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Waratahs sign Fijian Commonwealth Games medallist before 2024 season
The NSW Waratahs have signed Fijian international and Commonwealth Games medallist Mesu Kunavula to a one-year deal ahead of the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season.
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Kunavula, who is primarily a backrower but can also play lock, started his professional rugby journey on the Sevens World Series on debut for Fiji in Dubai seven years ago.
The 28-year-old went on to claim a silver medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, with Fiji losing to sevens rivals New Zealand 14-nil at Cbus Super Stadium.
Kunavula penned a deal with Edinburgh the following year which led to a Test rugby debut for Fiji against Georgia in 2020 at Murrayfield Stadium.
Following an impressive 23-game stint with the Scottish club, Kunavula made the move to French side Brive in the Top 14.
With experience around the world, as well as “an imposing physical presence,” Kunavula will look to make his mark next season after moving down south to Super Rugby Pacific.
“We are excited about the prospect of what Mesu can bring to our team,” coach Darren Coleman said in a statement. “He’s a player with a hugely exciting skillset that we feel will complement our other backrowers.
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“While he has an imposing physical presence, he has a keen sense of his surroundings, an ability to offload the ball. The back 5 of our scrum, depth-wise, will be a strong point and Mesu will have to train hard and play well to get his share of playing time.”
Standing at 195cm tall and weighing 125kg, Kunavula could prove to be a superb signing for the Waratahs as they begin their new era with former skipper Michael Hooper.
Kunavula joins the Tahs along with formerly French-based lock Miles Amatosero and former Fijian rugby league international Vuate Karawalevu.
“I want to thank Darren and the coaching staff for giving me a chance and a new opportunity to play for the famous Waratahs,” Kunavula said.
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“Being in Sydney also takes me closer to my family in Fiji and I’m excited to have landed in Sydney, ready to train hard and hopefully get the opportunity to play for the Waratahs in Super Rugby.”
Comments on RugbyPass
“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
1 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
3 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
3 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
3 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to comments