Malakai Fekitoa: "Help the team win trophies"

World Cup winner Malakai Fekitoa arrived in Toulon last Wednesday, in the afternoon. On Thursday morning, he passed his medical just before the pre-game press conference ahead of Toulon vs Brive. He arrived at the Berg training centre late in the morning: he could attend the training session and meet some of his future team-mates.

Once the training session was over, he took part in a press conference at Berg and answered the questions of the media.

Malakai, how have you been feeling since you arrived in Toulon?
I feel very well and I’m happy to be here. I had been resting for the last two weeks, I was able to recover, I’m ready to play and, when I see my future team-mates training, I really want to do the same.
You’ve just met your future team-mates and you know some of them very well – Ma’a Nonu, for instance. Did you talk with them before you signed for Toulon?
Yes, I had long talks with Ma’a [Nonu] or Quade Cooper, for instance, before I took my decision. In those cases, we talk about rugby, but also about the changes in the personal life such a decision involves – the language, the family, etc. Talking about all this with players who experienced such things has helped me make up my mind. I admit I feel a little stressed. Going to another country, discovering other traditions and habits represent much. But I also thought about my career, of course. I’d like to raise my game and bring something to the club.
What does wearing the red and black shirt mean to you?
Many great players wore that shirt and some still do. It’s an honour for me to wear it now. I’m a young player: I have many things to prove and I have much respect for my team-mates. I would like to help the team and win trophies with Toulon. I hope I’ll become a better person and a better player here and I think Toulon is the best place to reach those goals.
You can watch the whole press conference on RCT TV at rctoulon.com.