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Josh Matavesi

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Josh Matavesi
Birth nameJoshua Lewis Matavesi
Date of birth (1990-10-05) 5 October 1990 (age 34)
Place of birthCamborne, Cornwall, England
Height1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight118 kg (18 st 8 lb; 260 lb)
SchoolCamborne Science and International Academy
UniversityTruro College
Notable relative(s)Joel Matavesi
Sam Matavesi
Sireli Matavesi
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fly-half, Centre, Fullback
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2006-2008
2008-2009		 Camborne RFC
Mounts Bay RFC		 49
13		 (25)
(40)
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2009-2011
2011-2012
2012-2014
2014-2017
2017-2020
2020-2021
2021-		 Exeter Chiefs
Racing Métro
Worcester Warriors
Ospreys
Newcastle Falcons
Bath
Aichi		 61
40
48
121
89
46
6		 (0)
(10)
(15)
(85)
(40)
(27)
(42)
Correct as of 17 June 2022
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2009-2010
2008-2019		 Fiji U20
Fiji		 5
47		 (23)
(56)
Correct as of 17 June 2022

Joshua Lewis Matavesi (born 5 October 1990) is a rugby union player, who currently plays for Japanese side Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi, and formerly played for the Fiji national team at international level. Matavesi was born in Cornwall, England, to a Cornish mother and Fijian father.

Early life

Matavesi was born in Camborne in Cornwall, to a Cornish mother and Fijian father.[1] He identifies himself as "Cornish Fijian" and has said that he feels Cornish, not English.[1] His father, Sireli Matavesi, who is from Vanua Balavu, Lau Islands, Fiji, toured the United Kingdom as a Fiji Barbarian in 1987 where he met his wife, Karen.

Club career

Matavesi was offered a contract by the Camborne RFC. He also played rugby for the same club as his father.[citation needed] He also played for Mounts Bay RFC in National Division Two. He also played for Truro College and has also made a handful of appearances for Exeter United. In December 2008, he was called up to the England Under-20 squad for the 2009 Six Nations Under-20 tournament.[2] He was signed on by the Exeter Chiefs in August 2009 before[3] making his debut against Sale Sharks at fullback.[4] Josh played in the 2010 IRB Junior World Championship with Fiji U20s in Argentina. It was then announced that he had signed on for Racing Métro 92 in the Top 14 competition as a Medical Joker for Juan Martin Hernandez. He made his Top 14 debut off the bench against SU Agen in April 2011. In 2012, he signed a contract with Worcester Warriors. On 31 January 2014 he signed for the Ospreys. Josh signed to play for the Newcastle Falcons in the Aviva Premiership from the 2017–18 season.[5] He subsequently joined Bath in January 2020.[6]

On 9 September 2021, Matavesi departs Bath to travel to Japan to join Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi in Japan Rugby League One competition from the 2021-22 season.[7]

International career

In November 2009, he was called up to join the Fiji team for the 2009 Autumn Internationals against Scotland, Ireland and Romania, replacing Kameli Ratuvou.[8] He made his debut against Scotland playing at fullback and was replaced in the second-half.[9] He came off the bench against Ireland, replacing Norman Ligairi at fullback, but in the final test against Romania, he started at flyhalf because Fiji's first choice 10, Nicky Little had already returned to his club along with a few other players.[10] Fiji defeated the Romanians 29 - 18 with Matavesi scoring 9 points and converting 3 of the 4 tries.[11]

He was part of Fiji's U20 team in the 2010 IRB Junior World Championship in June 2010. In October, he was selected again to the Fiji team to take part in Fiji's end of year rugby tour to Europe.

In 2015 Matavesi was named in Fiji's 2015 Rugby World Cup squad.

On 22 May 2018 he was named in the Barbarians squad to face England in the Quilter Cup Fixture. Following fitness tests, It was determined Bundee Aki and Charles Piutau would both miss the game while fly-half AJ MacGinty was withdrawn by his club. This led to Matavesi, Finn Russell and Malakai Fekitoa being added to the squad with the addition of Denis Buckley and Newcastle Falcons teammate Nili Latu. The Barbarians beat England 63–45.

On 9 October 2019, after the conclusion of Fiji's involvement of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, Matevasi announced his retirement from international rugby, via a post on Instagram.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b "Matavesi the Cornish Fijian feels at home". International Rugby Board. 12 June 2010. Archived from the original on 13 June 2010. Retrieved 12 June 2010.
  2. ^ "Six Nations call-up for Matavesi". Western Morning News.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ "Chiefs sign young fly half Matavesi". everythingrugby.com.
  4. ^ "Exeter Chiefs – Cornishman Josh Matavesi". Western Morning News. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2009.
  5. ^ "Newcastle Falcons sign Ospreys and Fiji back Josh Matavesi". Sky Sports. 20 February 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  6. ^ "Bath Rugby sign up experienced Fiji player Josh Matavesi". Somerset Live. 16 January 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  7. ^ "MATAVESI DEPARTS FOR NEW ADVENTURE IN JAPAN". Bath Rugby. 9 September 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  8. ^ Matavesi replaces Ratuvou[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ "Josh Matavesi – Exeter Chiefs rugby – Exeter sport This Is Exeter – Exeter Express and Echo". Exeter Express and Echo. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013.
  10. ^ "<?php echo $row_inside_story['title']; ?>". fijilive.com. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012.
  11. ^ "Home". planetrugby.com. Archived from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2009.
  12. ^ Matavasi, Josh. "Josh Matavesi announces retirement". Instagram. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
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