Semesa Rokoduguni: The Fijian desert rat soldier whose form in battle for Bath could soon see him serve England on the wing

  • Rokoduguni, 26, will line up for Bath in their play-off decider at Harlequins
  • A lance corporal in the Royal Scots Dragoon Guard, he starred in the Army's win over the Navy at Twickenham at the weekend
  • He compares his service to playing rugby: 'You look after each other’
  • The Rokoduguni family has a proud military history with Rokoduguni's younger brother and father currently in service for Britain and the UN
  • He trained as a tank driver in Dorset and has served in Afghanistan
  • The army encourages Rokoduguni to chase his rugby dream
  • Wales confirm Possibles v Probables match in Swansea on May 30
  •  Sebastien 'Caveman' Chabal retires a truly French hero
  • Last weekend's 45 Premiership tries backs argument for summer rugby

By Chris Foy

Published: 16:30 EST, 8 May 2014 | Updated: 19:32 EST, 8 May 2014

When you’ve done a six-month tour of duty in the badlands of Helmand Province, the prospect of an Aviva Premiership play-off decider isn’t too frightening. Neither, for that matter, is a Test debut.

Semesa Rokoduguni is pursuing two careers in tandem; rugby player and soldier. Last weekend, his parallel worlds collided as he made a try-scoring contribution to the Army’s victory over the Navy in front of 80,000 supporters at Twickenham.

The 26-year-old Fijian is making waves on the wing for Bath, putting him on course to play for England in the near future. But he has already served his adopted country in battle of the life-and-death variety, with bullets and bombs to contend with, rather than tackles and tries.

National service: Bath winger Semesi Rokoduguni whie on tour with the army in Afghanistan

National service: Bath winger Semesi Rokoduguni whie on tour with the army in Afghanistan

Rising star: Fijian-raised Rokoduguni has impressed in his first full Premiership season for Bath

Rising star: Fijian-raised Rokoduguni has impressed in his first full Premiership season for Bath

 

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George Orwell drew comparisons between the field of play and the field of combat, saying that ‘sport is war minus the shooting’, and Rokoduguni agrees there are similarities between the two arenas.

‘Out there in Afghanistan, it is like when you’re playing rugby; you look after each other,’ he said. ‘You depend on the guys around you and they depend on you. We all cover each other’s backs.’

A military life was all but inevitable for Rokoduguni, who was keen to continue a long family tradition of joining the forces.

He is a lance corporal in the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, and his younger brother is based in Inverness with the Black Watch and is due to go to Afghanistan later this year. His father is currently on a UN peacekeeping mission in Egypt.

Front line: Rokoduguni runs in a try for Army in their 30-17 defeat of Navy at Twickenham on May 3

Front line: Rokoduguni runs in a try for Army in their 30-17 defeat of Navy at Twickenham on May 3

Having graduated from the Army training centre at Bovington in Dorset, he was deployed as a tank driver, before being sent to Helmand as a foot soldier.

Despite the constant dangers, he relished being able to put his combat ability to the test on the front line.

No fear: The lance corporal will do battle Harlequins in their shoot-out for a play-off spot on Saturday

No fear: The lance corporal will do battle Harlequins in their shoot-out for a play-off spot on Saturday

‘When I went to Afghanistan, I was attached to an infantry regiment,’ he said. ‘I was on foot patrols four times a day in the north of the province where most of the action was going on. I spent six to eight months out there, patrolling day-in, day-out.

‘It was scary at times, but it is pretty much like rugby. You can practise all the time, but you can only find out how good you are when you actually do the job.

‘We had trained for a year or two, so it was a chance to use our skills, but you know there’s no room for mistakes.

‘The risks are so much more than in rugby. People can die. Two of my mates were shot, but they just had flesh wounds. A marine died on the week we arrived. He stepped on an IED (improvised explosive device), it blew off both his legs and he was gone. There was a lot of small-arms fire, and the threat of suicide bombers.’

Rokoduguni initially believed he would have to make a choice between a military and sporting career, but soon discovered that the Army would encourage his desire to pursue both.

Having grown up in the village of Naselai, near Fiji’s capital, Suva, he set his sights on emulating Apo Satala, who played Test rugby for the Pacific island nation while serving as a soldier.

Later, the pair met and the former Gloucester back-rower convinced the younger man to chase his rugby dream.

Encouraged: Rather than forcing a choice between rugby and service, the army backs his sporting dream

Encouraged: Rather than forcing a choice between rugby and service, the army backs his sporting dream

‘The dream of all Fijian guys is to play rugby,’ he said. ‘Kids play it everywhere. If they have a ball, they are lucky. If they don’t have a ball, they improvise and use  bottles or a shoe. I played with my mates and boys in the village. There was nothing organised.’

The hobby developed into something far more substantial within the structure of the British Army.
His innate talent quickly opened doors. First came Under 23 and sevens selection, for tournaments all around the world, then  Rokoduguni was introduced to the 15-a-side game.

His breakthrough came when he played for the Army against  Newcastle in Portugal, catching the eye of Gary Gold and Mike Ford. The coaches brought him to the North East for a trial, then after moving to Bath, they again gave him a chance, which he took. When the call came to say he was being signed up, he didn’t believe it.

