beforehand because you are going to be away from your family for a long time. I have heard stories of guys who have missed the birth of their child and have been on tours where players have lost parents when they have been in lockdown. It is tough and it is a lot to take in and in the old days it was great to go to nice hotels but they can now become jails.

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Nadolo <a href=
Gloucester Rugby v Leicester Tigers – Gallagher Premiership Rugby” width=”1024″ height=”563″ /> Nemani Nadolo (Photo by Bob Bradford – CameraSport via Getty Images)

“In the Fiji quad, when we do face trials we are all pretty close and there is a sense of gratefulness to be able to represent your country. Logistically, it will be easier for the guys over here on the European tour but it only takes one positive case and you are locked in. Some players will have serious things to think about before coming on the tour.”

Nadolo, who arrived at Mattioli Woods Welford road in 2020, has helped Leicester win their opening four Premiership games of the season for the first time in 20 years and they go into next weekend’s game with Worcester at the top of the table. He added: “The guys here at Leicester have got me on a good diet and I suppose as you get older to be able to keep up with the young guys coming through is my mindset. I have never been the quickest or fittest but I do know that if I use my full strength I can contribute to the side. At this stage of my career there is a checklist to go through and when I have nailed that the game and everything else doesn’t become as intense.”

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Jon 5 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”?

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j
john 8 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.

30 Go to comments
A
Adrian 10 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

30 Go to comments
T
Trevor 12 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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