Waisea Nayacalevu, amid his allegations regarding unpaid bonuses and corruption at Rugby House, has been included in the Flying Fijians squad for their upcoming tour in Europe. Joining him are senior players such as Semi Radradra, Albert Tuisue, Jiuta Wainiqolo, Samuel Matavesi, and Meli Derenalagi, all of whom have supported Nayacalevu’s claims.
Nayacalevu and Tevita Ikanivere will serve as co-captains for the team. Head coach Mick Byrne stated that the selection process was unaffected by the ongoing controversy. “It has nothing to do with team selection. I’ll pick the best players to play for the country in the tour,” he explained.
Peter Mazey, the interim chairman of the Fiji Rugby Union Trustees, emphasized on Wednesday that the head coach holds the ultimate authority in player selection. “We (interim Trustees) have no say in it,” Mazey remarked.
Notably, Josua Tuisova from Racing 92 has made a comeback to the Flying Fijians squad. During a Zoom conference, Byrne highlighted the significance of the tour, which will see the team compete against Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and Spain. He noted, “It is a four-game tour and we are expecting a certain amount of challenge from our oppositions,” while also acknowledging the potential challenges posed by the colder climate.
The squad will, however, miss the services of center Iosefo Masi due to injury. Byrne expressed regret over Masi’s absence but affirmed he deserves recovery time after an extensive playing schedule that included all Super Rugby matches for the Fijian Drua, the Olympic Games, and the Pacific Nations Cup.
Masi has attracted interest from Top 14 clubs, with Lyon recently expressing curiosity about him as a potential replacement for Radradra. Maintaining most of the squad from the Pacific Nations Cup, Byrne has introduced players like Sireli Maqala, Jiuta Wainiqolo, and Saimoni Uluinakauvadra.
Byrne stated, “The naming of Maqala in the full-back position was putting him in a position where he had played for us previously,” and mentioned Vuate Karawalevu’s versatility. He praised the team’s depth, stating it wouldn’t be fair to restrict players to specific roles.
After a break to recover from the PNC and Super Rugby seasons, the players are set to return to training next week to strategize for the tour. Byrne highlighted the importance of scouting and incorporating new talent to ensure a balanced team. “The sooner we can start letting the young players play, the sooner they get better and build our future,” he added.
The Flying Fijians’ tour begins with a match against Scotland on November 2 at Murrayfield, followed by games against Wales on November 10 in Cardiff, Spain on November 17, and Ireland on November 23 in Dublin.