Young Savou shines in Saracen colours 04 May, 2011

Filimoni Savou (right) and Fiji-Saracens - (L-R) Mosese Rauluni, Kameli Ratuvou and Michael Tagicakibau.

Former Fiji U12 captain Filimoni Savou played in the colours of English Premiership team Saracens on the weekend and enjoyed a star-studded evening at the London Hilton where he mingled with a galaxy of well-known rugby players including Kameli Ratuvou and Michael Tagicakibau as well as former England captain Steve Borthwick and Rugby World Cup winner Richard Hill.

‘It was absolutely wonderful. A little bit scary but also very exciting,’ said Savou who was a guest of former Fiji captain Mosese Rauluni, who now coaches with the St. Albans-based team that lie second, one point behind Leicester Tigers in England’s elite competition.

Despite being only 14 years old Savou played outside centre on Sunday in the Saracens Academy against the Academy teams of six other Premiership teams.

‘He was up against players who were 15 and 16 years old and playing together week in and week out,’ said Rauluni, one of the stars of the 2007 RWC tournament. ‘And, considering that, he acquitted himself really well. Made some big tackles, some good line-breaks and one fabulous interception.’

‘He did really, really well,’ said Rauluni, a former Fiji captain.

Savou set up three of the four tries scored by Saracens in the six-match tournament but the team was only able to win one of their games, against Gloucester.

‘He’s a great potential talent, very raw at the moment, but he will only get better and better with the right training,’ said Rauluni who played for Saracens until injury forced him to retire at the end of last season.

The competition was held on the first XV pitch of Harrow School where Savou has been offered a full scholarship to start in September, subject to him passing the entrance exam.

Savou is studying at Terrington Hall in North Yorkshire, having been picked by the Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) to receive the first scholarship ever given by a UK primary school student to a Fiji student.

The scholarship arrangement was set up by one-time FRU CEO Pio Bosco Tikoiusuva when he was the country’s ambassador in London, working with former FRU marketing manager Charlie Charters, and was approved by the Ministry of Education.