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'It will be interesting to see who goes back': Nemani Nadolo on Fijian Drua's Super Rugby invite and whether he might join up

(Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Leicester winger Nemani Nadolo has hailed next year’s arrival of Fijian Drua into Super Rugby but the 33-year-old believes he is too old to head to the island and play a part in the franchise’s debut season mixing it with the best teams that New Zealand and Australia have to offer.  

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Having moved from France to England in 2020, Nadolo ended his Test level retirement when playing for the Fiji national team in their December Nations Cup win over Georgia at Murrayfield. That was his first appearance at that level for two-and-a-half years and he went on to score a try hat-trick.    

However, while he is an enthusiastic supporter of club side Drua gaining recent inclusion in next year’s revised Super Rugby structure, Nadolo doesn’t feel it would be right if he sought to play in a tournament he last featured in with the Crusaders in 2016.  

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“No,” he said when asked if he was a potential recruit for the Fijian Super Rugby franchise. “I have thought about it but for me, that’s not my time or place. It’s time for those young guys to make their mark. I don’t want to be that guy that is taking the spot of a young kid from the village who potentially could go on and do great things. After this [Leicester], I will be one of those spectators on the sideline.

“Super Rugby, they play really quick over there,” he added. “I’m not saying it’s not quick here but I have done my time in the Super Rugby arena and I want to finish well here in the Premiership.”

Nadolo, who penned an extension to his Leicester contract on March 8 for the 2021/22 season in England, doesn’t believe the new Super Rugby Drua team will automatically stop the frequent flow of talent from Fiji. Until recent weeks, the dream for youngsters on the island had only been to get contracted abroad or pick up a school scholarship.

However, the Drua will now in time become an inspiration for local talent to aspire to represent. “I don’t think it is going to stop the influx of players,” he admitted. “Fiji, our biggest export is rugby players so we are always going to have guys come overseas. It’s a no-brainer but this is going to give guys a lot to look forward to. 

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“A lot of the kids there grow up wanting to play overseas. Their first thing is ‘I want to go play in France’ or ‘I want to go play in England, I want to get a schools scholarship’. With the Drua being there they have got an opportunity, they have something to look forward to.

“We have needed a professional team on the island and it is going to be great for them. These young kids coming through, there is so much raw talent that gets untapped. Fiji rugby are working really hard to make sure they can keep their best players on the island. It will be interesting to see who comes back, who goes back. They are going to have to mix it with the local guys there.

“It’s something that we have been crying out for and we have finally got the opportunity,” he continued. “It’s going to be great for the local guys on the island, it gives them an opportunity to play professionally on the island rather than having to come to this side of the world or New Zealand or Australia. 

“It’s going to benefit the national side three, four years down the track. I’m pretty pumped about it and they will hopefully do well. I look at it as the Jaguares of Argentina. Japan as well, they had the Sunwolves. Their national teams benefitted massively and you can see that in the World Cups and all those big games.”

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R
RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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