Matavesi gets Fiji call-up

Exeter Chiefs full-back Josh Matavesi has been called up by Fiji for their tour of Europe this autumn.

The 19 year-old who has recently been the subject of a dual registration deal with the Cornish All Blacks, has been given his chance after Kameli Ratuvou pulled out of the touring party.

Matavesi grew up in Camborne and previously played for Truro College and Mounts Bay. He has represented England at junior age group level.

Fiji will play Scotland on November 14 th and Ireland a week later before travelling to Romania to meet the national side on the 28 th.

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Delaney down to the bare bones at Nottingham

The injury crisis at Meadow Lane has deepened as Nottingham director of rugby Glenn Delaney has been told that Dave Jackson will be out of action for 12 weeks after breaking a foot at Brickfields on Saturday.

Former England international Ben Johnston also faces a prolonged period on the sidelines after suffering a knee injury in the same game, whilst Rohaan Nirmalendran is a big doubt for the weekend clash with Exeter due to a neck injury.

The Green and Whites have several other long term injuries as well as losing four dual-registered players as Leicester Tigers restructure due to their own injury problems and international call-ups.

Delaney told the Evening Post,

“ I've literally been on the phone full-time trying to beg, borrow and steal. So, hopefully, I can get some players in."

Full story.. www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/rugby

Pearce returns from Russia

Devon based Referee Luke Pearce has spoken of the great experience he had whilst officiating in the finals of the Russian cup.

Pearce, 21, left for Siberia shortly after the unsavoury events marring the end of the Championship fixture between Coventry and Moseley when a spectator allegedly tried to assault him.

He took charge of one of the six semi-final matches, the third place play-off and the final in Moscow during his two-week secondment.

Pearce told the Express & Echo that the style of play was very different and much slower. He said,

“ The scrums are very good and very technically correct, but in areas like the tackle and maul they roll away very slowly.

"In fact, for the first 10 minutes, my positioning was out of sync because it was so much slower. It does make it easier because you are not blowing so hard and so you can concentrate even more."

Full story.. www.thisisexeter.co.uk/rugby