'If you haven't been in a scrum for 8 months you're going to come back and be saying, How do I do this again?'
Samoan prop Logovi’i Mulipola believes his decision to take a short-term contract at Gloucester rather than endure an eight-month wait in between games for Newcastle has helped him to power the Falcons into second place in the Gallagher Premiership.
Newcastle have defied pre-season predictions that they would be favourites for relegation straight back to the Championship after they returned to the top-flight when the tier-two season was ended early last March due to the impact of the pandemic.
That shutdown meant the Newcastle players had to endure being furloughed and were then put on restricted training for eight months while the rest of the Premiership finished the 2019/20 campaign, their season restarting in mid-August.
Mulipola, whose wild hair remains his trademark, recognised the dangers that would be involved in a lengthy layoff and he asked Dean Richards, the Newcastle director of rugby, to allow him the chance to sort out a short-term deal to keep him playing.
Having featured in more than 100 Premiership games for Leicester and another 22 in Europe while winning the Premiership and Anglo-Welsh Cup, Mulipola knew what he had to do to be ready for action in the 2020/21 Premiership season with Newcastle, the club he joined in 2018 after seven seasons at Tigers.
The soon-to-be 34-year-old Mulipola played three times while at Gloucester and the benefits of having that time away while Newcastle were inactive in between second tier and top tier seasons was evident in the Falcons’ recent 22-10 home win over Gloucester.
Taking time out from the Premiership’s current two-week break, Mulipola told RugbyPass: “The whole idea of going to Gloucester was about me finding something to do during that lockdown from March. There was going to be eight months before we played our first Premiership game and I was like, ‘I might as well find a club because match fitness is so hard’.
“It was great to get a couple of games and train with Gloucester having also done some training with Leicester at their camp. When you don’t have games or full training then you are so bored sitting at home. I said to Dean I’m going to find some team to play for to get the fitness level up. I’m really thankful to Gloucester for the time there.
“If you haven’t been in a scrum for eight months you’re going to come back and be saying, ‘How do I do this again?’ You forget about everything. This season I feel good and we train pretty tough during the week as a squad. We are now having a two-week break but the boys’ mindset is not to be affected by anything.
“We know that people are not that bothered with Newcastle and we ignore the talk and just play for each other. It’s good motivation to prove people wrong. I want to show that we can go something good.”
Newcastle’s players belt out the Blaydon Races after their victories and while Mulipola has been working on his Geordie accent, the lyrics still mystify him. “We have this song, the Blaydon Races, and I just join in ‘dee de dee de dee’ because I don’t know the words.
“Samoan singing has lots of different songs but this one in Newcastle is famous about a race long ago. I’m going to have to ask the boys what it’s all about. We have put in some good shifts at Bath and Wasps this season and were really unlucky at Bristol. We also won at home to Sale who have a really big pack.”
Married to the sister of former Italy prop Martin Castrogiovanni, Mulipola has twin six-year-old boys who, like their father, are enjoying life in the north-east despite the bitterly cold weather that is currently hitting the area.
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“It’s really cold up here but my two boys love the snow and wear shorts. The twins are six-years-old and they love rugby. I always show them the videos about running straight. Going down to the Championship and then coming straight back up gave us real motivation.
“Mate, every team in the Championship gives it to you and you have to prepare because they work so hard. It was pretty tough. Having got back to the Premiership we’re happy to be back with the big boys.”
Mulipola is excited about the changes that have taken place in Samoan rugby with former London Irish centre Seilala Mapusua taking over coaching the Test team and Brian Lima in charge of the sevens squad. Mulipola won the last of his 33 caps at the 2019 World Cup and has seen at first-hand the roller coaster ride that is Pacific Islands rugby.
“I’m really pleased and happy to hear the news about Seilala and Brian getting those roles. I played with Seilala and you’re always wishing to have better coaching and stuff for the Pacific Islands teams. They are both really good guys. I’m sure they going to do a good job.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Blues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
2 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to commentsOne tough SOB!
