“I don’t know if he realises how good he is”

One of the challenges in cataloguing the career of Semi Radradra is the hours spent watching his highlights reel, from the vast array of tries he scored for Parramatta Eels in rugby league in Australia, to his electrifying pace and finishing from centre or wing at Toulon and Bordeaux in France, to a coruscating display for the Barbarians against England and onwards with Fiji against the world in Japan. If you’re going to disappear down this rabbit hole, set aside many hours. You’ll begin in daylight and you’ll end at dusk.

Radradra breaks defences and records, almost in equal measure. There are many moments, many tries to pick from. The commentaries are priceless. “Uh-oh, here comes Semi!” says an Australian commentator when a young Radradra fields a cross-kick in his 22 and somehow evades a wall of four Rabbitohs defenders. “Who wants him?” he continues, with glee. “You take him! No, he’s yours!” Radradra accelerates out of his own half, throws a dummy and canters in under the posts. Somebody called it an exhibition. In that sense, he’s had more exhibitions than Pablo Picasso.

Now he’s arrived at Bristol Bears as part of Pat Lam’s increasingly exciting project. Radradra is one of the most exciting players in the world. He’s 28. A playmaker and finisher, a carrier and offloader. He has a try-scoring and try-creating record that is beyond awesome. Without question he’s a player who quickens the pulse.

How do you stop him? “You take out a gun licence,” quips his friend and Fiji team-mate Josh Matavesi, now of Bath.

Here’s Lam: “I coached Semi when in charge of the Barbarians (in 2018). I knew all about the player, but I didn’t know about the man and the man is every bit as important to me as the player.

“I watched him closely. You observe habits and the way guys interact with people. I try to watch when people don’t think I’m watching and I was blown away by his commitment to being better. You have players with extreme X-factor but some don’t last because they don’t have the work ethic to go with it. You’ve seen what Semi does on the field, all that devastation he creates and all those defenders he beats. He doesn’t do it by accident. He’s an incredible professional. Everybody will tell you that. His discipline and dedication are outstanding.”

That’s why Bristol, and their moneybags owner Steve Lansdown, are paying top dollar for Radradra, just as they’re paying top dollar for Charles Piutau. Those two in the same back-line? It’s a thrilling prospect.

“You know what the Barbarians environment is like,” says Lam. “It’s relaxed. People have fun. Lots of nights out, good sessions on the beer. We had a 1970s night and Semi got dressed up in this outrageous disco outfit, high heels and everything. He wasn’t drinking but he was very