Nemani Nadolo

Nemani Nadolo

Nemani Nadolo
Full name	Ratu Nemani Driu Nasiganiyavi
Date of birth	31 January 1988 (1988-01-31) (age 23)
Place of birth	Fiji
Height	1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Weight	123 kg (19 st 5 lb)
School	Nudgee College
Notable relative(s)	Lote Tuqiri (Cousin)
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Winger
Professional / senior clubs
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2009 2010–2011 2011–	Waratahs Bourgoin Exeter
correct as of January 17, 2011 (UTC).
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2010 –	Fiji

Nemani Nadolo (born 31 January 1988), formerly Ratu Nasiganiyavi, is a young Fijian winger for Exeter Chiefs rugby union club in the English Premiership (rugby union) competition. His signing was officially confirmed by Exeter on 31 January 2011 via the clubs official website^[1] . Nadolo had before this been playing the first half of the 2010/11 season for French side Bourgoin-Jallieu.

Formerly with Randwick, for the 2010 season he signed with Manly and is the cousin of Lote Tuqiri. He has also played for Australia at junior levels.^[2]

Nadolo's size, style of play and Pacific Islander background drew him comparisons to Jonah Lomu when he signed for the Waratahs.^[3] According to prop Matt Dunning, "he runs like a chicken but he is faster than a lion".

After featuring for Perth Spirit in the 2007 Mazda Australian Rugby Championship, Nadolo headed east and instantly hit the ground running for Randwick scoring 13 tries in his first seven matches. His club rugby season was punctuated by the IRB Junior World Championship, where he crossed seven times in five matches to be the tournament’s leading tryscorer.

Nadolo was one of the finds of the 2008 season, with his hard-running and tryscoring prowess earning the powerhouse wing a Super 14 contract with the Waratahs. He played his first match for the Junior Waratahs on the 2008 Development Tour of Fiji less than 200 metres from his mother’s village in Nadi.

In November 2009 he changed his name to honour his mother and chose to keep her maiden name instead of his father's surname who left him and his family when he was still young.^[4]

For the 2010–2011 season, Nadolo signed to play with French TOP14 squad Bourgoin-Jallieu, but transferred to Exeter Chiefs in January 2011. He was also selected in the 24-member Fiji team for their one-off test against Australia as well as the 2010 IRB Pacific Nations Cup.

References

1. ^ Nadolo Seals Chiefs move Exeter Chiefs Official Website
2. ^ Ratu Nasiganiyavi Profile
3. ^ Waratahs sign Ratu Nasiganiyavi
4. ^ Nadolo no longer a tongue-twisting hulk – now he's just huge

Persondata
Name	Nadolo, Nemani
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	31 January 1988
Place of birth	Fiji
Date of death
Place of death