The fog hangs over the Sept Deniers district and the thermometer barely exceeds 3 degrees. While most of the Stade Toulousain players are enjoying a well-deserved vacation, Joe Tekori has an appointment. No rest for warriors, even if he's not the one training. “I went to help Cissou (Cyril Baille) and Roman (Ntamack)so they can try some tackles”, he justifies himself, speaking of his two friends and former teammates who are returning from injuries.
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Tekori in Blagnac, colossus in known terrain
Installed warmer, he cheerfully gets on with his news, his first match in Federal 1. “It was great. Touch the ball again, be on the pitch”, he says. New recruit from Blagnac Rugby, the former second row of Toulouse and Castres tried his hand in a match with the Caouecs on November 10. Returning in the second half, he participated in his team's big victory (38-12) against Aviron Gruissanais Rugby at Ernest Argeles.
In his new club, he trains twice a week. However, the calendar is more complicated to manage in one's schedule. “I only play home games. Then, they are on Sunday. The problem is that Stade Toulousain often plays the same day, in the evening. (smile) I can't go play and prepare for matches at the same time. So, I adapt.”Joe Tekori is no longer a Stade player, but it's a face that people know in Blagnacwhere he has lived for about 10 years.
RUGBY. At the age of 40, Joe Tekori could offer himself one last sporting challenge in Federal 1
In the suburbs of Toulouse, the former Samoan international is an attraction in the stands. Returned to the ovation of the public, the 40-year-old made some opponents gulp for his first amateur match. “Ihad an acquaintance in Gruissan (Editor's note: the Fijian Sakiusa Navakadretia)but the rest of the opponents didn't talk to me too much at first. Then a little after the end of the match, one of the players asked me for a photo. They were actually shy. After that, everyone came to see me, the opposing team, the coach, the president, etc.”, he says with a big smile.
Furthermore, there weren't just people in the stands. Around him, after the meeting, his sons, Jérôme Kaino, Paul Graou, Pita Ahki, Pierre-Louis Barassi, Richie Arnold, their families and other personalities from Stade Toulousain made the trip. The big guy does not hesitate to admit that this attention has “very touched”. For him, going to Blagnac was “natural”. He also wants “return what we (him) learned, to those who (him) gave.”
Before returning as an amateur, he spent two years away from the pitch, or at least from the crampons. Present in the management of Stade Toulousain, he notably helps the professional team during training or on match days. From Ernest Wallon's stands, we see him installing the blocks, picking up the tackle bags, etc. “I'm not complaining”, he adds with a smile. Especially since this allows him to continue to experience the beautiful moments of new generations.
Besides, his fondest memory is not the titles or the big posters. “The best moment of my career? This is my last match here” he says without hesitation, tapping his finger on the counter of the Brasserie at the Ernest Wallon stadium. This final appearance in front of his audienceat the beginning of June 2022, where he successfully completed two transformations, in an unprecedented scoring role. With an audience celebrating their spring farewells. With masks bearing the image of the Samoan second line and Maxime Médard. With lots of applause and some emotion, from the stands to the pitch.
Although he loved his years as a professional, he notes that his farewell as a rugby player did not fully satisfy him : “Leaving the club without winning a title was hard… I hesitated to continue elsewhere. Clubs were interested. Lyon, Perpignan, Carcassonne, for example. But I didn't want to leave Toulouse and leave my family. But, I'm not tired, I owe my life to rugby. Everything that is mine, I owe to this sport. So staying at Stade Toulousain appealed to me too.”
Stade Toulousain, the big rugby family
If Joe Tekori needed to set foot on the meadows again, it was also to revive himself. On July 7, his wife, Helen Tekori, died suddenly. At 44, she leaves behind many good memories, friends, two sons and a husband. “I am happy to resume with Blagnac. We were attached to this city. I see myself ending my life here”, he says. At that moment, he joins his hands and switches from French to English, to choose his words better, surely.
When Helen left, I wanted to be young again. Rugby still gave me back then. Everyone came to see me. Even Cheslin (Kolbe)… He traveled from South Africa with his wife. It really touched me. The players are like brothers, their wives are like sisters. It’s the Stade Toulousain family.”
Furthermore, it is not only the attention of the world champion winger that particularly marked her. At the beginning of August, the newly medalist Antoine Dupont came to visit him. “He offered us his condolences and as soon as he was available, he flew to come see my family. He came to the house, paid his respects to Helen and then spent some time with the boys. Still, he had a lot of things to do. He had just been Olympic champion. He has a medal to show, a title to celebrate, stories to tell. It's this kind of attitude that makes Stade Toulousain incredible, that rugby is incredible.”
To recover from the tragedy, Joe Tekori focused on his missions. Transmission, for example, one of the new passions of the triple French champion. A new desire which he has embarked on in recent months, by intervening with the hopefuls of Stade Toulousain. An interest he already had with his sons, Preston (15 years old) and Owen (21 years old). Both born in New Zealand, they have lived in Haute-Garonne for several years. With pride, the Samoan can't help but take out his cell phone and show a photo of his boys, with his hand, huge, and a smile that has nothing to envy him.
Similar in size to his father, the eldest played rugby, but moved away from it. His younger brother, Preston is even taller than his brother and therefore his father. As a teenager, he would like to follow in his father's footsteps, with the number 5 on his back. “He wants to become professional, it's his dream”, confides his father. With Blagnac, Stade Toulousain and the rest of his family, Joe Tekori is now looking to the future.
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