Roko can show he’s got a grip on his nerves
WH AT he remembers most is facing the Haka, but being unable to hear it because of the noise around him. Semesa Rokoduguni was in at the deepest of deep ends for his Test debut.
Two years ago, the Fiji-born Bath wing, a tank driver in the British Army, made his first appearance for England against the fearsome All Blacks. It was also his last appearance for England… until now.
The 29-year- old was injured against New Zealand and the national coaches released him back to his club. Bath said he was fit again the next week and picked him. But England argued that he wasn’t fit to represent them, initially on physical grounds, but later it was suggested he had been overawed by the whole international experience.
Rokoduguni said: ‘ I played against the best team in the world, for my first cap. Everything was escalated. I had played before at Twickenham, with the Army, but it is nothing close to that.
‘They were doing the Haka in front of us and I couldn’t even hear what they were saying as it was so noisy in the stadium. It was nerve-wracking to be playing my first game for England, against the best team in the world, with so many experienced players.
‘It was a huge ask and after 60 minutes, I got injured. I came back the following week and I waswas hoping to get another shot against Samoa but it didn’t happen. Maybe it can still happen. Hopefully, hopefully…’
Despite admitting he found it tough,, Rokoduguni dismisses thehe perception he didn’t relish the occasion.
‘I did enjoy it,’’ he said. ‘It was different to anything I had experienced before. Expectation levels were different. I didn’t really get the ball much — I spent most of my time defending — but it was the experience of my life to play against the best in the world.
‘It took me a while after that to get back into game mode.
‘I wasn’t getting feedback from the (England) coaches. They were saying this and that, but not really the relevant points that I needed to improve. I felt like I was left in the middle.’
Rokoduguni has trained with England again since, but he missed the cut for the World Cup last year and was not in Eddie Jones’ plans early on. Now injuries to Anthony Watson and Jack Nowell have created an opening and the soldier feels he is armed for the battle ahead, if he is picked to start against South Africa next Saturday. ‘I feel a lot more prepared now,’ he said. ‘ In 2014, I hadn’t really learned how to kick. I knew how to do it, but it wasn’t natural to me. I’ve been working on that — and on taking high balls as well. I feel like I’m more ready now.’ There is greater familiarity with Twickenham, too. Every year, he makes an appearance at HQ on behalf of the Army, in front of a vast crowd for the annual inter-services final. He has also been back for the Aviva Premiership final, in May 2015, and on April 8 he should be playing there again, when Bath stage ‘The Clash’ against Leicester at the national stadium. In the two years since his Test, he has added layers to his game, but the thrust of his threat is the same — power, balance, speed and footwork. Jones acclaimed his ‘world-class feet’ after Rokoduguni scored a try with a slaloming run against Leicester last month. He didn’t know the England coach was in attendance until he returned home — to the Army barracks in Warminster — and watched a recording of the game. If that wasn’t enough of a timely showcase of his credentials, he delivered a match-winning try for Bath at Exeter last Sunday — in the eighth minute of injury-time.
Explaining his approach to going past an opponent, he said: ‘It is about deception. How to step the other way and leave the defender off-balance. As soon as you see that a defender’s feet are planted — that’s it, you’ve got him where you want him.
‘It’s not just when you are up against the big forwards,. If you do it right and throw them off balance. You have to play tricks with their minds and set them up.
‘You are watching to see how their shoulders are turning and if they are planting their feet. You have to scan and react quickly. Your running line has to be spot on, so you square him up. If he steps out, I have the line inside and I can go that way. If he steps in, I’ll beat him on the outside.’
Rokoduguni has focused on the less glamorous basics, too. As a way of honing his composure under high kicks, he will catch several balls in his arms, while blocking out the distraction of team-mates shouting or even throwing clothes at him.
If he is picked for England’s autumn opener, the Springboks will throw everything they have at him. But this time, Rokoduguni is sure he is ready. See Bath Rugby face their fiercest rivals Leicester Tigers in The Clash at Twickenham on April 8, 2017. For tickets and further information visit www.bathrugby.com/theclash