Nine years in France has taught Joe Rokocoko the two major dangers facing young Pacific Island players are depression and unaccredited agents.
Rokocoko finished his 16-year professional career in June but will continue to work with Polynesian athletes in his new role with the Paris-based Racing 92 academy and asrelationship manager with the Pacific Rugby Players.
Adjusting to life in a foreign country is difficult for anyone, let alone those moving from the Pacific.
Rokocoko recounts horror stories of athletes landing in France from Fiji full of hope for their new careers, only to find they have been duped by unaccredited agents.
Some don't have transport from the airport. Others discover promises of fame and fortune are not as they seem.
With little to no duty of care once the contract is signed, some players are then left to fend for themselves.
"Sometimes those clubs promise things and when the players arrive there it's totally the opposite to what they've been offered," Rokocoko says. "Our concern with the Pacific boys is depression.
"Firstly they are away from home, they don't speak the language and then there's pressure from home to send money.
"As soon as you get an overseas contract you're making it which is quite opposite. Some of our Fijian boys here have committed suicide because of the responsibilities of providing for their families and the clubs promising things.
"When you hear that in the community it's very sad. You assume everything is fine because when you ask they are happy chappy."
Joe Rokocoko in action for French club Racing Metro 92. Photo / Photosport
The situation of rogue agents is improving but far from resolved. Rokocoko is encouraging players who may be struggling to voice their concerns before it becomes too much.
"Our natural reaction is saying everything is fine. Us Pacific Island boys we never talk about our problems.
"The main concern is player welfare. The last few years the issue has been the middle man – side agents coming out of nowhere and making deals and then disappearing.
"We've had incidents where players have come over and there's no one to pick them up from the airport. The main thing is having a policy where people can be monitored.
"That line of communication is very important because the Island boys back home say 'yep just let me get there'. Once you get here it's a totally different life.
"As other Pacific Island players here our role is that support system. It's very important they have someone they can go to and know it's okay to ask for help.
"When we meet up as Fijian or Island players after games it's trying to encourage everyone to talk about how things are going and hopefully people can open up in some way."
Rokocoko advocates all Island players shifting aboard to only sign with accredited agents.
He also believes compulsory month-long courses in French language, culture and education around the proper cost of living in local terms – contracts often seem better when presented in Fijian dollars – would help pave the way for more gradual transitions, rather than the shock many first encounter.
Fijian players captured by the national academies are usually directed to trusted agents but those recruited straight from schools remain impressionable and, therefore, vulnerable.
"I don't know what the perfect solution is. The main thing is everyone is trying to search for it rather than brushing it underneath the carpet.
"Word is getting around and the clubs know there is a magnifying glass on them. It's not the big clubs, the majority are the second and third division clubs that have the issue.
"There's still a few unaccredited agents. Their job is just to send them here and then the club can deal with them. Those are the ones the players need to really look out for. At least it's being spoken about now and the clubs are concerned about it now too."
