Former Fijian winger Nemani Nadolo believes his country will be facing “one of the very best sides” when they take the field to play Ireland in this weekend’s rugby Autumn International at the Aviva Stadium.
Standing at six-foot-five inches and weighing in a over 20 stones, Nadolo bears a striking resemblance to the All Black great Jonah Lomu. And it is not only in physical stature where the similarities between the two behemoths end.
A quick search on YouTube shows endless compilation videos of the Fijian scoring try after try, often leaving a wake of would-be tacklers in his rearview mirror.
A true once-in-a-generation freak of an athlete. Oh, and did he mention he kicked goals too?
Now, recently retired, he takes a sip or two of his red wine on a spring Melbourne evening as we discuss his career and his thoughts on the flying Fijians and the chances of a potential upset in Dublin.
Born in Fiji in 1988, the number 11 made Brisbane his home at only three months of age, following his father, Isei Nasiganiyavi, to the Gold Coast where he was to play for Queensland.
“Yeah, I come from a rugby family alright, my dad played, and my brother also played for Queensland so I suppose you could say it was in the blood,” said the man capped 30 times by his country.
Rugby union in Australia is played largely in private schools, with the cost of fees often beyond the reach of a working-class family like Nadolo’s.
However, some divine intervention set Nemani on the oval-ball path.
“I actually managed to go to a private school, because the church was running a scholarship programme to allow less-wealthy kids the chance to attend,” he said.
“I am forever grateful for that opportunity, and it gave me the best chance in life to make it.”
Having decided not to pursue a university path, and not considered good enough for the provincial academies, Nadolo played amateur rugby until the age of 20, holding down jobs as a bouncer, trolley boy and scaffolder until he was spotted by the Sydney side the Waratahs while playing in a rugby tournament in south-east Asia.
However, with opportunities limited he set his sights on the first of many overseas moves.
“I was having a great laugh in Sydney, but unfortunately wasn’t making it into the senior set up, so when Bourgoin came knocking I jumped at the chance,” he said.
However, unpaid wages followed by a controversial time with Exeter soon after, when he was caught drink-driving and left the club by mutual consent, left Nadolo at a crossroads.
If he wanted to be serious about being a professional rugby player he had to mature.
“I came back home for a few months after Exeter and I had a couple of things going on, but I asked myself if I wanted to get back on the building sites or make a go of rugby, and from that moment on I got my head down and the rest is history,” the former Chiefs man says.
Four fantastic years followed in Japan, embracing the lifestyle, while also playing in the close-season for the Crusaders in New Zealand, picking up the top try-scorer award in 2014.
Perhaps he is best known to European fans for his time at Montpellier under Jake White, often running through unfortunate Irish defences on Champions Cup weekends, as he racked up 265 points for the French side.
Nadolo, then played for Leicester Tigers before rejoining the Waratahs for a short spell, but he has fond memories of Irish trips and will be watching on hopefully on Saturday.
“I loved playing the Irish sides and that makes me excited about the weekend,” he exclaimed.
“I remember playing the likes of Leinster, Munster and Ulster and always knowing that those sides would be the most competitive in the game, putting everything they had into the Champions Cup.
“The fans were always amazing too and I have fond memories of playing at the RDS against Leinster or at the Kingspan when they were always packed to the rafters and the atmosphere was buzzing.”
It wasn’t just on the pitch the Fijian enjoyed his time here; he credits a famous Belfast public house as having the best of the black stuff.
“Once we played in Belfast with the Fiji side against the Barbarians,” he recalled.
“I went to the Crown Bar in the city and it was the nicest pint of Guinness I ever had, even better than at the Guinness factory, so lovely memories of the city and its people.
“I’ll be hoping to celebrate with another one if we do the job on Saturday.”
Fiji head into the game on the back of a superb victory of Wales in the autumn series and Nadolo believes that win will give the side great heart against Ireland.
“Going into this series the Welsh game was always the one we were targeting, and we pulled it off,” he explained.
“Listen, it is not easy sometimes playing for Fiji with the lack of organisational structures in place and that is something that has been an issue for many years, but we have the talent to do some great things.
“Ireland are a superb side, Andy Farrell has really got them playing some great footy, they are one of the best.
“They have threats all over the park and it would be impossible to just concentrate on one or two of their players, we need to play our own game,” he continued
“However, I think he may view the Fiji game as one to rest a few of his biggest players and I think that is our chance to get close to them, I’m really looking forward to watching it.”
Having hung up his boots, Nadolo has set up his own landscaping business and is now involved with a labour and sales role in Melbourne.
But the big man is not done with the game yet and maybe some day harbours dreams of making a return to Europe.
“I am starting into coaching with a local side next year, but it is definitely a dream of mine to get back to Europe in a coaching capacity when I earn my stripes.
“I want to give something back to the game that has given me so much.”
If Ulster are after a Skills coach, they might want to consider Nemani Nadolo, and who knows, maybe coax him out of retirement for one more season so the Kingspan crowd can watch him flatten a few more defenders just one more time.
