Fiji u20s duo on trial at Saitama Wild Knights

Fiji u20s national team members Sailosi Taka and Netani Lesimaikimatuku are currently on trial with inaugural League One champions Saitama Wild Knights, RugbyJP.com can exclusively reveal.

Inside-centre Taka, 19, scored two tries in four games for his country at this year’s World Rugby Junior World Championships in Georgia.

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Teammate Lesimaikimatuku, 20, started the 53-17 group stage loss to Australia at full-back and made three appearances off the bench.

An overmatched Fiji side also suffered a heavy defeat to France - the eventual tournament runners-up - before edging past Spain 29-26.

Andrew Tui Osborne’s team suffered a narrow 24-19 loss to Ireland before ending their campaign with a 30-10 win against hosts Georgia to seal 11th place.

Taka is the grandson of the late former national member Dr. Josaia Taka who played for the Flying Fijians at the inaugural World Cup in 1987. He later served as the manager of the team at the 1991 World Cup in France.

The Namuka Village native is a former u18 team captain at Queen Victoria School which is one of Fiji’s most famous hotbeds for rugby and nurturing promising talents. His long-term goal has always been to secure an overseas rugby contract.

Highly-rated Lesimaikimatuku, who can play at fly-half or full-back, has been playing for the Sunnybank Dragons in Brisbane's Hospital Cup and has represented the Queensland Reds u19s side.

© Oceania Sports Management

Atsushi Kanazawa’s Saitama beat Suntory Sungoliath in the third-place play-off in June after finishing the regular season in second-place behind eventual champions Kobe Steelers.

Kanazawa’s talent-rich squad includes Springboks stars Lood de Jager and Damian de Allende as well as Japan standouts Dylan Riley, Ben Gunter and Jack Cornelsen.

Dual-code star Mark Nawaqanitawase will be joining the Kumagaya-based outfit next season as he fills the Category C (capped by a country other than Japan) spot vacated by his former Wallabies teammate Marika Koroibete.

The Saitama squad is brimming with talent with 54 players currently on their books.

New arrivals include former Australia u20s centre Malakye Enasio and Japan-qualified former Pau wing Toshi Kurita Butlin.

Saitama will kick off their pre-season fixtures against ambition division two side Koto Blue Sharks on Saturday 12 September in Kumagaya.