RECOGNITION
Fiji Airways Flying Fijian named as world’s top rugby offloader
Fiji Airways Flying Fijians lock forward Leone Nakarawa has been named rugby’s offload King.
This was revealed by Opta,world’s leader in sports data.
It’s no surprise he tops the offloading charts in every game and season he plays as the Mokoisa, Kadavu native managed to pop the ball out of some of the darkest alleys to be found on a rugby field.
Opta revealed that Nakarawa holds the record for the most offloads in the Guinness Pro14, with 187, since making his debut for Glasgow Warriors in 2013, which is a staggering 79 more than the next best player (Cornell du Preez – 108).
A stat like this not only highlights why Nakarawa was named the European Professional Rugby Player of the Year in 2018 while in France, but why he is arguably the most talented offloader in the game currently.
That is made all the more remarkable by the fact that he played in France for Racing 92 for three of those years before returning to Scotstoun in January this year. This comes after the 2016 Olympic gold winning sevens star signed a new contract with Glasgow, keeping him in Scotland for another year.
Having left the Warriors in 2016 for Paris, Nakarawa rejoined earlier this year after fallout with Racing 92 due to his no show after the Rugby World Cup. As his contract was only to run to the end of the season, it was feared that he would be on his way out again, as there would have surely been a string of suitors after him.
But the new deal will keep him with the Warriors until 2021.
Olympic Spot
Meanwhile, Fiji Airways Fiji 7s coach Gareth Baber said Nakarawa could play in his second Olympic Games in Tokyo Japan next year. “I know Nakarawa’s coach at Glasgow Warriors very well. I’ve spoken to the coach and to Leone so he is welcomed to come and join us for training any time,” he said
“I’ve also had a conversation with fellow Olympian Semi Kunatani whose here in the country as well. Things are great because we have a good relationship with them as well. Their first and single priority is going to be for their clubs. “European clubs demand these players to perform well because they pay them a lot of money so they need them there day in day out.
“Coming back to Fiji training with our boys and going overseas is very difficult so my big push is to keep looking at three or four of them.”