The UAFC

Published Date: 26 October 2008
News Letter rugby journalist, Richard Mulligan, shares the fascinating story of Timoci Nagusa – Ulster Rugby's latest hero.
There are times in the job when you come across something just a little bit different from the norm, which gives you that little buzz and keeps it interesting.
The good thing about this job is that you get to share it with many more people.
When Ulster Rugby announced they were signing Fijian winger, Timoci Nagusa, we were on the web straight away to see what would be arriving at Ravenhill over the summer.
I even got lucky enough to see him play in a Pacific Cup match and reckoned he was 'okay'. After he arrived and we saw him play, there was a certain amount of uncertainty about what he actually had signed. And, I have to admit, I was fairly critical about the three-times capped Fijian they affectionately call Nagusa. Since his two tries against Munster, I have had to eat my notebook and pen and have also taken a fair amount of abuse from fellow scribes.

But it is a truly remarkable story about a young islander's dramatic rise to fame and the difficulties he has had to encounter – the main two being the English language and the good old Northern Ireland weather.
When I first spoke to him two weeks into the new season, the clean shaven 21-year-old admitted the weather was not to his liking and he was finding it hard settling in.
Six weeks later, having grown a beard and scored two tries against Munster and collected not one, but two, man of the match awards, he was quite serious when he said "I told Mattie (Matt Williams, the head coach), that there was no mention of the weather in contract he got me to sign!"
Quality!
Then he proceeded to say that just before he left his now Belfast home to go to Ravenhill for the match against Munster, his sister had rang him to say she had just given birth, it was a boy and she was naming it after him!
Top drawer!

That is not the remarkable side of the story though.
Timoci, or Jimmy, only began playing professional rugby in November 2007. He played his first match when he was 19.
"Back home I went first to an Indian school and they only played football. Then when I went to a Fijian school I played rugby.
"There was a competition there and I got picked. Then I got picked for the Fijian international side. It has all happened too fast for me."
And he came to Ulster by accident. He had been lined up to go to a French club, but his agent felt the lack of England, let alone French, would prove a language barrier.

Interestingly, as I had found out previously, Timoci fasts 12 hours before every game and prays that God will allow him to use the gifts he has given him to be one of the best rugby players.
As an islander it comes as no surprise Timoci is a devout Christian and his faith plays a huge part in his life.
When he scored against Harlequins in the Heineken Cup and after the two tries against Munster, he was seen to raise his eyes heavenwards and point the index fingers of both hands to the sky.
At the final whistle, while his team-mates were celebrating the win, Timoci could be seen down on one knee offering a prayer.

He said the best is yet to come. We are all looking forward to it at Ravenhill or any ground when 'Ulster's Uncle Jimmy' is wearing the famous colours of the Red Hand.

And, I have to admit, I was fairly critical about the three-times capped Fijian they affectionately call Nagusa. Since his two tries against Munster, I have had to eat my notebook and pen and have also taken a fair amount of abuse from fellow scribes.

Six weeks later, having grown a beard and scored two tries against Munster and collected not one, but two, man of the match awards,

H'woodMike2umate wrote:i thought his nickname was Timmy. Have i been shouting the wrong name?

Oh Gerry wrote:What… ...another Christian… ... Tell me Jimmy, how does your faith impact on your play and do you and Andy hold clandestine meetings?

I have socks as old as him

Cap'n Grumpy wrote:

Oh Gerry wrote:What… ...another Christian… ... Tell me Jimmy, how does your faith impact on your play and do you and Andy hold clandestine meetings?

I have socks as old as him

If they're that old, are your socks not getting a bit Holy?

Ball Boy wrote:Was standing by the touchline on Sat nite and noticed that Jim has a Biblical verse on his boots.

bigchiefally wrote: any idea which one?