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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
I'm honestly not so sure. I initially thought just reckless mainly because no player should be capable of doing that intentionally.
There's a strong argument that he's working both the eyes. It's his left hand he uses which is furthest from the ball he's contesting. His fingers are also clenched which I don't think is a natural way to try and rip a ball.
Go to comments"I see those teams, SA in particular, as only improving their performances in EPCR."
well, its gone the opposite direction so far!
"I don't like your model that requires them to reach Semi Final level in the Challenge trophy, given the bottleneck that will be URC with 16 teams playing for only 4 places."
my model would have given SA 3 spots in a 16 team CC this year, which is the same number as they have in the 24 team version that is actually taking place. But yes, if they keep getting worse it would get harder for them to get places. It would also get harder for you to argue that they deserve places though!
"I suggest by giving say Englands two semi finalist first seeds of the english teams, then the next best 4 on the league table as much better (it catches improving teams faster)."
interesting argument, but it doesn't always go that way. Gloucester are improving, but they improved in cup competitions before league fixtures started going their way. The same is true of Sharks, and the same was true of la Rochelle. I think maybe this is just an argument for allowing more teams to qualify via the challenge cup!
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