‘I thought it was a joke,’ he said. ‘I was back in Germany, where my unit is based, after my trial. Gary called me and said, “Roko, we want to offer you a one-year deal”. I said, “No. Shut up. Who is this?”  He said it was Gary Gold and I said, “No it isn’t” and hung up!’

Hard yards: From the parks of Fiji to The Rec, Rokoduguni was spotted by the now Bath coaches in Germany

Hard yards: From the parks of Fiji to The Rec, Rokoduguni was spotted by the now Bath coaches in Germany

Now in his first full season for the West Country club, he has shown sufficient prowess to interest the England management.

Fiji made enquiries, but after playing for the Saxons earlier this year, Rokoduguni has set his sights on wearing the Red Rose in a Test match. His chance may come as soon as next month, on the tour of New Zealand.

He added: ‘My boss in the Army said, “You’ve been playing really well, soon England or Fiji will come knocking at your door”. Fiji tried to contact me, but I’d rather wait to see if I can play for England. There are loads of Fijian players at home who are better than me.’

Before Rokoduguni contemplates more national service, there are pressing club matters to focus on.

On Saturday, Bath face Harlequins at The Stoop and a place in the play-offs is on the line. For the  soldier in the visitors’ ranks, this is a shoot-out that will hold no fear.

 

For players hoping to earn Test selection, unsure if they will make the cut, the  suspense must be hard to cope with.

Well, that won’t be an issue for Wales candidates later this month.

Final look: Warren Gatland will name his Wales team for South Africa after a Possibles v Probables match

Final look: Warren Gatland will name his Wales team for South Africa after a Possibles v Probables match

England injury worries

Billy Twelvetrees is out for four to six weeks with ankle damage, says Gloucester boss Nigel Davies, and is likely to miss England’s tour of New Zealand 

The WRU on Thursday confirmed a Probables v Possibles trial match at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea on May 30, with Rob Howley and Robin McBryde taking charge of the respective teams.

Many of the 46 players will be pretty certain of their selection for the South Africa tour already, but others on the fringes won’t have a long wait to find out.

Warren Gatland will name his tour party at the post-match press conference, so some contenders will be given good news while they’re still getting changed.

 

Sebastien Chabal is retiring, taking the game’s most iconic, caveman beard with him.

In his pomp, ‘Sea-bass’ was a force of nature - giving his best years to Sale as a No 8 whose swashbuckling ball-carrying feats illuminated the English game.

Philippe Saint-Andre, his coach at the time, once delivered this assessment of his qualities: ‘We use science to build rugby machines and he just smashes them.’

Hero: France flanker Sebastien Chabal retires after an eventful career, finished by helping Lyon to promotion

Hero: France flanker Sebastien Chabal retires after an eventful career, finished by helping Lyon to promotion

Best years: France legend Chabal gave some of his greatest performances to Sale in the England Premiership

Best years: France legend Chabal gave some of his greatest performances to Sale in the England Premiership

At the 2007 World Cup, he became the darling of France, even when not in the starting team.

The sight of him staring down the Haka before the quarter-final victory over the All Blacks in Cardiff will live in the memory, as will the surprising image of Chabal driving to and from training in a Smart car.

Occasionally prone to drifting out of games, he could be a moody character, but on his day he was majestic; a truly French hero.

 

The last word

It certainly wasn’t dull, was it? Last weekend’s round of six Aviva Premiership matches yielded 45 tries as the elite clubs made hay in the sun.

It was further proof that the notion of summer rugby - as frequently championed by this column - makes sense. The weather and the glorious attacking fare draw crowds and generate excitement.

Try feast: Wasps' Charlie Hayter scores in their win over Newcastle, one of 45 Premiership tries in the round

Try feast: Wasps' Charlie Hayter scores in their win over Newcastle, one of 45 Premiership tries in the round

Free-flowing: The impressive sunshine scorelines advocate top level rugby in England being played in summer

Free-flowing: The impressive sunshine scorelines advocate top level rugby in England being played in summer

Those against a calendar shift argue that it would rob the sport of variety, always producing fast-and-loose games and no attritional, forward-dominated contests. Nonsense.

There is nothing to stop teams with an advantage up front from driving in scrums and mauls under blue skies. In fact, dry surfaces aid that facet of the game. Studs can grip better when turf doesn’t give way.

Playing when the conditions are better merely promotes strategic choice and the use of essential skills. Those who hanker for mud and gloom are losing their footing in this perennial debate.

 

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England stealing more players from the pacific islands, how many in the England team are now England born?

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Far better than Nowell and can't run straight May.

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He was given his first opportunity at pro Rugby in England and serves our Armed forces. That makes him pretty English to me!!

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Isn't he good enough for his home country then?

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Who's this Foxy Buffoon??

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I like the cut of his jib.

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Excellent news. Another Englishman in the England team.

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@Take it as red. The fact that young English lads who play rugby know that they have more chance of flying to the moon than playing for their country doesn't bother you. By the way Anglo Saxons are a Germanic race which I am well aware of.are you backwoodsman

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Give it a rest Foxy, He's served for queen and country. when hes willing to put his LIFE on the line protecting this country (and others) why shouldn't he play a sport for it?

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Should be a top article this. Not at the bottom

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Go on buddy, make Fiji proud.

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