Votu

[billy2]

<H1>Votu jets off to greener pastures

Maciu Malo
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
+ Enlarge this image
Watisoni Votu, closest to camera, with Kaminie Turagava, left, Vereti Turagava, 11, and Kitiana Atani at the Nadi International Airport. The former national 7s rep will not feature at the Uprising Fiji International 7s this weekend. Picture: JAI PRASAD


SEEKING greener pastures, former Fiji rugby sevens skipper Watisoni Votu was farewelled by his loved ones at the Nadi International Airport yesterday.
After weeks of speculation, the Bukuya native jetted out to join the Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League competition in Australia.
Votu will team-up with Fiji-born Kangaroos superstar Akuila Uate and Fiji Bati skipper Wes Naiqama.
The soft-spoken strongman remained tight-lipped about his new contract.
"I prefer not to comment now," Votu said.
The former Lautoka flyer has been a vital member of the national sevens team over the past two years since making his debut in 2009.
His mesmerising performances and all-round skills will be sorely missed.
Votu played a key role in Fiji's successes at the 2009 Hong Kong Sevens, the 2009 Wellington Sevens and the recent Gold Coast Sevens.
Wishing Votu well, national 7s mentor Alifereti Dere said his absence would not affect the performance of his troops at the next leg of the International Rugby Board Sevens World Series in New Zealand and Las Vegas next month.
The former national skipper said this would give other players the opportunity to prove their worth.
"We have capable players that can take over from Votu and we wish him (Votu) well with his new club," Dere said.
"He has given his best for Fiji at the international level and we are hopeful of producing more good players of Votu's calibre in years to come.
"Fiji is blessed with an abundance of talent."
Dere has included giant Sekonaia Kalou and hard-hitting Suva flanker Samu Bola with Setefano Cakau and Nadroga strongman Nemani Nagusa in the forwards.

</H1>http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=191022

For those who don't know about Union 7s, it's now a worldwide sport in it's own right, and Fiji has been the side to beat for 20 years. People think that Union is the national sport of Fiji, but 7s is by far their major sport, and the skills of 7s include running, passing and one on one defence to a much greater degree than in the 15 man code.
This guy would be in the top half dozen 7s players in the world, and as a winger he might be the best candidate to switch to League.
In 40 minutes of watching him live, you can see he has amazing instincts and was followed up every break down his side of the field. He can smell a try a mile away.
He has come from left field, but i'm very excited about this bloke's prospects.

 

[billy2]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORrjyH_2G2Y

 

[Whats Doing]

Certainly has pace to burn and good footwork.

 

[billy2]

and a great fend - palmed off four guys in one of those tries - not that they would have been fantastic defenders.

 

[Whats Doing]

and a great fend - palmed off four guys in one of those tries - not that they would have been fantastic defenders.

Yes he has good upper strength. Now we know he is good in attack, the test will be his defence, positional play and judgment in defence, and the ability to take a high ball under pressure.

 

[RHCP]

Yes he has good upper strength. Now we know he is good in attack, the test will be his defence, positional play and judgment in defence, and the ability to take a high ball under pressure.

Pretty much. It's his decision making in defence which will make him or break him.

 

[Big Tim]

Yes he has good upper strength. Now we know he is good in attack, the test will be his defence, positional play and judgment in defence, and the ability to take a high ball under pressure.

Exactly the concerns with Aku, but we worked those out.

Some players can 'learn' the game, and the complexities of positioning...... you cant learn pure athleticism.

Here's hoping he is one of these guys that can learn.

 

[Whats Doing]

Exactly the concerns with Aku, but we worked those out.

Some players can 'learn' the game, and the complexities of positioning...... you cant learn pure athleticism.

Here's hoping he is one of these guys that can learn.

Agree. However it will be much harder for Votu than Aku as he is 26. Not that he is old but at this age he will have developed inbuilt instincts when under pressure which are much harder to change if there are problems.

