Josaia Raisuqe, Fijian winger of Castres Olympique, died Thursday morning in a car accident. The rugby player’s vehicle was struck by a train up to a level crossing in the town of Saïx, where the CO training center is located. The Top 14 match on Saturday against Clermont was postponed.
Fijian winger of Castres Olympique (Top 14) Josaia Raisuqe died Thursday morning in a car accident, struck by a train, we learned from the club, whose Saturday’s match against Clermont was postponed. The 30 -year -old Fijian died by going to training. At the wheel of his vehicle, he was struck by a train up to a level crossing in the town of Saïx, where the CO training center is located.
The continuation after this advertisement
The continuation after this advertisement
A driver and a train controller were evacuated, physically unharmed but in shock, according to the Tarn firefighters. No passenger on the train was injured, according to the same source.
A player “much appreciated by everyone, and the Castrais supporters who had adopted it”
“The Castres Olympique is in mourning,” the Tarnais club wrote in a press release. “He was a wonderful teammate, much appreciated by everyone, and the Castrais supporters who had adopted it,” added the CO.
The continuation after this advertisement
-The continuation after this advertisement
The National League (LNR), for its part, expressed “the immense sadness” of French rugby at the announcement of this “tragic disappearance”, and added that it had access to the request of Castres to postpone their top 14 match scheduled for Saturday against Clermont (2:30 p.m.). “A tribute will be paid to Josaia Raisuqe on all TOP 14 and Prod2 terrains this weekend,” also said the LNR.
Rugby silver medalist in VII at the Paris Olympics
Raisuqe had joined Castres in 2021 after having passed through the Stade Français (2015-2017) then by Nevers, in Pro D2 (2017-2021). This season, he had taken part in seven games, including the last against Toulouse at the end of April. He was also part of the Rugby team in VII of Fiji who had won the silver medal at the Paris-2024 Olympic Games. The Fijians bowed in the final against the French led by Antoine Dupont.
The continuation after this advertisement
The continuation after this advertisement
In March, Raisuqe was committed with Brive, currently in Pro D2, for the next two seasons. “It was a boy radiating on and off the field which was a pillar of the Fijian community that we have at the club and to which we are very attached,” said Pierre-Yves Revol, the boss of the CO quoted in the press release, who added that the club will not “do other comments”.
Three other Fijians are part of the club’s workforce, fifth in the championship and coached by Xavier Sadourny, including the second-line Leone Nakarawa and the Vilimoni Botitant center. “Difficult also in this moment not to evoke the faith of all these players and Josaia. She goes, beyond the pain, to help them in this moment so difficult for all,” added the club president. Castres also said that day training was canceled.
