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Fiji international Josh Matavesi makes mid-season switch to Bath

By Ali Stokes

16 Jan 2020

Josh Matavesi Newcastle

Fijian utility back Josh Matavesi is set to curtail his stint in the Greene King IPA Championship with Newcastle Falcons with a move to the Premiership with Bath.

Matavesi, 29, announced his retirement from Test rugby late last year following Fiji’s pool stage exit from 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, and has been a key cog in Dean Richards’ Newcastle machine since signing from the Ospreys in 2017.

Bath boss Stuart Hooper is set to enlist Matavesi, eldest brother of Northampton Saints hooker Sam and Newcastle academy prospect Joel, ahead of an expected Six Nations absence and a reported Super Rugby switch.

Bath are currently without England and British and Irish Lions centre Jonathan Joseph with a foot injury sustained in defeat to Gloucester earlier this month, and while he is expected to recover over the next week, he will likely be involved with England’s Six Nations campaign.

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Furthermore, South African newspaper Rapport are reporting that Jamie Roberts, another Lions centre, is set to leave the West Country imminently to join Super Rugby outfit the Stormers in Cape Town, South Africa.

While Bath welcomed the return of Kiwi centre Jackson Willison from injury during last weekend’s home European loss to Harlequins, Matavesi is set to bolster the West Country club’s midfield, cushioning the potential loss of Roberts to Super Rugby and Joseph’s expected England call-up.

Batten down the hatches. #Stormers #SuperRugby #JamieRoberts #Springboks #SouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/NJqhfD8Uzi
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 15, 2020

It is not entirely clear whether the 24-cap international will join Bath on a loan deal lasting until the end of the season or on a more permanent basis, although RugbyPass understands it’s the latter. All the same, the powerful Cornish-born playmaker, who also covers fly-half, would be a welcome addition to Bath’s Premiership run, having struggled to secure a consistent run of form so far this season.

Newcastle Falcons, meanwhile, currently sit atop the Championship table after eight rounds of action and are expected to make an immediate return to English rugby’s top flight after succumbing to relegation last season.

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Comments on RugbyPass

Ardy 8 minutes ago

Jake White: Ireland, Australia and Wales all have the same problem

John, McKenzie was 10 years ago and he only lasted 15 months until the disgustingly unfair affair that brought him down. I thought that if he didn't get another gig over Eddie V2 then he was done. I read that he had been approached but declined to put his name in the ring.

There are no potential Wallaby coaches outside of McKellar unless you have some inside info?

12 Go to comments

SK 10 minutes ago

Why England's defence of the realm has crumbled without Felix Jones

The way they are defending is sometime pathetic to be honest. Itoje is usually on the inside of the rush and he is paired with a slower tight forward. Unable to keep up with the rush we have seen the line become disconnected on the inside where the big boys are. How many times have we seen Earl rush past the first receiver almost into no mans land covering no attacker. It looks like a system without any guidance. Tome Wright, Ikitau and a number of Wallabies went back to this soft centre as did Williams, Jordan and several others. Also when the line is broken the multiple lines of defence seems to be missing. The rush is predicated on a cover and recovery system with multiple lines of defence but with England you dont see it any more. Fitness and conditioning seems to be off as well as players are struggling to keep up with the intensity of the rush. Felix Jones has left a huge hole. The whole situation was and is a mess. Why they insist on not letting him go and having him work remotely is beyond me. Its leading to massive negative press and is a hot button issue thats distracting from the squad. Also the communication around Jones and his role has been absolute rubbish and is totally disjointed. While some say he is working remotely and playing a role others are saying theres been no contact. His role has not been defined and so people keep asking and keep getting different answers. England need a clean break from him and need to start over. Whatever reason for his leaving its time to cut the rope before the saga drags the whole Borthwick regime down. As for Joe El Abd well good luck to him. He is being made to look like an amateur by the whole saga and he is being asked to coach a system thats not his and which has been perfected and honed since 2017 by Nienaber, Jones, Erasmus and Co and which was first started by White in 2004. He is literally trying to figure out a system pioneered by double world cup winning coaches at the highest level and coach it at the same time. Talk about being on a hiding to nothing.

19 Go to comments

Ardy 19 minutes ago

Jake White: Ireland, Australia and Wales all have the same problem

The England backs can't be that dumb, he has been playing on and off for the last couple of years. If they are too slow to keep up with him that's another matter.

He was the only thing stopping England from getting their arses handed to them in the Aussie game. If you can't fit a player with that skill set into an England team then they are stuffed.

