Waisea Nayacalevu, captain of the Flying Fijians, has disclosed that the team’s quarterfinal match against England at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France was nearly called off due to player dissatisfaction over unpaid bonuses and issues of corruption within the Fiji Rugby Union. In an interview with the Daily Mail, the 34-year-old, who recently signed with Sale Sharks, indicated that players were prepared to boycott the match.
Nayacalevu stated, “We need to cut off this virus that has always been there,” referring to the corruption in the Fiji rugby administration. He emphasized that they were ready to walk out of the match against England due to unmet promises and unpaid bonuses.
The players organized a presentation via Zoom while staying in Marseille to address the issues with the union. They firmly conveyed to the officials that without resolution by a set date, none would participate in the quarter-final.
According to Nayacalevu, empty promises from the union are not new to the players, but he and several senior teammates including Semi Radradra, Levani Botia, Albert Tuisue, and Eroni Mawi refused to accept it this time. He noted that the struggle with the Fiji Rugby Union was a distraction as they aimed to make history by reaching the semi-finals.
“I’ve played for Fiji for more than 10 years and it’s the same thing over and over again,” Nayacalevu said, highlighting past issues of players receiving partial payments or going unpaid for weeks. The team received their payments just before the match against England, which created a focus on off-field problems.
Despite the challenges, he believes Fiji has the potential to win the World Cup. However, he expressed frustration after the England match when the performance did not match their potential, particularly regarding handling the ball in rucks.
Fiji had previously celebrated a victory over England at Twickenham before the tournament but ultimately fell short in France, losing 30-24 in a close match. Nayacalevu revealed that the year 2023 might have marked his last in international rugby, motivating him to advocate strongly for his teammates.
He has continued to represent Fiji, including a notable match against the All Blacks, and hopes that future teams will bravely confront corruption within the sport. “I told the team, ‘Boys, when I’m gone from here I hope you guys learn from this…when things happen in the future I hope you have the courage to confront it,’” he said.
Nayacalevu, who has had a lengthy club career in France with teams such as Stade Francais and Toulon, moved to Sale Sharks this year to fill the gap left by Manu Tuilagi. The Fiji Rugby Union has been contacted for a response to Nayacalevu’s allegations.