Rugby: Talei's big on giving Cardiff the blues

Published on Wednesday 1 September 2010 13:05

New Edinburgh Rugby signing Netani Talei will take the field for his competitive debut in the Magners League opener at Cardiff on Saturday ready to display the talents that made him a schoolboy successor to the great Jonah Lomu.

Like Lomu, around a decade before him, Talei entered that prolific New Zealand rugby academy, Wesley College, on a scholarship.

It was on their playing fields in South Auckland that he developed the skills that have resulted in him being capped 15 times by Fiji and, as he spoke ahead of his debut, it became clear that the flanker/No.?8 is well aware of the traditions he has to live up to.

"Not only Lomu but other All Blacks such as Sitiveni Sivivatu, Joe Rokocoko and Stephen Donald have come out of Wesley College and I was fortunate to spend a couple of years there after breaking into my school team in Fiji at the age of 14.

"From Wesley College I went on to play provincial academy rugby with the Counties Manakau team before the chance came to join a third division French club, which didn't work out.

"I've also had spells with Doncaster and Worcester and I am really looking forward to representing Edinburgh and getting to know better a city where, for the moment, all I seem to do is go where the sat-nav on my car takes me!"

In England Talei certainly knew where he was heading internationally and forced his way into the Fijian squad that caused a shock by beating Wales at the last World Cup.

Although he missed that game through injury, he did figure against Canada, Japan and Australia and has his sights set on adding to his cap haul when Fiji engage England, France and Italy this Autumn.

For the moment, though, it is all about Edinburgh and especially a first visit to Cardiff on Saturday.

"If I am selected for Fiji this Autumn and my release can be obtained from Edinburgh then, great. Just now I feel I have settled well after getting 40 minutes against both Bath and London Irish in the warm-up games.

"Conditioning-wise I felt good after Friday's win over London Irish and particularly liked the idea of running off Alex Grove in the centre.

"Alex and I played together at Worcester and he has a lot to bring to Edinburgh.

"Alex is very dynamic, runs good lines at pace and is solid in the tackle.

"For the moment I'm still blending in with my new colleagues and they are learning about me. Against London Irish I thought it best to make most of my ball carries running off Alex and take time to understand the half-backs a bit better."

The consensus around Murrayfield on Friday was that Netani, with his robust, physical approach nearly always ensuring progress off the back of rucks and scrums, has the potential to be a big favourite and had their been a man-of-the-match award he undoubtedly would have been a contender.

The feeling, it seems, is mutual with Netani appreciating being given licence to create his own options. "What I really like about being in Edinburgh is that (coach) Rob Moffat has given me the chance to play what is in front of me and the open style should suit my off-loading game."

To land Netani it is understood Edinburgh had to beat off competition from French club Bourgoin and his departure from Worcester caused many fans to voice displeasure on supporter websites having seen him notch five tries in 55 appearances.

A new chapter, then, is opening in the 27-year-old's career and his horizons are also being broadened, albeit he takes issue with his official club pen picture that suggests he is a devotee of five-a-side football.

"I think they must have mistaken me for our other signing, Esteban Lozada, from Argentina.

"I don't mind watching bits of soccer but I'm not the sort who will sit down and watch for 90 minutes."

On the evidence presented so far he is much more of an action-man than a passive observer.

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"Alex and I played together at Worcester and he has a lot to bring to Edinburgh"

Netani Talei