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Cockerill's plan to raid Pacific Islands for the next 'Tuilagi'
By Chris Jones
Edinburgh boss Richard Cockerill is planning to raid the Pacific Islands for more “x-factor” players to join Fijian star Viliame Mata who is staying at the club until 2021.
Having kept their most dynamic ball carrier despite interest from French and English clubs, Cockerill is now determined to bolster his squad with players who can make a similar impact in Europe and Pro 14 matches.
Cockerill is aware that Fijian players have proved a hit in Scotland with Niko Matawalu and Leone Nakarawa delighting the fans while at Glasgow Warriors and Netani Talei was a success at Edinburgh between 2010 and 2013.
Cockerill said: “We’re looking for more talent – Fijian talent, Pacific island talent – to bolster this team because it gives you X factor.
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"I certainly did that when I was with Leicester, with the Tuilagi clan that all came through and guys like Vereniki Goneva who we signed from Tarbes, so we’re hopefully going to bolster, certainly in the back line, with similar types.
“Players like Goneva or the Tuilagis or Matawalu that give us a bit of X factor because all the good teams in Europe have one, two or three of those types of players that give you something for nothing. Vili gives us that and we probably need a little bit more of it.”
Mata is backing Cockerill’s strategy and has praised the work of Edinburgh’s fitness experts who have helped the Olympic Gold medal winner join the list of candidates to become the European Player of the Year. Mata told the Scotsman: “Yes, there are a lot of guys over there and if clubs here are searching for talent they should be looking to the island and hand picking those guys
“The first season here was a bit of a struggle but I have picked up every season since and that is mainly down to the strength and conditioning guys at the club.
"I think the training programme suits me a lot, especially the S&C programme because it allows me to do what I have been doing so that is one of the main things that encouraged me to stay for the next few seasons and get even better. The S&C here, well it has changed my rugby from when I was in Fiji. For me it is just about doing my own thing and using my strengths and hoping they contribute to the team.”
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Latest Comments
We beat Wales. Oh wow.
Go to commentsAs has been the way all year, and for all England's play I can remember. I missed a lot of the better years under Eddie though.
Lets have a look at the LQB for the last few games... 41% under 3 sec compared to 56% last week, 47% in the game you felt England best in against NZ, and 56 against Ireland.
That was my impression as well. Dunno if that is a lack of good counterattack ball from the D, forward dominance (Post Contact Meters stats reversed yesterday compared to that fast Ireland game), or some Borthwick scheme, but I think that has been highlighted as Englands best point of difference this year with their attack, more particularly how they target using it in certain areas. So depending on how you look at it, not necessarily the individual players.
You seem to be falling into the same trap as NZs supporters when it comes to Damien McKenzie. That play you highlight Slade in wasn't one of those LQB situations from memory, that was all on the brilliance of Smith. Sure, Slade did his job in that situation, but Smith far exceeded his (though I understand it was a move Sleightholme was calling for). But yeah, it's not always going to be on a platter from your 10 and NZ have been missing that Slade line, in your example, more often than not too. When you go back to Furbank and Feyi-Waboso returns you'll have that threat again. Just need to generate that ball, wait for some of these next Gen forwards to come through etc, the props and injured 6 coming back to the bench. I don't think you can put Earl back to 7, unless he spends the next two years speeding up (which might be good for him because he's getting beat by speed like he's not used to not having his own speed to react anymore).
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