NSW Waratahs: Slimmed-down Taqele Naiyaravoro wants final Super Rugby season to be biggest yet

LIGHTWEIGHT doesn’t quite describe a 123kg winger but a slimmed-down Taqele Naiyaravoro is planning to use a fit new frame to make a big impact for the Waratahs in his final season in sky blue.

Taqele Naiyaravoro ahead of the Tahs' captains run. Picture: Darren Leigh Roberts

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LIGHTWEIGHT doesn’t quite describe a 123kg wing but Taqele Naiyaravoro is planning to use a fit new frame to make a big impact for the Waratahs in his final season in sky blue.

Ahead of the Waratahs’ trial against the Rebels today, Naiyaravoro ­confirmed he’d signed a two-year deal with English club Northampton and will head over at the end of his ­Australian ­season.

It will end a four-year Super Rugby career that began when Michael Cheika recruited Naiyaravoro from the Wests Tigers in 2014.

Taqele Naiyaravoro storms to the tryline during the Global Rugby Tens. Picture: AAP

The Fijian wrecking ball was on the bench for the Tahs’ premiership win that season and made his Wallabies debut against the USA a year later. He played his last Test against England in 2016.

“I just decided to pursue my career outside Australia, and to look after my family,” Naiyaravoro told The Daily Telegraph.

“It’s a shame to leave Super Rugby and the Waratahs but I have played over there before (for Glasgow), it’s good rugby and the major thing was doing the right thing for my family.”

Saints coaching consultant and Cheika ally Alan Gaffney said Northampton hoped to help Naiyaravoro reach his full potential, and even the 26-year-old admits that has been a frustratingly elusive task.

Taqele Naiyaravoro rests up ahead of tonight's trial. Picture: Darren Leigh Roberts

Naiyaravoro’s sheer size has always been a double-edged sword for coaches.

As destructive as Jonah Lomu with the ball in hand, that same bulk has made the huge wing prone to inconsistent efforts and a target for rival kickers.

“The main thing for me is losing weight and getting fit,” Naiyaravoro said.

“Last season was the most terrible season I had. I was unfit and overweight, but knowing that this was going to be my last season in Super Rugby I tried to take those extra steps and extra sacrifices to try and get a bang out of the season. I want to leave the Tahs on a great note.”

After going home to Fiji after the NRC last year, Naiyaravoro arrived at NSW training weighing 136kg. He spent three weeks having to do his own fitness and conditioning “as punishment”.

Naiyaravoro played just twice for the Wallabies off the bench. Picture: Getty Images

“I was punishing myself, too, to get back in the team and join the boys again,” ­Naiyaravoro said.

He even made the big sacrifice of not going home to Fiji over Christmas, to avoid the dangerous temptations of home cooking.

“We sent the kids over but my wife supported me and we made that sacrifice,” he said.

“It gave me a bit more time to sacrifice on myself, which I have to really thank my wife for.”

Naiyaravoro says “there are no regrets” about declaring eligibility for Australia in 2015, despite the fact he only got two caps off the bench and now can’t represent Fiji.

Playing for the Barbarians was a real wake-up call. Picture: Getty Images

He doesn’t expect to loom large in Cheika’s plans this year but Naiyaravoro proved he has a Test-level game last year when he starred for the Barbarians against the ­Wallabies at the SFS.

“I got confidence from that, and that was a big part of the decision to try and really get fit because I was playing for the Barbarians at 136kg, and I was doing that when I was unfit,” he said.

“After that I thought, man, I can really achieve so much more if I can get fitter.

“The main thing for me is to try and get repeat efforts.

“I couldn’t do that when I was 136kg.”

Originally published as NSW Waratahs: Slimmed-down Taqele Naiyaravoro wants final Super Rugby season to be biggest yet