12 Go to comments

CB 24 minutes ago

'Steve Borthwick hung his troops out to dry - he should take some blame'

Steve Borthwick appointment was misguided based on two flawed premises.

1. An overblown sense of the quality of the premiership rugby. The gap between the Premiership and Test rugby is enormous

2. England needed an English coach who understood English Rugby and it's traditional strengths.

SB won the premiership and was an England forward and did a great job with the Japanese forwards but neither of those qualify you as a tier 1 test manager.

Maybe Felix Jones and Aled Walter's departures are down to the fact that SB is a details man, which work at club level but at test level you need the manager to manage and let the coaches get on and do what they are employed for.

SB criticism of players is straight out of Eddie Jones playbook but his loyalty to keeping out of form players borne out of his perceived sense of betrayal as a player.

In all it doesn't stack up as the qualities needed to be a modern Test coach /Manager

13 Go to comments

Bull Shark 27 minutes ago

David Campese takes back his Joe Schmidt coaching Australia criticism

But still Australians. Only Australia can help itself seems to be the key message.

Blaming Kiwis is deflecting from the actual problem.

35 Go to comments

OJohn 41 minutes ago

David Campese takes back his Joe Schmidt coaching Australia criticism

I know - but only a particular selfish greedy self entitled a..... breed who have been screwing over Australian rugby for 20 years.

They even sent themselves bankrupt, morons.

35 Go to comments

Bull Shark 46 minutes ago

David Campese takes back his Joe Schmidt coaching Australia criticism

I will consider such. But I think outliers like Rod Macqueen are difficult to plan for and or identify logically.

But I’ll keep an open mind and include Rod Macqueen in my assessment.

35 Go to comments

Bull Shark 48 minutes ago

David Campese takes back his Joe Schmidt coaching Australia criticism

So you see. Australians are the problem.

35 Go to comments

OJohn 58 minutes ago

David Campese takes back his Joe Schmidt coaching Australia criticism

Keep in mind Rod MacQueen never won a Super Rugby title before he was appointed Wallaby coach but he ended up the greatest rugby coach the world has ever seen. Better than Erasmus even. Who is probably the next best.

35 Go to comments

Bull Shark 1 hour ago

David Campese takes back his Joe Schmidt coaching Australia criticism

Some interesting names there. I’ll spend some time researching their coaching credentials and come back with a well thought out response and avoid jumping to irrational conclusions.

Chat later.

35 Go to comments

OJohn 1 hour ago

David Campese takes back his Joe Schmidt coaching Australia criticism

There's plenty of coaching talent available. See other post but the Tahs won't let them coach Australia unless they are Tahs.

35 Go to comments

OJohn 1 hour ago

David Campese takes back his Joe Schmidt coaching Australia criticism

Ewen McKenzie, Less Kiss, Stephen Larkham, Jim McKay, David Nucifora, Scott Wisenthal, Ben Mowen, Rod Kafer, Mick Byrne, John Manetti, Jason Gilmore, Dan McKellar.

Go on say it. I know you're going to. No Australian will ever be good enough to coach Australia when there's a hopeless kiwi or south african available. Ever !

Because South Africans and Kiwis and Welshmen and Scotsman are all s.... scared that if an immensely talented and athletic team like Australia is ever able to harness nationalistic Australian passion with an Australian coach, you'll all be s.c.r.e.w.e.d.

35 Go to comments

Bull Shark 1 hour ago

David Campese takes back his Joe Schmidt coaching Australia criticism

This is true.

But perhaps because rugby is Australia’s fourth (or worse) most popular sport, there is just no coaching talent good enough.

It’s interesting that no players from the Aussies golden era (say between 1987 - 2000) have emerged as international quality coaches. Or coaches at all.

Again, Australians are the problem methinks. Not as interested in the game. Not as interested to support the game. Not as interested to get into the game.

And like any other industry in the world - when you don’t have the capabilities or the skills, you import them.

Not difficult to understand really.

35 Go to comments

Bull Shark 1 hour ago

David Campese takes back his Joe Schmidt coaching Australia criticism

I would say at least one of the 6 if you’d be so kind as to name them?

I’m thinking you can’t name 6 Australian coaches who would be as good as or better than Schmidt.

35 Go to comments

Frans 1 hour ago

Autumn Nations Series 2024: Everything you need to know about round four

i think Argentina v France could be a good game too, depending on which Argentina turns up. The most difficult to call is Scotland Australia.

2 Go to comments