Virimi Vakatawa
France international rugby union player (born 1992)
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Key Takeaways
- Virimi Vakatawa (born 1 May 1992) is a New Zealand-born French professional rugby union player who plays as a centre or a wing for Super Rugby club Fijian Drua and formerly the French national team.
- In September 2022, he suddenly retired from professional rugby due to a heart condition.
- Early life Vakatawa was born in Rangiora, New Zealand on 1 May 1992, before moving to Naluwai, Fiji, his family village in Naitasiri Province.
- He then joined Nasinu Secondary School, a famous rugby playing school in Fiji.
- Club career Vakatawa was spotted and recruited by France-based Fijian winger Sireli Bobo, joining Racing Métro 92 in 2010.
Virimi Vakatawa (born 1 May 1992) is a New Zealand-born French professional rugby union player who plays as a centre or a wing for Super Rugby club Fijian Drua and formerly the French national team.
Arriving in France in 2010 and having obtained a French passport, he joined the France sevens team in 2014 before playing for the France national rugby union team since 2016 and the Six Nations Championship.
In September 2022, he suddenly retired from professional rugby due to a heart condition. On 27 September 2023, it was confirmed that he was returning to Rugby after signing for Bristol Bears.
Early life
Vakatawa was born in Rangiora, New Zealand on 1 May 1992, before moving to Naluwai, Fiji, his family village in Naitasiri Province. He holds Fijian citizenship and started rugby with his hometown club at 9 years old. He then joined Nasinu Secondary School, a famous rugby playing school in Fiji. He played both rugby league and rugby union before joining the Fiji national under-19 rugby union team at 17 years old.
Club career
Vakatawa was spotted and recruited by France-based Fijian winger Sireli Bobo, joining Racing Métro 92 in 2010. He was mentored by another former flying Fijian in Simon Raiwalui. He played his first game in the 2010–11 Heineken Cup where he scored his first try against Leinster.
On 13 June 2017, it was confirmed that he would be rejoining Racing 92 for the 2017–18 season.
He ended the 2018–19 Top 14 season as the top try-scorer for the competition with 13 tries.
He lost in final with his team in the 2017–18 European Rugby Champions Cup and the 2019–20 European Rugby Champions Cup.
On 5 September 2022, Racing 92 unexpectedly announced that Vakatawa was forced to retire from professional rugby, with immediate effect, due to a cardiac pathology.
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