Fiji-born Bristol Bears centre Virimi Vakatawa has revealed that rugby is his only job which helps to ease his family’s financial burden in Fiji.
The former French centre explained his return to play in England after he was forced into retirement when French medics refused to give him a licence to play due to a heart anomaly last year.
“I’m fine. We’re not going to talk about medical and the past,” Vakatawa told Midi Olympique.
“Being a player is everything I have dreamed of since I was a kid in Fiji. Rugby is my job. I am the only one working and helping my family in Fiji. Rugby is my life. Two weeks after the doctor told me to stop, I was already working out and not staying home eating pizza.”
“I had a very difficult time but I always had hope. Even though some people don’t want to believe it, say I’m crazy and I’m risking my life, I’m happy with the decision I made to play again. In my heart, I knew I was going to do it. My faith in God guided me to this.”
While the 31-year-old doesn’t want to dwell on the past and has put his entire focus on the future after an invite from Pat Lam to play for the Barbarians in their August match in Brive versus Samoa resulted in a follow-up call from the Bristol boss the following month.
Since then Vakatawa has made six Gallagher Premiership appearances, five as a starter for the Ashton Gate club.
“The specialist I saw here gave me permission to play again. I respect the decision that was taken by the French doctors.”
“When I was in Paris, I trained alone. I was trying to stay in shape by running and weight training. It wasn’t the same as training with a rugby team. There’s not much you can do when you’re alone.”
Ironically, next month will be the opportunity for Vakatawa to play for Bristol away in Bordeaux in the European Challenge Cup, a fixture he wouldn’t be allowed to take part in if he was representing a French club.
