Former XV de France coach Patrice Lagisquet has accepted the mission offered to him to mentor the players and staff of the newly created Fijian team, the Latui. Young retiree Noa Nakaitaci will also be part of the coaching staff.
Three years after leaving Portugal, where he was national team coach from 2021 to 2023, Patrice Lagisquet is returning to the rugby world. The former XV de France coach (2012-2015) has been appointed sports director of Fijian Latui, the reserve team of the Flying Fijians (the national team), tasked with developing high potential players. The announcement was made at Milady Beach, a restaurant run by pelota champion Eric Irastorza, in the presence of sports ambassador Julian Vulakoro and Fiji Rugby Union CEO Koli Sewabu.
In order to lead this project successfully, the Fijian decision-makers chose Patrice Lagisquet, who was eager to return to rugby. Lagisquet will work with a team that includes Olivier Rieg and former players Sunia Koto Vuli, Daniele Baleinadogo, and Noa Nakaitaci. Nakaitaci, who holds 15 caps for France, sees this opportunity with the Latui as a return to his roots and a chance to contribute to the development of Fijian players.
Nakaitaci, who recently retired after a career with Limoges, will be coaching at SC Tulle next season. He sees this experience with the Latui as a valuable opportunity for growth and improvement under the guidance of Patrice Lagisquet. The evening concluded with a beautiful chant by the women’s VII team to mark the launch of this ambitious project.
