At 34, Motu Matu’u is impressive. The Brive hooker, who arrived as a medical joker following the injury of Florian Dufour and Peniami Narisia, easily integrated into the CAB group. With seven matches and a try on the ball carried during the match against Biarritz, Motu Matu’u showed extreme adaptability.
Unfortunately, the player got injured early in the third minute of the game against Toulon. Released supervised by trainers and applauded by the public of the Stadium, Motu Mat’u was still on crutches two days ago in training, and will not be able to play his match against La Rochelle, one of his former teams. The interview was carried out before this fact of the game.
Meeting with the Samoan international player (15 selections).
How do you feel after your arrival in November?
I feel like I’ve been here a long time. Brive is a team made up of many players from all over the world, like many Fijians, Tongans, Georgians, Argentinians. It made me feel at home for the first two months and now I feel like part of the team totally.
How did your recruitment go?
I received a call from Jérémy (Davidson, the manager, editor’s note). I know Jeremy knows a few of my former coaches, so he got in touch with me. He knew I was out of contract and I knew I was here, in France, in La Rochelle.
The first game you played here, at the Stadium, was against Brive with La Rochelle. Tell us…
It was a special first impression. When I entered the Stadium, I said to myself that it was a bit like in New Zealand. There were passionate fans, a stadium a bit old like all the stadiums back home in New Zealand…etc…And then it’s funny to think that I played with La Rochelle, and that the following month I was here, in Brive, in the team.
And your experience in La Rochelle, how was it?
It was very different from what I knew until then. I knew some players like Victor Vito or Tawera Keer-Barlow, guys I knew from Australia or New Zealand. I felt like I was at home, but at the same time, I had to familiarize myself with French rugby. And then I really like the way of life in France, French food, and I really like this style of rugby.
You mentioned the supporters. Have you spoken with them since your arrival? What is your feeling about them?
The atmosphere is crazy! the first time I came to training, I saw all these supporters waiting outside in the parking lot: they are waiting for you to come out of the locker room, or come to watch training outside. This is something really new for me. And that just shows how passionate and dedicated the supporters are. You know, they want to see if the boys are in good shape, if they practice enough. You know, they want to see everything and at the same time, they support us enormously, even more at home.
Do you see yourself only as a medical joker or do you think about the future here in Brive?
When I signed as a medical joker, it wasn’t about looking to the future. It was about taking the games and the opportunities that I could, because you don’t know how long you’re staying. So, I was very happy to learn that I would have the opportunity to finish the season. Every opportunity I have, every game to play, I have to give 100% for the team.
Apart from rugby, what are you doing in Brive?
When I’m not training or playing rugby, I take care of my children. My daughters love going to school now, my son goes to the Complex every Wednesday, and he loves playing with me. [Ndlr : le Complexe a comme propriétaire entre autres Jean-Baptiste Péjoine]. And then, we really like to go down to the lake near Brive, to take a walk. It’s beautiful and it’s nice and peaceful. Suddenly, we move away from the noisy atmosphere of rugby. That’s what I like, just getting away and playing with my kids. You know children are innocent. The kids will tell you the truth and they’re just enjoying life the way it should be.