His name is Kavekini Tabu, and he is the new Fijian player of Stade Rochelais. Robert Mohr, the club’s sporting director, confirmed it to Daniel Gimeno this Thursday evening during our daily 100% Rugby program: Kavekini Tabu, third row of 27 years old, 1m90, 96 kilos, international player of rugby sevens with the Fiji, arrives in La Rochelle.
But contrary to what the rumor says, he’s not coming as Kevin Gourdon’s medical joker, forced to suddenly end his career because of a heart problem. Kavekini Tabu actually comes to strengthen the three-quarters, sector in which La Rochelle is weakened at the moment, Arthur Retière and Lévani Botia being injured. And La Rochelle would have already wanted to test it last summer, during the Supersevens. But he didn’t have his visa. It is now done, and “that’s good”, rejoices Robert Mohr.
“This is a recruitment that we had planned for three-quarters, because we have two injured, Arthur Retière and Lévani Botia. He is a player that we wanted to test during the Supersevens, but he had not received his visa on time. Now, he received it, suddenly, we said: we need to strengthen ourselves now, and that’s good, now all the papers are in place, so we are taking him as reinforcements now . But it’s not for Kevin, actually “- Robert Mohr, Stade Rochelais sporting director