It’s a big year for Fiji, says Matavesi
Sam Matavesi used to drive dumper trucks for a living – now he dumps defenders and last weekend the hooker celebrated making his 50th appearance for Northampton.
The 30-year old was a late bloomer and did not become a full-time professional until 2019 after spending his career in his native south-west with Camborne, Plymouth Albion, Redruth and Cornish Pirates.
“We are having a new indoor facility being built at Northampton,” said Matavesi, whose younger brother Joel also plays for the Saints while older brother Josh is in Japan after stints with Exeter, Worcester, Newcastle and Bath.
“I said to my front row partner Alex Waller as we looked at the work being done one day that I used to do that, drive a dumper truck. It was when I was playing for Redruth and worked for a company who sponsored me, SCB Groundworks. I would be with them during the day and trained two nights a week.” Matavesi spent the first seven years of his career playing in the Championship and the three leagues below. He was capped early by Fiji in 2013, but after reaching his mid-20s felt a professional rugby career was not going to happen and he joined the Royal Navy.
“I had a young family and had to stop dreaming about rugby,” he said. “I needed a career and hoped to move up the ranks with the Navy. I was based in Culdrose in Cornwall and one day I got a call from the Pirates' coach, Alan Paver.
“He said he did not have any hookers and would I come down? I was a back rower who had had a short stint at hooker with Plymouth which did not work out because they were going through a difficult period and there was no one there to guide me.
“I also pointed out I was in the Navy and could not drop everything. I had a word with my bosses, local men who loved sport. They allowed me to spend two days a week with the Pirates and then three. Then they let me go full-time.”
Under the Pirates' guidance, Matavesi thrived at hooker and in 2018 was capped again by Fiji. “My first game for Pirates was against Jersey,” he said. “I came off the bench and threw four terrible balls. I thought I would be heading back to the Navy, but Alan said he would help me, it was not my fault.
“It was but he was being nice. The Pirates invested time and patience in me and it paid off. I played every Chmpionship match that season and at the end of the year was playing for Fiji, something I did not think would happen again because I was not good enough when I made my debut.”
Matavesi started in Fiji's 21-14 victory over a near full strength France in Paris and he caught the eye of Toulouse who signed him as a medical joker for three months. He played in the 2019 World Cup and then, after returning to the Pirates, joined Northampton.
“It is a great club and I have found my feet here,” said Matavesi, who is in talks over a new contract. “We all enjoy our rugby at a club where you are encouraged to have a go whatever the weather.
“We can mix it with anyone but the start of the season shows we just need to be a bit smarter. Defeats do not take us away from what we are good at. This is a very even league and making the top four again is very much a target.”
Matavesi was today due to fly to France to join up with Fiji for a couple of days training before returning to the Saints. Next weekend, he will rejoin Fiji who face Scotland, Ireland and the French Barbarians in the autumn series of internationals.
“I love going away with Fiji,” he said. “It is a big year for us with the World Cup at the end of it and playing Ireland and Scotland in successive weeks will be good preparation.”
Vern Cotter, formerly of Scotland, Clermont Auvergne and Montpellier, has taken over as Fiji's head coach. “He has brought a no-nonsense approach,” said Matavesi. “Everyone knows where they stand with him. Daryl Gibson and Glen Jackson are on the coaching team and we had Jason Ryan in the summer until New Zealand signed him up.
“We only have short periods of time together and have to make them count. Our World Cup group is virtually the same as 2019 with Australia, Wales and Georgia in with us. We led Australia and Wales but tended to drop off after 65 minutes.
“After a big performance against Australia, we were beaten by emotion when we faced Uruguay. We have learned from that. If we want to make the quarter-finals we have to maintain standards.”
The last time the World Cup was in France, in 2007, Fiji did make the last eight, at the expense of Wales. “There is a long way to go before then,” said Matavesi, who last week received the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Medal at a presentation at Franklin's Garden having completed five years with the Navy. “I am just happy to be playing,” he added.
