Fijian international Sam Matavesi joined Northampton Saints ahead of the 2019/20 season from Championship outfit Cornish Pirates.
The hooker – who is also comfortable in a No.8 shirt – began his career at hometown club Camborne, progressing through Cornwall’s grassroots rugby system with stints at Plymouth Albion and Cornish Pirates after graduating from Exeter Chiefs’ academy.
The front rower’s career sky-rocketed in 2019 as his form earned him a loan spell with Toulouse, a French Top 14 title, and a spot on the plane to the 2019 Rugby World Cup with Fiji, before he arrived at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens at the close of the year.
Matavesi also balances his rugby with a military career in the Royal Navy – the Able Seaman’s stationing at RNAS Culdrose has already seen him feature in four of the annual Babcock Trophy clashes with the British Army at Twickenham, as well as earn the Cossack Sword award in 2018 and UK Armed Forces Sportsman of the Year award in 2020.
Since linking up with Saints, Matavesi has gone from strength to strength – making 63 appearances in his first three seasons in Northampton, claiming a Club Player of the Month award and further call-ups into the Flying Fijians’ squad.
Matavesi’s ability with the boot has come as an added bonus to his skills as a hooker, while he has a nose for the try line, scoring five times during the 2021/22 season, including two in the victory over Newcastle Falcons that qualified Saints for the Gallagher Premiership play-offs.
