Niko_Matawalu
Nikola Matawalu
Rugby player
Nikola Matawalu (born 8 March 1989) is a Fiji international rugby union player. He plays in the scrum-half position but can also cover wing. He previously played for Glasgow Warriors. He had over 100 appearances for the Glasgow club and won the Pro12 title with them in season 2014-15. He also played for US Montauban in the French Rugby Pro D2 and Pontypridd RFC in the Welsh Premier Division.
| Birth name | Nikola Matawalu | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | (1989-03-08) 8 March 1989 (age 35) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Suva, Fiji | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 83 kg (13 st 1 lb; 183 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Suva Grammar School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Amateur career
While at Glasgow Warriors, Matawalu was drafted to various amateur sides within their district to play when not in use by the professional side. In 2012-13 season this was Aberdeen GSFP, in 2013-14 season this was Ayr, in 2014-15 season this was Glasgow Hawks.
Matawalu was drafted to Stirling County in the Scottish Premiership for the 2018-19 season.[1]
He played one game for the 2 Scots in the 2021 Edinburgh City Sevens tournament.[2]
He played for Pontypridd RFC in Wales while studying Rugby Coaching and Analytics at the University of South Wales. He left Pontypridd on 29 March 2024 to embark on a coaching career.[3]
Professional career
Niko joined Glasgow Warriors for the start of the 2012–13 Pro12 season on a one-year contract. He made his Warriors debut away to Cardiff Blues, coming off the bench to play at scrum-half, becoming Warrior No. 212. He impressed during his first season, scoring 9 tries in 22 appearances, and was awarded with a contract extension to keep him at the Glasgow club until 2015.[4] He was voted Glasgow Warriors player of the season for 2012-13 - and for the 2014–15 season; Glasgow's Pro12 title-winning season. He was also part of the Glasgow Warriors side that won the Melrose Sevens in 2014 and 2015.[5][6]
In December 2014, it was announced that he would join English Premiership outfit Bath Rugby for the 2015-16 campaign.[7]
In November 2016, it was announced he had signed for Exeter Chiefs.[8] His time in Exeter was disrupted when he was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in December 2016,[9] something he was cleared of in August 2017 - having already been released by the club.[10]
On 31 August 2017 Glasgow Warriors announced that they had re-signed Matawalu on a year's contract with the option of a second year.[11] Kept on, Matawalu would finally leave the club at the end of 2021-21 season, becoming a club centurion along the way. Of his time at the Warriors he said:[12]
When I first joined Glasgow Warriors in 2012 the biggest thing that stood out to me was the culture that the players created. I loved how the club had clans, traditions and customs – all like Fiji. A lot of things have changed over my years here but what makes Glasgow Warriors special hasn’t. Glasgow is my second home and I feel an immense sense of pride to have been part of this wonderful club. Every time I pulled on the Warriors jersey the most important thing for me was to enjoy every moment.
On 31 August 2021 it was announced that he had signed for French Club Montauban.[13]
International career
In May 2010 he was selected to represent Fiji in their 2010 tour to Australia.
- "Tennent's Premiership clubs decide pro-player draft | Scottish Rugby Union". Archived from the original on 2 September 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
- Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "RUGBY: NIKO MATAWALU MAGIC AT THE EDINBURGH CITY 7s 1.8.21". YouTube.
- "Niko Matawalu departs". 29 March 2024.
- "Niko extends his deal with the Warriors". Glasgow Warriors. 6 May 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
- "Matawalu and Allan to depart at end of season". 27 May 2021.
- "Bath sign Fiji scrum-half Nikola Matawalu from Glasgow Warriors". Sky Sports. 22 December 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
- "Exeter Chiefs sign Niko Matawalu from Premiership rivals Bath". Sky Sports. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
- "Rugby player on sex assault charge". BBC News. 7 March 2017. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
- Clark, Daniel (11 August 2017). "Former Exeter Chiefs player cleared of sexually assaulting woman". devonlive. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
- "Matawalu and Allan to depart at end of season". 27 May 2021.