15 Go to commentsI’ve put on 4/5 kilos since the beginning of the season too. Not good kilos. Bad kilos.
2 Go to commentsSurely there’s a ‘no knobheads’ policy ?
2 Go to commentsWallaroos have no chance of beating the Black Ferns unless Canada upsets them in Christchurch tomorrow but I doubt that as well!
1 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Could the victim do a course to reverse the long term CTE damage from the cheapshot?
2 Go to commentsTruely great player. In social media and opinion pieces he was held up and flogged for the results. People wanted someone to crucify, and he was the captain. He was still an immense presence respected by his peers. His battles with Siya Kolisi belong up with with Collins vs Burger in my opinion. Unlucky to be carded in the final, but I don’t agree that his red card was the defining moment. Not when you look at the dominant performances of the Springboks (PSDT in particular.) I think Cane should be remembered for the spirit and physicality that is special to test rugby.
15 Go to commentsSam was the man until he got injured .
15 Go to comments_Crusaders versus Leinster _at the moment might be a rout! But I would like to see the Blues play Toulouse, the Hurricanes front up against Stade Francais, and the Chiefs go against Toulon.
157 Go to commentsLove it when we overlap! Promise it was not forethought.
18 Go to commentsjfc can this guy plz stay out of the news for one week
2 Go to commentsIf stormers aren’t available. Based on form and likely availability at the time of the wales Test, you’d think Masuku would be a no-brainer to start. But starting Jordan also makes sense having Masuku come off the bench to close out the game.
2 Go to commentsGlad Tom Curry not playing needs time to recover such a great player also his brother Ben how well is he playing now .
1 Go to commentsLet’s examine what might be irking the brainless E: Up until 20 years before this coming Julys tests: 16 games: 14 wins for SA; 1 win for Ire; 1 draw From 20 years until July’ tests Ireland V SA: 13 matches Ireland won 8; SA won 4; 1 draw Points scored Ireland 261; SA 189 Ave Winning Margin: Ireland 11 points; SA 4 points (away 3, home 6) Away win record: Ireland 33.33%; SA 25% Neutral matches 1: Ireland win RWC France 2023. Last SA win June 2016 (8 years ago) They boast 3 World cups in that period (they do boast). The above record is not good, probably not much better than theirs against NZ for same period. That’s why the dopey E is starting fights in his head. He will probably ship a yellow when things don’t go their way in the first test.
127 Go to commentsGoode is like a wet fart on The Rugby Pod and should be shoved aside. Jim knows what he is on about and can get on better without Goode’s nasty little cheap shots.
127 Go to commentsBrumbies will win, crusaders are pretty awful this year
1 Go to commentsThis has the makings of a good match. That’s Leinster’s second team but its a good one (stronger than the teams in SA recently). Ulster are really turning a page. Ryan back is huge, and Keenan too. This could be a cracker.
1 Go to commentsThe Farrells are one of the great father and son combinations. Andy was an RL great, and had he played Union as his first sport, I would be sure he would have been avery significant forcewas in League. And Owen, a Union great, who had he played League, would could have been a great there too i all probability. I feel my attitude to Owen has mellowed as he has aged, and in the post Jones era, evolved and shown his full range of talents. He really is an all round player, and I have wold hope his move to France will be successful. He may even be the piece in the jigsaw that Racing need to rise to challenge Toulouse and LAR. He is ofc now approaching 33 years of age but should still have enough left to make a big contribution in France for at least2/3 years.
47 Go to commentsI reckon it may be Jordan at 10 and Nohamba at 9, both players have played together alot and both have been on the Radar for a long time. After Pollard got injured in 2022 with Elton sidelined on a path of self destruction Erasmus and Nienaber indicated that the other options in the country at the time were thin but that Jordan and Manie were the 2 they were looking at. In the end Frans steyn played flyhalf, Willemse slotted in there on the end of year with Libbok as back up. Jordan was right there in the thinking back then so expect him to take the Jersey either as the starter.
2 Go to comments