We would like to congratulate current All Blues player Bulou Mataitoga for being offered a residency at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista! Women’s Eagles coach Richie Walker saw her potential during her performance at 7s Nationals just this past summer (where she also co-captained the All Blues), then at All Americans camp this past year. Sarah Davis, who helped coach our most recent 7s team, says that Bulou’s “love to tackle” was one of the things that caught Richie Walker’s eye. Sarah adds that Bulou is “absolutely tenacious at defense...[making] multiple try saving-tackles in one sequence.” Indeed, Bulou earned a “good teammate play” award for our first game this season for exactly that, preventing ORSU from scoring just a few meters shy of our try line.
But more than Bulou’s technique and work rate as a defender, Sarah says that what makes her special is her “completeness” as a player. According to her, “[Bulou] has always been a talented finisher, but this year she added the ability to create to her repertoire. Lastly, her attitude is fantastic. She is really coachable and is really coming into her own as a team leader.”
Bulou’s residency runs from October 1st to December 31st. She plans to balance her residency with playing with the All Blues through Nationals, which is in early November. For anyone who might be interested in a similar opportunity, Bulou’s advice is “to keep playing with your local club, work hard, and you'll get seen by the coaches at tournaments. And above all else, never stop believing in yourself.”