Sam Matavesi Signs for The Pirates

The Cornish Pirates have boosted their squad with the now officially confirmed signing of Sam Matavesi.

Aged, 25, back-row/hooker Sam joins from Redruth, whose support he has greatly appreciated. He has also formerly played for Camborne and Plymouth Albion, and had a brief spell with Racing Metro in Paris.

Educated at the Camborne Science & International Academy, Sam then attended Truro College and was a member of the team that in 2009 won the Daily Mail RBS U18 Cup at Twickenham. Present day Pirates in the talented line-up included captain Jack Andrew and Tom Cowan-Dickie.

Gifted and not at all shy to put his body on the line, Sam also in 2013 won the first of his three caps for Fiji, whilst other honours include being a County Championship winner with Cornwall in 2016.

Joining the Navy early in 2017 – he is also nowadays a Supply Chain Logistician based at RNAS Culdrose within the W16 Stores Department – Sam has not only played against the Army in the annual Babcock Trophy match contested at Twickenham, but has also played for the UK Armed Forces side.

Commenting for the Cornish Pirates about their squad’s latest acquisition, coach Alan Paver said:

Welcoming Sam to the squad is going to be a massive boost, as we again take on another talented Cornishman. Having had a stint with Plymouth Albion, he knows what the Championship is about, and he has also played extremely well for the Reds. Also in partnership with the Navy, identifying him as a talented player we have been able to work with them to provide another example of the good partnership developed during the past couple of years.

The Matavesi family is well-known in Cornwall. Sam’s dad Sereli Matavesi was the first Fijian to play for Camborne and Cornwall after his arrival in the 1980s, and his brothers Josh and Joel have also made their mark in the game. Together, their rugby philosophy has been – Think on your feet, run, run, run — and entertain!