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'Tex has been one of our most impressive summer signings... he's a smashing guy who is full of energy and life'
Paul Gustard has handed Tevita ‘Tex’ Cavubati a key role as Harlequins attempt to use their trio of Fijian internationals to bid for the Gallagher Premiership play-offs.
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Quins boss Gustard signed Cavubati and Niki Goneva from relegated Newcastle Falcons to join Fiji Olympic Sevens gold medal winner Semi Kunatani at the Twickenham Stoop to ensure the versatile forward felt at home in south-west London.
Making sure the Pacific Islands players have a support network to help them deal with life away from their families is an area that Premiership clubs are recognising needs to be properly addressed and Quins also have a welfare manager tasked with overseeing this key area.
Kunatani joined Quins from Toulouse last season and has become a fan favourite with his big hits in defence and sevens-inspired ball-handling skills.
With Quins failing to make a significant impact in Europe, the Premiership now becomes their main focal point this season and Gustard is looking to his Fijian internationals to help bring the best out of young stars such as Alex Dombrandt, the highly-rated back row forward.
(Continue reading below…)
“Semi came here from Toulouse and I had seen him play at 15, 13 and back row and he has something different,” said Gustard to RugbyPass ahead of Quins’ trip to injury-hit Wasps next Saturday.
“He is an intuitive player and we liked his ability to beat people and get past the first tackler and dominate the gain line. We also recognised that he comes from a small village in Fiji and so it is good for him to have someone who can identify with his heritage and that was part of our recruitment process for this season.
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“Tex has been one of our most impressive summer signings and is a smashing guy who is full of energy and life which is awesome. We wanted to make sure there was someone who could be there for Semi and Tex is the perfect the fit.
In the latest instalment of the popular RugbyPass 15 for 10 series, @alexshawsport runs the rule over the last decade at @Harlequinshttps://t.co/dGQ131yibb
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 12, 2019
“We also employ a welfare manager at the club, we speak to Dan Leo and also Ben Ryan (former Fiji sevens coach) who lives around the Twickenham area and also Gareth Baber, the Fiji sevens coach. Last season we had a more Samoan flavour and so Semi did have guys with Islander heritage but there is a difference between Fijians, Tongans and Samoans.”
Cavubati is relishing his role at the club, as he explained on signing from Newcastle: “Fiji will always be in us and we cannot shy away from that. That is how we play and that is how we express ourselves.
“Hopefully we can also integrate it with the Harlequins mindset. Harlequins is one of the biggest clubs in rugby. I grew up in Fiji and I had heard of Harlequins and I had seen the jersey around the villages”
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Confirmation from Harlequins about how Kyle Sinckler has really gone from zero to hero this yearhttps://t.co/Okp7QJHgSk
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 12, 2019
Gustard revealed his former club Saracens could have signed Goneva before he became a Premiership try-scoring sensation with Leicester and Newcastle while he was still largely unknown and playing in the second division of French rugby.
“I remember when I was at Saracens that Niki was offered to the club and Andy Farrell was talking with Mark McCall about it and they thought he may not be right for the club playing in the French second division. Then, he came across and lit up the Premiership.
The new @premrugby season hasn’t been kind to @Harlequins but 2015 England skipper @ChrisRobshaw tells @heagneyl he is ready to embrace the @ChampionsCup following a @rugbyworldcup experience that was different but very enjoyable compared to four years agohttps://t.co/9VPljx566j
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 13, 2019
“Quins had the opportunity to sign him following the retirement of Tim Visser to give us the experience and tries. It was too good an opportunity to turn down and he is a great guy who has been in England for a long time and can add a lot to our young wings as he is a guy who has had a career of beating defenders.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
Good luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
37 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
37 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
37 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
37 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
37 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
37 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
37 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to comments