Waisea Nayacalevu has been included in the Flying Fijians squad for their upcoming tour in Europe, despite his recent claims regarding unpaid bonuses and corruption within Rugby House. Joining him are seasoned players like Semi Radradra, Albert Tuisue, Jiuta Wainiqolo, Samuel Matavesi, and Meli Derenalagi, who have also supported Nayacalevu’s allegations.
Nayacalevu will be co-captaining the team alongside Tevita Ikanivere. When questioned about the selection, Flying Fijians head coach Mick Byrne clarified that the decision was unrelated to the ongoing controversy, stating, “It has nothing to do with team selection. I’ll pick the best players to play for the country in the tour.”
Fiji Rugby Union interim Trustees chairman Peter Mazey confirmed that the head coach has the final authority on team selections, emphasizing that the interim Trustees do not interfere in this aspect.
Returning to the squad is Racing 92 winger Josua Tuisova. Byrne noted during a Zoom conference that the upcoming European tour involves significant challenges, with the team scheduled to compete against Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and Spain. He acknowledged that while climate conditions will be a factor, the cooler temperatures should be manageable.
The squad selection did not include robust center Iosefo Masi due to injury. Byrne expressed that Masi would be missed but deserved to recover after his extensive participation in Super Rugby matches and additional competitions.
Also noteworthy in the squad changes, Byrne has retained many core players from the Pacific Nations Cup (PNC), while integrating Sireli Maqala, Jiuta Wainiqolo, and Saimoni Uluinakauvadra. He explained the rationale behind Maqala’s position in full-back, highlighting the team’s versatility in player roles.
Byrne shared that the PNC squad had a brief recovery break following the Super Rugby season. He mentioned that training would resume next week to finalize combinations for the tour. “It’s time to scout and introduce new players for a perfect balance in the team,” he added, emphasizing the importance of giving young players opportunities to develop for the future.
The Flying Fijians are set to play against Scotland on November 2 at Murrayfield, followed by matches against Wales on November 10 in Cardiff, Spain on November 17, and Ireland on November 23 in Dublin.