Fiji coach irate at clubs’ refusal to release players
On a day when Ireland, in a mini-injury crisis, were able to call on Brian O’Driscoll as captain for Sunday’s international clash at Lansdowne Road, McCallion had to go to inordinate lengths to secure the release from Harlequins of his most potent strike force, Viliame (Bill) Satala.
He feels the International Rugby Board has to act swiftly to allow countries like Fiji, whose players are dotted around the globe, get the chance to level the playing pitch.
Fijian centre Satala has scored 16 international tries in just 25 appearances but he wasn’t released for last weekend’s game against Wales who ran riot against their South Sea Island opponents.
“Despite what the international board rules say, we have big problems in getting players released to come back to play for the country. There is no way of sustaining a professional structure in Fiji so we have players dotted all over the world, in New Zealand, Australia, France, Japan and in Britain.
“The condition is when they do join a team overseas that they must be released if they are deemed good enough to play for the national side, but we are having quite a few problems trying to get these guys released.
“The biggest problem on this trip was with Harlequins who said they never got the release form from the Fiji Rugby Union in time. But they knew he was an international rugby player before he went and signed, and the tour has been scheduled for a considerable length of time.
“It’s very frustrating as a coach to have to deal with all these side issues which should be sorted out. There are other examples of players in New Zealand being told their Super 12 contracts are in jeopardy if they tour with us. I know the IRB is supposed to be right behind us but no action appears to have been taken by them.
“We are told that we are supposed to have these guys available two weeks before a test game and now we have the situation where we have one player (Satala) coming in and we have already have one test finished.
McCallion wasn’t using the release crux as an excuse for Fiji’s demise at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, however.
“I think we went there thinking we could give them a run for the money after watching the Welsh performance against Romania the previous week. The Welsh defensive patterns were very good and they also took us on at the type of game we like to play.
He is hoping for a major improvement on Sunday, though giving full recognition to Ireland’s “amazing” victory over Australia.
“I think the northern hemisphere teams have been creeping up on the big teams from the south slowly but surely. There is a big southern hemisphere influence on this side of the world and that was bound to help because the experienced coaches can identify the way these teams play.
“Ireland will have the better back-up, but I hope if they were able to beat Australia against the odds, we can give them a good match.”
Conditions, as Australia found out, might play a part in the outcome although McCallion isn’t quite sure.
“From our point of view the players would like a hard ground and a warm sunny day but this is all part of a learning process.
“My biggest concern is that we learn lessons from the defeat by Wales, and particularly from the tour as a whole,” he says.
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