Nemani Nadolo

Nemani Nadolo (formerly Ratu Nasiganiyavi; born 31 January 1988) is a Fijian-Australian former rugby union player. He most recently played for the New South Wales Waratahs in Super Rugby, usually as a wing or centre, and the Fiji national team. He went on to play 14 Super Rugby games, including 12 starts, in his first season and was the equal top try scorer with Israel Folau, notching 12 tries. He scored a try in both the semi-final and final but it wasn't enough to win the Super Rugby title as his Crusaders team lost to his former team, the Waratahs, by 33–32.

In August 2014, Nadolo re-signed with the Crusaders for two more seasons.

On May 4 2022 the Waratahs announced the signing of Nadolo from Leicester Tigers for the 2023 season. Nadolo returns to the Waratahs 12 years after he was deemed surplus to requirements by the franchise in 2010.

Top 14 In November 2015, Nadolo signed a three-year deal with French Top 14 side, Montpellier. He left at the end of the 2020 Super Rugby season.

Premiership Rugby In March 2020 it was announced that Nadolo would be joining Premiership side Leicester Tigers for the 2020-21 season. Nadolo made his debut on 26 August 2020 at Welford Road in a match against London Irish, with Nadolo impressing in a 13-7 win.

On 30 October 2021, Nadolo scored two tries in the East Midlands Derby against Northampton Saints.

Nadolo left the Tigers before the conclusion of the 2022–23 season and return to Australia to rejoin the NSW Waratahs ahead of their 2023 season.

International career Nadolo made his Test debut in 2010 when selected in the 24-member Fiji team for a one-off match against Australia, followed by the 2010 IRB Pacific Nations Cup.

In June 2014, Nadolo joined Fiji for the one-off test against Italy. He was instrumental in that game playing at his preferred position of Inside centre scoring 13 points including a try. A week later in the 2014 IRB Pacific Nations Cup, he faced Tonga scoring 20 points including a try and kicking 6 conversion and a long-range penalty. A week later, against Samoa, he scored a try but it was not enough for a win as Fiji lost in a nail-biting encounter, 13–18. In his final game for Fiji in June in the 2015 Rugby World Cup – Oceania qualification match against Cook Islands. He scored a hat-trick of tries and in the process equalled the all-time record set by Christian Cullen and John Kirwan of scoring 10 tries in consecutive matches.

Nadolo returned for Fiji in 2015 and played on the wing against the Māori All Blacks in Suva but while scoring a try, he damaged his pectoral muscles which ruled him out for 6 weeks and the 2015 World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup. He was nevertheless included in the final 31-member squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. He returned to play for Fiji in a warm-up game against Canada on the left wing and though he didn't score a try, he kicked 5 conversions and 4 penalties with his boot ending the game with a 100% kicking percentage. He scored a try against England in the first match of the 2015 Rugby World Cup on 18 September 2015.

Along with teammate Timoci Nagusa, he retired from International rugby just months before the 2019 Rugby World Cup and remained with Montpellier as their season continued during the World Cup.

Post-playing Career At the conclusion of the 2023 Super Rugby competition, Nadolo elected not to re-sign for the Waratahs. Nadolo has since worked as an HR Manager, franchised a Jim's Mowing business in Sydney and Melbourne, and currently works as a Business Development Manager & National Growth Manager and as a commentator for the Fijian Drua.