Fiji coach Inoke Male has accused European-based players who fail to make themselves available for the national team of lacking patriotism.
Responding to a disappointing Northern Hemisphere tour, in which Fiji lost three of their four matches, Male accused some players of putting their club careers before their country.
He said the Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) and International Rugby Board (IRB) had attempted to make it easier for players to take leave from their clubs for international duty but some of them had failed to respond.
"The players must be faithful enough to wear the national jersey," he told the Fiji Times.
"The FRU and IRB are doing their job getting the overseas-based players to represent the nation. But the players must have the guts to stand up and say that the country is more important."
Male, who complained after the 54-12 defeat by England at Twickenham that at least four of his picks for the national side were missing because their clubs would not release them, did not name any players.
However, the FRU lodged a formal complaint with their French counterparts earlier this month after Racing-Metro lock Jone Qovu withdrew from their squad.
Qovu had initially said he was injured but then played for Racing against Perpignan on October 27.
The French Rugby Federation responded by banning him from playing for Racing until December 4.
"We picked the right players but at the end of the day some of the players we contacted and talked to did not turn up," Male said.
"At the last minute when we arrived in England they sent faxes stating that they were injured. This affected our team preparation."
He said Fiji needed a stronger domestic competition to improve its international results over the long term and compete on the world stage.
"We need a tougher competition to be set up locally so we can match the strength of the overseas teams," he told the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation.
Comments
Upapalmtree says...
@APV sorry time difference makes it hard to stay on thread, Fiji have had several overseas coaches_ Greg Smith, Mac Macallion, Wayne Pivac. The best was Brad Johnson, who did a really good job.
Posted 17:02 01st December 2012
Upapalmtree says...
@APV sorry time difference makes it hard to stay on thread, Fiji have had several overseas coaches_ Greg Smith, Mac Macallion, Wayne Pivac. The best was Brad Johnson, who did a really good job.
Posted 17:01 01st December 2012
APV1 says...
@ BlackMoses - thanks for that. I suspected as much, but it's still a shame to read.
@ Upapalmtree - thank also for the (brief) insight. I'm a Pom in England (although I have lived in Oz), and we hear very little about the politics. However I have served with Fijians in the (British) Army - a tough bunch they were too.
Do you think that the FRU would entertain a foreign coach? There are plenty of good (perhaps not exceptional or world class, but pretty handy none-the-less) coaches out there. Or is that a step too far at the moment?
Posted 11:16 30th November 2012
NHsaints says...
It doesn't matter whether they're patriotic or not you tool Male, your playing structures and defensive patterns still would have seen you on the end of 30-40 point margins. Fiji had plenty of talent in the squad but none in the coaching staff.
Posted 07:20 30th November 2012
jonesrp says...
Cmon...pro rugby has changed the lives of so many Pacific Island players. The Tongans and Samoans are full time professionals and are playing that way whenever they represent their countries. But...what is politically different about Fiji compared to the other 2 nations ?
If I was a Fijian rugby player in France I would be banking the francs..and securing my family`s future at the same time ( and that could mean Mum and Dad ,stuck in Fiji..)
Posted 04:29 30th November 2012
Upapalmtree says...
OK. Couple of things. Firstly, to APV - you have probably picked up on Fiji from the Aussie press, who always struggled to work out what was going on in Fiji. Currently we have a transitional government with a general election coming up in 2014. There isn't space to go into it here but 2006 takeover was against a corrupt government (SDL) who were pursuing racist nationalist policies in an attempt to polarise the country along racial lines, divert attention from their thievery and nepotism and thereby remain in power. Its generally fairly popular (outside the people who were previously in power!).
Secondly, I think Inoke Males comments are a smokescreen to hide his lack of ability. Again the FRU have picked someone totally unqualified for the post (though admittedly anyone would have been better than Sam Domoni Jr.) . Male was picked on the sole basis of bringing Vatukuola (from Central Viti Levu) from the B division to the A division (with useful backing of the gold mining industry). Meanwhile they managed to ignore, amongst others,Nadroga's coach even though Nadro have won the Digicel Cup 2 seasons in a row, and until defeat to Suva last season, defended the Farebrother Sullivan trophy an amazing 18 times, an unbelievably impressive achievement in the modern era; and Ili Tabua, who coached Fiji at the 07 world cup when they knocked Wales out and scared the daylights out of the Boks.
According to senior players, Male was way out of his depth and totally unprepared, asking them to run the team through some moves and calls 2 days before the England game because he hadn't prepared any.
Posted 04:11 30th November 2012
BlackMoses says...
Most Fijian Rugby players are not as passionate about politics and "democracy" as some posters here are - They just want to play rugby and earn money for their families.
Its much more simple than that : Fiji Rugby can't pay them enough to make it worth the risk of getting seriously injured and affecting their professional futures. Its all about the money - patriotism in rugby died a long time ago. Money trumps patriotism any day - Male is sadly delusional.
Posted 21:34 29th November 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
Finally they find the issue. It's not the French clubs. Now they need to address it. Not by telling the players to be faithful but to have their countries leader behave in a way to make overseas players proud to be Fijian and want to play. You cant insist someone wants to play for their country, and should not insist someone who doesnt want to play should play. Daft.
Posted 12:08 29th November 2012
APV1 says...
Are we sure there isn't a political under-current here? I suspect that I wouldn't be very proud to represent a military dictatorship. Especially one which ignores me for 48 weeks of the year and then suddenly demands my appearance.
Perhaps I'd also be loyal to my employers in a democratic country. Or as close to democracy as the French can manage..!
;-)
Joking aside, this is a genuine question to any Fijians out there.
Posted 11:24 29th November 2012