Life after rugby

FORMER Samoan rugby player Onehunga Mata’uiau made a very strong point the other day when he spoke about life after rugby. In fact every rugby player should take note and take appropriate action.

Mata’uiau suggests that all upcoming players should be well educated on the topic of life after rugby. He was the key speaker at the Island Breeze Rugby Plus clinic recently.

Mata’uiau who made his debut for Samoa against Tonga in Apia in 1996 said the biggest thing players should prepare for was what they would do after they hung up their boots.

He said it was important for players to be educated and have something to fall back on when their rugby career came to an end.

His sentiments come at a time when the sport is creating interest internationally, and hundreds of Fijians take up contracts overseas.

The emergence of the Fijian Drua in the Super Rugby Pacific Competition has raised the profile of the game on the homefront, engaging many youngsters who have hopes and aspirations of making it big at the highest level of the sport. Our 7s team continues to turn heads in World Rugby’s 7s series, and this has stretched to include our women who enjoyed the limelight at the Super W competition in Australia last season. They again turned heads at the women’s World Cup in New Zealand, and in 7s.

Our top players are living the life, and enjoying the limelight in some of the best competitions in Europe and in Super Rugby in Australia and New Zealand.

So what we have is a large group of players who are earning a living through the sport and contributing to remittances back home which amounts to millions of dollars annually.

However, as Mata’uiau points out, it’s never too late to educate themselves.

“I was one of those players that thought at the peak of my career rugby was forever until I realised that I needed a degree, I needed to work.

“What happens if I get into some accident and I can’t play rugby?

“Therefore I encourage everyone, young ones, yes, rugby is good but you’re only as good as your last game.”

The key is understanding that while the sport is a very strong earner for our top players, there is a limit.

This is where education must come in Mata’uiau suggests.

“You got to look for work, keep educating yourself whether it’s a trade because at the end of the day you can give back to rugby like what we’re doing now.”

He played nine tests for Samoa and featured in the 1999 Rugby World Cup, is also a Samoan skipper in 7s rugby, and now coaches in Queensland, Australia.

There has to be some perspective and life after rugby has to be part of the equation.

As we look ahead to the new rugby season, we are reminded about these issues raised by Mata’uiau, and look forward to the powers that be to empower our youngsters who are taking up the challenge and focusing on careers in rugby. He has raised a very important issue!