Why I Signed With The Drua - Manasa Mataele

Manasa Mataele is one of the players who is incredibly hard to tackle! His power, speed, athleticism, and freakish offloads has made him hard to handle for any opposition! From growing up in Suva, Manasa’s journey has taken him from Fiji to New Zealand, across to Australia, and now back home with the Fijian Drua. In this episode of What a Lad, Manasa opens up with rare honesty. He reflects on the highs of Super Rugby, the pride of representing Fiji, and the moments that nearly forced him away from the game altogether. From battling injuries and self-doubt, to losing his mum and questioning whether he could keep going, this is a powerful look at resilience, faith, and finding purpose beyond rugby. In this episode, we cover… - Growing up in Fiji and the environment that shaped him - The sliding-doors moment that could have changed his life forever - Moving to New Zealand and adapting to professional rugby - His rapid rise through NPC and Super Rugby - Almost signing with the Blues before a last-minute call from the Crusaders - What it was like walking into a Crusaders locker room full of legends - The mental battles that made him his own worst enemy - His pride in representing Fiji on the international stage - Losing his mum, fracturing his spine, and questioning his future - The role faith played in getting him through his darkest moments - Why returning home to play for the Fijian Drua means so much - Wanting to give back and help the next generation of Fijian rugby players As you'll hear Manasa is very articulate and honest about the journey rugby has taken him, he's such a good lad who will no doubt have a big season for the Drua!