The Fijians of the CO played an important role in the rise to power of the team led by Pierre-Henry Broncan. And if they keep their culture, they have perfectly integrated into Castrese life.
It is a fact: Vilimoni Botitu, Filipo Nakosi and Adrea Cocagi, the three-quarters Fijians of the CO, have become essential elements of the composition of the team proposed by Pierre-Henry Broncan and his staff. In the Top 14, since the technical team took office at the end of 2020, winger Filipo Nakosi has been systematically deployed when he is available, as well as the first center (who can also play the number 13) Vilimoni Botitu. Only Adrea Cocagi knows a slightly more frequent rotation, since he shares the flocked shirt of 13 with the always very solid Thomas Combezou. The three Fijians seduce.
They knew how to keep their community thriving as they mingled and integrated with both the team and the city of Castres. This is in fact their first strong point: while the islanders often have the reputation of being relatively discreet people (who said secret?), Naturally inclined to a relative withdrawal in themselves, the three friends of the CO are all opposites. . Of course, they are often seen gathering, praying on one knee in a style so identifiable with their compatriots. But as soon as the psalms are pronounced and the three giants are standing, they become fully-fledged castrese: “With us there is no clan, detailed Pierre-Henry Broncan. They all evolve together. We immerse foreigners with our culture. On the bus, on victory nights, the music is French. This goes very well with our foreigners who are progressing in the language of Molière! “
In addition to being excellent teammates off the pitch, they are damned efficient when it comes time to play. The golden triangle formed by the three players is feared in the four corners of the Top 14: in the league, Adrea Cocagi “weighs” 1,482 minutes played for two tries. Filipo Nakosi played 1,487 minutes for three goals while Vilimoni Botitu scored six tries for 1,258 minutes played. At the club, far from the extravagant image that can sometimes stick to the skin of the island players and more particularly of the Fijian players, we commend their rigor and their investment: David Darricarrère is full of praise for his three pearls of islands: “I am happy to have them! They are guys who work a lot, who want to learn and who have progressed a lot despite their amateur airs. We worked on the races, on the technique, on the movement. They started touching more and more balls and therefore, logically, they became more and more dangerous. They work in such a way that they have fun on the pitch because for them rugby is a game rather than a job.
They all stretched out
There are countless brilliant actions this season by the three friends, who are the main goal providers for the Tarn team (Botitu, with six tries, is the top scorer in the CO). And if none of them scored last Friday, all three were hyperactive in the semifinal against Toulouse (Nakosi and Botitu were the owners, Cocagi entered in the 50th minute), it is Filipo Nakosi who makes an almost harmless but decisive gesture. In the 79th minute, on a “perfectly distilled rubbing by Benjamin Urdapilleta in the back of the Toulouse defense, Nakosi, in reception, managed an internal discount on a formidable back pass from Julien Dumora, who turned to score the winning try. .
The three precious Fijians have been insured by the Tarn club. They are engaged until 2025 (Cocagi and Botitu) and 2024 (Nakosi). What to see when arriving with serenity.