But he sure is an athlete and quite an impressive one at that

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

He definately has some skill. I wonder what Sir Wayne has planned for him.

 

[billy2]

<H1>Flying start for Votu

Emoni Narawa
Thursday, February 09, 2012
+ Enlarge this image
Watisoni Votu runs away from the defence at the IRB Series. Photo: MARTIN SERAS LIMA


ONE'S loss is someone else gain. The saying rings loud for former Fiji sevens skipper Watisoni Votu who has now pledged his allegiance to switch to rugby league.
The former Vuda Blues flyer will be an asset to the Fiji National Rugby League's campaign in next year World Cup while the Fiji Rugby Union will find a tough time to find a suitable replacement for Votu.
The 26-year old Ba man made an impressive debut scoring a try for Newcastle during a trial match last week.
FNRL general manager Steve McLellan said Votu would be a great asset to any team.
"I thought he played really well in his first rugby league game and we are pleased with him.
"He is a huge player who is capable of playing at centre or wing."
"This is his first ever rugby league game and the outcome of it, is something we will consider," he said.
McLellan said with Wayne Bennete at the Knight's camp, Votu would have a lot to learn from his new code.
"He is a keen learner and I believe he still got a long way to go with his rugby league career.
"He is enjoying every bit of it," he said.
Votu's fellow Fijian Simione Sawene was also on trial with the robust winger last week.
Sawene, a former Fiji rugby under-20 rep was based in Brisbane.
Knight's assistant coach Rick Stone said Votu and Sawene were learning fast.
Votu was a key member of the Digicel Fiji 7s team in the first leg of the 2011/2012 IRB Sevens World Series.

</H1>http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=192961

This article from the Fiji times seems to confirm that he has committed to our NSW cup squad for the season.

 

[Footin mouth]

I saw Votu play against Windsor and he only touched the ball once (kick return) besides that he never went looking for the ball, so I don't quiet know what all the wraps is about this guy, maybe I have been watching the wrong trial games. Votu scores a simple try against Newcastle rep side and the next day there was this massive wrap about him. I just don't get, he has a lot to learn before he can even make the NSW cup side.

 

[billy2]

7s team not keen on Votu

Emoni Narawa
Monday, February 27, 2012
FORMER Fiji sevens skipper Watisoni Votu is highly unlikely to make a return to the national sevens team anytime soon after failing to impress for Newcastle Knights during his one month trial.
Fiji sevens assitant coach Etuate Waqa said they knew nothing about Votu.
"We do not know about him (Votu) and he is not an issue for us for the time being," Waqa said.
Votu was recently dropped from the Newcastle Knights rugby league team after playing three reserve-grade trials and spent the past month training with the Knights.
The Ba man's was a free man last month when his Fiji Rugby Union contract expired on January 29.
The 26-year old impressed and scored in his first outing for the Knights but it was not enough as the Knights preferred to sign 20-year old Simione Sawene.
Waqa said Votu left without informing the team management.
And over the weekend the Newcastle Herald reported that the Knights had no plans for the Fiji's prolific sevens player. However youngster Sawene was given the nod ahead of Votu.
Knights chief executive Matt Gidley said Sawene would be offered a second-tier deal.
"We were probably looking for a front-rower to bolster our resources in the NSW Cup squad and Simione has been impressive in the trials and he's been rewarded," Gidley told newcastleherald.com
"He will be offered a 12-month contract," he said of Sawene. Gidley was hopeful Votu would benefit from his short stint with the Knights.
"He (Votu) has spent a few weeks training with an NRL club and hopefully he'll learn from that experience and it will help him become a better player," he said.
Votu last featured for the national sevens team during the George tournament in South Africa last year.

http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=194395

I hope he gets a run for a league side somewhere - he'd kill it in the real NRL.

 

[Yosh]

Jeez did we put him out of a job?

 

[blacktip-reefy]

he would have been a right winger not a left as he refuses to carry the ball in the correct arm.
No money for him in league & he is much better chasing cash in France or japan where he would be a standout.