Weakened Fijians look to take stride forward

Fiji’s admission yesterday that 30 front-line players were unavailable for selection for their European tour paints a graphic picture — not all rugby nations are treated the same.

With Fiji’s top stars scattered throughout the world and many of the clubs refusing to release them, fulfilling IRB touring obligations is often a frustrating exercise.

“I think there were more players unavailable than available,” admitted coach Inoke Male in Limerick yesterday. “It’s a tough tour to manage but we hope to achieve something like an improved IRB ranking and the experience that the local boys will be exposed to.”