Young Gun: Joel Matavesi – Exeter fly-half
The youngest of three rugby-playing siblings, 17-year-old Matavesi doesn’t have to look too far for role models within the game.
With brothers Josh, 23, and Sam, 22 – both capped by Fiji – plying their trade at Worcester and Plymouth Albion respectively, the Exeter youngster is never short of advice.
However, he is jealous of the elder duo, whose small age gap meant they regularly had the chance to play together throughout their teens.
With a six-year gap to the baby of the family he has never taken to the field with either of them – and he hopes to rectify that.
“It would nice to get out there with my two brothers – I have never done it,” he said. “The other two have played together a lot – they have only a year between them. I would love to play with them one day.
“We all play different positions, so it would make mum and dad proud as punch if we all made it.
“We help each other out and it’s good to talk to them. They have been there and done it. It’s about helping each other out to make it to the top and hopefully we all can.”
And he is at one of the best places in the country to learn his trade, as Exeter continue to produce a host of exciting young talents.
The academy side, of which Matavesi is often the creative heartbeat, had gone two years unbeaten until defeat to Northampton in last month’s Academy U18s Final.
Having watched his predecessors break into the team at Sandy Park – and even further in some cases – the teenager is eager to follow suit.
“You’ve got people like Jack Nowell, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Henry Slade breaking in and it gives you a bit of a boost, knowing that they are trying the youngsters out,” he said.
“It gives you belief that you can do it one day.
“It’s the ethos behind the whole club: It doesn’t matter how good you are – you can always do better.
“All the academy boys are from different counties but we are a tight-knit group – it doesn’t matter where you’re from, all the boys are close together and good friends.”
Matavesi is also keen to continue his studies at Truro College, where he is working towards his A-Levels.
“I’m not the best academically but I keep trying,” laughed Matavesi. “You have got to stay in education because rugby doesn’t last forever.
“With the college, they help out. You get your timetable and you have times when you are doing rugby all the time – but you also have times when you’re in the library, just sweating at work.”
Having brought up his three boys to play at fly-half, Sireli Matavesi has seen Sam develop into a flanker while Josh, who is heading to Ospreys in the summer, is a utility back with a preference for the centres.
Joel likes to try his hand at a few different options but No.10 is where the teenager feels at his creative best – and it will keep the dream alive of one day lining up in a family trio.
“My strengths lie probably in attack mostly,” he added. “The forwards have dominated quite a lot this season but we have had times where we have just shown what we can do in the backs – a bit of fancy skills.
“People like to see it, don’t they? That’s why they watch it.”
