Netani Talei relishes broadening his horizons at Edinburgh

Published on Wednesday 8 September 2010 14:33

INCONGRUOUS maybe, but as he looks out across the choppy waters and dreams of Fiji, Netani Talei is beginning to settle into life as Leith's and the capital's newest sports star.

• Netani Talei

Talei is in Edinburgh because his talents as a rugby internationalist are such that they can earn him a salary far in excess of what is possible in his native South Seas. The 6ft 2in, skilful 18-stone back row was reluctant to leave his homeland as a youngster, returning after being talent-spotted and schooled in New Zealand, and his wife and children remain at home, unsurprisingly not sold on UK weather. He keeps in touch daily through the wonders of Skype.

Talei initially lodged with Tim Visser, the Edinburgh winger he affectionately calls "the dopey Dutchman". Visser has opted for "Ian the Fijian" for the newcomer. Talei has now found his own place, however, beside Ocean Terminal on Edinburgh's burgeoning new Leith waterfront, and is beginning to settle, even contemplating yesterday buying a fishing rod to while away down-time by the docks.

But it is in the stadium setting where the Fijian No 8 was signed to excel and where, in a promising Magners League debut at the weekend, albeit in defeat to Cardiff, the settling-in process really began. He talks excitedly of the prospect now of facing the former Heineken Cup champions of Munster in a competitive Murrayfield debut on Friday night, not only because of the respect he holds for the Munstermen but also because the only previous occasion he has played Irish opposition was in a pre-season friendly two years ago, when he scored for old club Worcester in a win at Ulster.

Edinburgh are on an unwelcome run of five straight defeats in the Magners League, but at Murrayfield have won four of their last five games, and the last time they took on Munster at home, last October, they emerged with a 12-7 win, their first in the fixture. The 27-year-old Fijian displays a preference for straight-talking as he casts off plaudits for enterprising rugby, in the sort of annoyed manner he shrugged aside tacklers in the Cardiff City Stadium.

Talei was brought in by Moffat and Tom Smith, the forwards coach who knew of him from the Premiership, because they believed the team needed men to provide a strong, robust, no-nonsense lead. After the opening match Talei understands why.

"That wasn't a good start," he acknowledged. "We were more vocal and aggressive from the beginning when we played London Irish (pre-season warm-up] and we planned to take that into the game at Cardiff, but I don't know what happened.We didn't have that energy from the beginning, we seemed to be waiting for them to provide the lead and then to react, to come at us, and I don't understand that.

"I wanted us to get involved more. It was very important for me on my first game for Edinburgh to provide a lead. That's what I do, I run hard and direct, but I also came here because I want to play the kind of rugby Edinburgh play, and they definitely have the players to cause every team problems.

"I tried offering myself as best I can, rather than wait for them to come at us, but sometimes my teammates were not always there. We have very good boys who want to play rugby, but I think some want to wait for Chris Paterson or Mike Blair or someone to show them the way first. We need guys to step up and take the lead, all at the same time."

That is fascinating. Fijians are known for their laid-back nature, their free-flowing silky handling skills, but also for a reluctance to try too hard. This week Rupeni Caucaunibuca was released by Agen with the French club saying that, after six seasons of him travelling to and from Fiji and never returning when he said he would, they had become fed up.

Nicknamed "Baby Lomu", he was a genuine world star who, when fit, which was too rarely recently, few players could stop. But Agen eventually decided they would rather have a lesser player who is there all the time.

That is one side of the Fijian stereotype. Another is an almost religiously observed desire to let no-one stand in their way, a good trait for a rugby player. Talei, an 18-stone powerhouse, has within weeks brought a new intensity to training and identified a trait in the Edinburgh players that some believe goes to the heart of their lack of success - the leadership issue.

Frank Hadden and Andy Robinson spoke of it; Moffat, Smith and Nick Scrivener have tried to address it by appointing the 23-year-old Roddy Grant as skipper this season and sending a strong message that age is no barrier to leading and inspiring one's teammates. Talei might be unhappy with the team's start to the season, but he is obviously relaxed with life in the Scottish capital.

"It is a wonderful city," he added. "Nice, friendly people and the rugby is more enjoyable. There is no real difference between players in the (English] Premiership and the Magners League, just the game is more open here. But we should fear no-one. Cardiff are a really good team, but we did our homework and we were good enough to come out winners, but we let Cardiff take control.

"Now that is past. Everything is about Munster on Friday and winning for us and for the Edinburgh people. We need to grab this game with two hands and go for it from the start, not wait. Everything is possible for Edinburgh if we believe in it."