Change In Recruitment Policy
Top French clubs opt for experience and matured Fijian players
If you think back to the middle part of this decade there were very large numbers of young Fijians, mostly either teenagers or having just turned 20, signing for a host of different clubs in France. There had been some very young players signed from Fiji in the previous decade, but they were usually signed mostly on the basis of contacts of already successful Fijian players in France.
For example, Sireli Bobo reportedly recommended his nephew Ilikena Bolakoro to Biarritz before he joined them at the age of 19 in 2007. Then he was behind the bringing of Virimi Vakatawa to his next club Racing 92 at the age of 17 in 2009. Also in 2007 Saimoni Vaka moved to Agen at the age 19 reportedly because of the link the club had with Rupeni Caucau.
NALAGA MANIA
However, the move that arguably kick-started the phenomenon of young Under-21 aged Fijian players moving to France was Napolioni Nalaga. He signed from Nadroga to Clermont after being spotted at the 2006 U21 World Championship which was held in the Auvergne region of France.
Nalaga’s peak was probably during the first period of his career where his impact was incredible. Over his first season and a half after breaking into the first team when Julien Malzieu and Aurélien Rougerie were called up to international duty in 2008, he scored 39 tries in 37 Top 14 matches for Les Jaunards and was awarded the prize for being the best player in the 2009 league.
It was Nalaga’s success that gave Clermont the idea to set up a formal partnership with Nadroga Rugby Union in 2010.
For the next few years following that a handful of players all aged 19-20 were signed to Clermont. This project succeeded in the bringing over of players like Kini Murimurivalu, Noa Nakaitaci, Peceli Yato, Uwa Tawalo, Alivereti Raka, and Seta Tuicuvu.
OTHER TALENTS
Also during that time in 2012 Metuisela Talebula signed for Bordeaux-Bègles at the age of 21 back of a sensational start to his Fiji career and also he had a lot of early success. Also a year later Toulon discovered a Nalaga type winger of their own in Josua Tuisova. Soon after that it seemed every club in France wanted to follow Clermont and search for another special young talent in Fiji to join them. This resulted in the arrival of a stream of players aged between 17-21.
HEIGHT OF RECRUTIMENT
The height of this came around 2013 to 2015. Over that period remarkably at least 35 Fijians were signed by 21 French clubs.
All the major Top 14 players like Clermont, Toulon, Bordeaux-Bègles, Stade Français, Montpellier, La Rochelle, Pau, Lyon signed one or more Fijian over that period. Even the likes of lowly Pro D2 sides like Albi or Provence were getting in on the act, whilst Brive announced they were following Clermont in setting up their academy in Fiji as a partnership with Ratu Navula College (a proposal they have since abandoned).
COMPLETE HALT
However, only three years on from its height, this trend seems to have suddenly come to an almost complete halt.
In the summer of 2015 at least 18 young Fijians joined French clubs, 15 of which were to Top 14 squads. Last summer the only arrival was Freddy Duguivalu who joined Perpignan in Pro D2. This summer there has not been a report of a single Fijian aged U21 moving to any club in France.
Up until very recently you could find a Fijian in almost every club, now you can hardly find any.
Not even a single U20 eligible (born 1998 or under) Fijian player can be found in a professional tier team in France. That is remarkable if you consider there were at least as many as 20 Fijian players in 2015.
That is a dramatic change in a short space of time, and there is many possible reasons behind it.
First of all very few of those Fijian recruitment strategies have gone nearly as well for anyone else like they have done for Clermont. Of at least 25 Fijian players in Top 14 clubs between 2014 and 2016, already 19 are no longer there. By comparison from the Georgian U20 aged players signed over the same period there are twice as many who are still with their club.
LEARN THE HARD WAY
One club that has learnt the hard way of recruiting Fijian players was Bordeaux-Begles. Perhaps buoyed by the success of signing on Talebula, they signed six Fijian players aged between 1721.
Now none of them are still at the club, with only one playing for 7 minutes in a Top 14 match.
LANGUAGE BARRIER
Another possible factor is the difficulty young players’ face is adapting to the French language and culture.
It is not easy for anyone to move abroad, away from friends and family at such a young age, but even more so for players who have travelled from half way across the world from Fiji.
Despite brilliance on the pitch, relationships have often at times been frustrating between French clubs and Fijians. We could see in the problems faced by Caucau in the past or Timoci Nagusa failing to appear on time for pre-season training.
There have also been a handful of disciplinary incidents involving Fijian players. A major one in 2017 that involved Waisea Nayacalevu and Josaia Raisuqe. This saw Raisuqe being sacked by Stade Français.
Pacific Rugby Players Welfare representative Joe Rokocoko referenced issues with depression and homesickness as problems for some young Fijian players in France.
FINANCE
Another key factor appears to be financial. It is not cheap to scout half way across the world in Fiji. Apparently event Clermont have been considering the cost of running their operation in Fiji and they are the ones who have had by far the most success with it.
Since their relationship with Nadroga they had been adding a new Fijian player to their team nearly every year, but for the last two seasons now they have not added any, with the previous two players they brought in 2016 not lasting beyond a season.
However, they did recently renew their partnership with Nadroga so that is far from finished and there may still be more in the future. It seems many clubs are deciding that the investment in Fijian talent of that age does not offer the value they thought it would.
NEW TREND
What is proving to be a more successful recruitment strategy is instead of rushing to find a 19-yearold talent, waiting to allow the player to gain a bit of experience closer to home either for Fiji or in competitions in New Zealand or Australia.
For example, Filipo Nakosi, rated as one of the best wingers in the Top 14 with Agen last season and now signed to Toulon, moved to France slightly older at 23 after having played a couple seasons of Mitre 10 Cup rugby with Northland.
Elsewhere, Peni Ravai joined Aurillac, last year and moved up to the Top 14. He has been the most effective ball carrying impact sub for Bordeaux-Bègles.
Whilst two of the stars of the Top 14 Levani Botia and Leone Nakarawa also moved to Europe at 25, both already as fully capped Fijian internationals in both 15s and 7s. This year the players to have been signed to Top 14 clubs from Fiji have been Eroni Sau for Perpignan and Peceli Nacebe to BordeauxBègles (who has since been loaned to Brive).
They were impressive in the National Rugby Championship while playing for the Fijian Airways Fijian Drua.
Another is Swire Shipping Fijian Warriors lock Tevita Ratuva who also played in the NRC last year for Brisbane City and has moved to Bordeaux.
Even Clermont’s Fijian signing for next season is winger Apisai Naqalevu, who first moved to France with Dax in 2015.
That seems to be what the trend has swung towards. Away from the 18 to 20-year old players to the 22 to 28-year old Fijian players with a bit of experience either in the Mitre 10 Cup, NRC or with the Fijian Warriors.