Sam Matavesi

Sam Matavesi (born 13 January 1992) is a Fijian rugby union player who plays for National League 2 West club Camborne RFC. He has previously played notably for Northampton Saints and in the French Top 14 with Toulouse and Lyon. His position of choice is hooker even though he has played at openside flanker and Number 8 for Plymouth.

Sam Matavesi

Full name	Samuel Sireli Matavesi
Date of birth	(1992-01-13) 13 January 1992 (age 33)
Place of birth	Truro, England
Height	183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	102 kg (225 lb; 16 st 1 lb)
School	Camborne Science and International Academy
Notable relative(s)	Josh Matavesi (brother)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Hooker Openside flanker Current team Camborne RFC Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2012–2015 Plymouth Albion 37 (20) 2017–2019 Cornish Pirates 32 (60) 2019 → Toulouse (loan) 3 (5) 2019–2024 Northampton Saints 80 (65) 2024–2025 Lyon 18 (10) 2025– Camborne RFC 0 (0) Correct as of 3 September 2025 International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2013– Fiji 38 (30) Correct as of 12 July 2025

Career

Sam is the younger brother of Josh Matavesi. His father, Sireli Matavesi came to England in the 1980s from Fiji and never left. He played for Cornwall, a team his 3 sons also played for. Sam also works for the Royal Navy, working out of the RNAS Culdrose as well as playing for their rugby union team.^[1]

He made his debut for the Flying Fijians against Canada in the 2013 IRB Pacific Nations Cup off the bench at Number 8. In December 2019, Matavesi joined Northampton Saints in the Premiership Rugby with immediate effect from the 2019-20 season.^[2]

After leaving Northampton Saints in 2024, Matavesi joined Lyon, his second stint with a Top 14 side, having already played for Toulouse earlier in his career.^[3]

After two seasons with Lyon, Matavesi moved back Cornwall to join Camborne RFC to play alongside his brother Josh Matavesi.^[4]