Lance corporal Semesa Rokoduguni (born 28 August 1987) is a professional rugby union player for US Montauban in France's

Pro D2 Rugby Pro D2, also known as Pro D2 is the second tier of rugby union club competition division in France. It is operated by Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) which also runs the division directly above, the first division Top 14. Rugby Pro D2 was in ...

, previously playing for English club

Bath Bath may refer to: * Bathing, immersion in a fluid ** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body ** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe * Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities Plac ...

, and soldier in the British Army, having served in Afghanistan. He won four caps for between 2014 and 2017. Born in Fiji he qualified for England on residency while serving in the Army.

Club career

Lytchett Minster RFC

Roko joined LMRFC in Feb 2008 while training with the army at Semesa camp. Roko played for just over a season playing in the centre where he scored many tries and helped the club gain promotion to Hampshire 1

Army RU

Rokoduguni has represented the

Army Rugby Union The Army Rugby Union (ARU) is the governing body for rugby union in the British Army and a constituent body of the Rugby Football Union (RFU). The ARU was formed on 31 December 1906 and marked the fulfilment of Lieutenant J. E. C. "Birdie" Partr ...

XV, and German Rugby-Bundesliga team DRC Hannover. He represented the army twice in the 2011-2012 season, scoring four tries against the RAF and three against the Navy. He has also represented the Army Sevens team in the Middlesex Sevens and the International Defence Sevens, the latter of which was won by the Army.

Bath Rugby

In October 2012, it was announced that Rokoduguni had been signed on a senior contract with

after impressing for their second side, Bath United. Rokoduguni made his debut for the Bath senior team on 10 November 2012, in their

LV= Cup The Anglo-Welsh Cup (), was a cross-border rugby union knock-out cup competition that featured the 12 Premiership Rugby clubs and the four Welsh regions. It was a created as a replacement for the RFU Knockout Cup, which featured only English clubs ...

match against

Newport Gwent Dragons Dragons RFC ( cy, Dreigiau) are one of the four professional rugby union regional teams in Wales. They are owned by the Welsh Rugby Union and play their home games at Rodney Parade, Newport and at other grounds around the region. They play in ...

. He scored a try after just 9 minutes, and finished the game with two tries.

Montauban

On 17 June 2022, after 10 years at Bath, Rokoduguni would leave The Rec to join French side Montauban in the

competition from the 2022-23 season.

International career

In January 2014, he was included in a 25-member England Saxons squad to prepare for the upcoming match against the

Irish Wolfhounds The Ireland Wolfhounds (formerly Ireland A and Ireland B) are the second national rugby union team of Ireland, behind the Ireland national team. They previously competed in the Churchill Cup together with the England Saxons, the national teams ...

. On 8 November 2014, Rokoduguni made his Test debut for England, losing to New Zealand 21-24 as part of the 2014 Autumn Internationals. He was the first serving British soldier to play for England since

Tim Rodber Timothy Andrew Keith Rodber (born 2 July 1969) is an English former rugby union footballer who played at Number eight, flanker or lock for Northampton Saints, England, and the British and Irish Lions. Background Rodber excelled at rugby from ...

in 1999. In 2015 Rokoduguni was called up into the England Rugby World Cup Squad, after

David Strettle David Strettle, (born 23 July 1983), is a former English rugby union wing. Early life Strettle grew up in Thelwall, Cheshire, attending Lymm High School and playing for Lymm RFC. Strettle then went on to study at Sheffield Hallam University. ...

completed his move to French-based side Clermont.

International tries

Personal life

Rokoduguni is a sniper of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards in the British Army. He joined the Army in 2007 and was deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Herrick in 2011 where he was attached to 4th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (4SCOTS). His great-great-grandfather, great-grandfather and father all served in the military. Semesa's brother, Rupeni Rokoduguni, is also in the British Army serving in Black Watch near Inverness. He also has a similar passion for rugby and currently plays fo
Highland Rugby Club

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rokoduguni, Semesa 1987 births Bath Rugby players DRC Hannover players Living people Expatriate rugby union players in Germany Expatriate rugby union players in England Fijian expatriate rugby union players Fijian expatriate sportspeople in Germany Fijian expatriate sportspeople in England Fijian rugby union players Royal Scots Dragoon Guards soldiers England international rugby union players People from Nausori Rugby union players from Tailevu Province I-Taukei Fijian people Rugby union centres