Iese Jesse Leota scores for Parramatta in 2013. He’d take up a contract in France at the end of the season. Photo: Paul Seiser.

by Brendan Bradford –

For former Parramatta Two Blues centre Iese Jesse Leota, a two-year professional contract at Stade Montois in France is an off-field journey as much as a rugby one.

A stellar club player, Leota never quite cracked Super Rugby – although the dream is still alive – and overcame a broken neck to return to rampaging form for the Two Blues in recent seasons. Last year he took up the opportunity of playing professional rugby in France and has since signed for a further two seasons.

Back in Australia for the European off-season, Leota sat down with Rugby News’ Brendan Bradford to talk France, faith, KFC and the dilemma of rugby in Western Sydney.

BB: Mate, first off, I hear congratulations are in order?

IJL: Thanks, yeah I popped the question to my fiancée in San Sebastian in Spain back in March which was pretty cool. She was there for a month, but she’ll probably move over after we get married next year.

Wedding bells. Leota and fiancee Lei Tasi Caffarelli.

BB: When did you first move over?

IJL: In October last year. I got an email from a French agent asking if I wanted to go over and it just went from there. It was supposed to be for three months as a medical joker because someone was injured and they needed me there as soon as possible. Then I re-signed for six months and just re-signed for another two years.

BB: Sounds like a pretty quick process?

IJL: Yeah real quick, I had to make the decision in about three days. I had to quit my job, jump in the deep end and just have faith, trust in God and go for gold.

BB: What kind of things were you weighing up before deciding to go?

IJL: Just whether or not to stay at Parra and hope an opportunity to play Super Rugby would open up because that had always been something I’ve wanted to do. But when this opportunity opened up, I knew it was time for me to move on and I also knew I had a greater purpose than just playing rugby and it’s all really fallen into place.

BB: You’ve said it was a pretty rushed process, how long after getting to France did you play your first game?

IJL: About four weeks, it took a while. I was a bit unfit and just learning all the calls in French, oh man, that was difficult.

BB: So it took a little while to really break through?

IJL: They expected me to be big like my brother Trevor, who played a season there and could lift heaps in the gym, but that wasn’t the case. So they were a bit unsure for a couple of weeks, but after my first game all the boys came up to me and said ‘good game, good game.’

BB: Was that one of the biggest shocks, the step up to professional rugby?

IJL: Yeah, but it’s awesome. I’ve always wanted to have the opportunity to be in a professional environment and it’s really helped me become a better rugby player. It’s a massive change from youth work and training two days a week to this. It was a shock, but very beneficial. Happy days!

Letoa in action for Stade Montois in France’s Pro D2.

BB: Did you know any of the guys in the team before you went?

IJL: Nah, I didn’t know anyone when I moved over. It was an all new environment, new surroundings and new culture. All I knew was the croissants and the bakery haha. One thing that stood out is being taken away from what you had, to appreciating what you have been given. We tend to take things for granted and I was living in a 30-square foot studio with a fold out couch that my legs hung off the end of and it was the little things I really noticed. Even just people speaking English.

That’s one thing for me being over there and appreciating every moment when I step on the field, especially after my neck injury. There’s not a day goes by that I don’t thank God for every moment I step out on the field to play.

BB: Southern France aye, must be a pretty good lifestyle?

IJL: The lifestyle, culture and the people in Mont-de-Masarn are amazing. They’ve been very welcoming and I’m truly blessed to have this journey here in France and do what I love doing. The only problem is that we have no KFC and have to travel over an hour to get some!

BB: Did you still have Super Rugby aspirations before you left?

IJL: Well Super Rugby has always been a dream and if the opportunity opens then it’s meant to be. Otherwise I’m pretty content with the opportunities that I’ve been given and the life that I have.

It was a leap of faith going to France, but I believe it was divine for me to move. It’s been a journey full of life lessons, taking me from a place of having everything to having nothing and just to appreciate it and never take anything for granted.

BB: And that’s an ongoing journey?

IJL: It definitely is and there’s more to life than just playing rugby. When I went over, there were people there that had the same faith and everything fell into place. I found a similar church to the one here and I’ve just got into the community and have been helping out a bit.

BB: You were doing a lot of community work in Sydney, have you been able to do some over there?

Iese Jesse Leota and Lei Tasi Caffarelli.

IJL: It’s something that I am going to work towards. One of my priorities is to learn French so I can go to schools hopefully to teach and empower young people to be whoever they want to be.

BB: You said to me once that people were telling you if you wanted to make it further in rugby you should leave Parramatta?

IJL: Yes, that’s true. I’ve also been told that my rugby won’t amount to anything if I was to stay at Parra. Why do we have to leave Parra to go to Randwick or Sydney Uni to play for the Waratahs?

I guess it’s a topic that people don’t want to touch. There’s so much they could do out here but they take so much talent out of the West when they could develop it here and make it better.

Something needs to be done.

BB: If the opportunity to move is there, it’s a big one to give up though.

IJL: I don’t think there’s a problem with taking the opportunity, but it’s just really sad to come across people who think there’s nothing out there.

I just don’t know why they tell us to leave Parra for somewhere else. They never gave a reason, just said ‘Parra’s no good if you want to go to the next level’ and that was that.

BB: What about guys who have left, because there are quite a few guys who have ‘made it.’

IJL: Oh, it’s great for them and I guess every individual is different. But I think it goes deeper than that and the question is, ‘do we have to leave the West to make it?’

I think it’s evident that the ARU should invest in Western Sydney – just look at the Wanderers soccer team and what the AFL are putting out there.

BB: It’s a tough one.

IJL: Yeah, it is, but I think more should be done.

BB: Must seem like a long way from Merrylands RSL Park to Southern France?

IJL: Yeah, it’s a long, long way. I remember on the plane in Brisbane before taking off for France I looked at the Bible and had this scripture highlighted: “Matthew 10:39 – He who loves his life will lose it, he who loses his life for my sake will find it.”

I’m truly learning more about myself and my life. It’s more than the game.

Also moving from eating all the food you can eat to only eating salads and French food is a bit different. Still doesn’t keep me away from McDonalds or traveling an hour for KFC though!