Iosefo Masi, an Olympic gold medalist and winner of the 7s World Cup, is reportedly in discussions with French Top 14 club Lyon. French media has indicated that Lyon is interested in bringing Masi onboard to replace Semi Radradra.
The management at Lyon views Masi as the perfect candidate to strengthen their center pairing, believing that his exceptional handling skills and physicality could significantly enhance a team that faced a challenging relegation battle in the 2023/2024 season.
It is still uncertain whether Masi’s potential move to Lyon is contingent on Radradra’s future with the team. Radradra joined Lyon in the summer of 2023 and made his debut post-World Cup, featuring in 10 matches during his inaugural season. If no extension is reached, he is set to become a free agent in July 2025.
Masi, aged 26, began his career with the Fiji 7s team, contributing to their gold medal victory at the 2021 Olympic Games under Coach Gareth Baber. He also secured the Melrose Cup before transitioning to 15s rugby with the Fijian Drua. The Taveuni native had a remarkable two seasons with the Drua, scoring 16 tries and starting in 29 fixtures, which earned him a call-up to the Flying Fijians.
Most recently, Masi added to his accolades by winning a silver medal with the Fiji 7s team at the Paris Olympics.