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The Emirates Western Force has signed quality Manly backrower Tevita Metuisela to their squad for the 2011 Super Rugby season, further adding to the club’s impressive loose forward stocks.
Metuisela enjoyed a terrific Shute Shield campaign with the Marlins as he continued to develop his rugby credentials after making the switch from league where he previously represented the Sydney Roosters, Melbourne Storm and Wests Tigers over six seasons.
The 27 year old was part of the ACT Brumbies Academy in 2009 and was an instrumental figure in Manly’s 2010 Shute Shield campaign playing alongside Emirates Western Force players Tim Fairbrother and Mark Swanepoel.
“It’s great to be given the opportunity to stay in Australia. I had a couple of offers from overseas but really wanted to test myself at Super Rugby level,” Metuisela said.
“I’m thankful to the Force and to Richard (Graham) for giving me the chance and I’ll be working myself as hard as possible to make the best of my time in Perth.”
Metuisela will compete alongside current Wallabies David Pocock, Matt Hodgson, Richard Brown and Ben McCalman at the Emirates Western Force but is no stranger to learning from top level backrow exponents after growing up with his cousin, former Wallabies great George Smith.
“I see my role here to put pressure on the other backrowers to perform. The Force has four Wallaby loose forwards and in fact that actually made my decision easy to come across. Having the quality that they do, I know I will be learning from the best and that is the only way you get better.
“It’s my third year back in rugby and you never stop learning. The lessons from those guys are going to be tough but the quicker I take that in the better I think I’ll get and my job will be really enjoyable.”
Emirates Western Force Head Coach Richard Graham believes it speaks volumes that Metuisela was eager to join the club knowing the calibre of players he will contest to earn playing opportunities.
“I think it shows the quality of Tevita as a person and also his mindset. A lot of players would shy away and think that their path might be blocked, whereas he sees it as an opportunity to get better,” Graham said.
“Tevita has been in a professional environment for a number of years and will certainly bring that discipline and level of professionalism with him.
“He has been one of the standout backrowers in Sydney this season playing as a flanker or No.8 for a very good Manly side. He gives us depth in an area in which we’re fortunate to have a number of Wallabies however we saw over the course of last season that you need to have quality and depth in that area,” said Graham.
Metuisela played rugby as a junior and attended Narrabeen Sports High School as part of their specialist sports training program for elite athletes. He played with current Emirates Western Force star Cameron Shepherd in NSW Schools and was selected to represent Australia in the National Schoolboys but didn’t tour after being picked-up by the Roosters.
He has signed a one year contract and will join the squad in Perth on 1 November for the start of pre-season training.
Pronunciation: Tevita (Tev-ee-ta) Metuisela (Met-chew-sella)
Name: Tevita Metuisela
Position: Loose forward
Height: 186cm
Weight: 107kg
Date of Birth: 16/10/1983
Clubs: 2003-04 Sydney Roosters (NRL), 2005 Melbourne Storm (NRL), 2006-08 Wests Tigers (NRL), 2009 ACT Brumbies (Academy), 2010 Manly Marlins (NSW 1st Grade)
Honours: NSW Schoolboys
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