Flying Fijians grounded by player exodus ahead of Dubai Sevens

It is a surprise that Fiji coach Ben Ryan has enough players to fill his own side for their defence of the World Series competition in Dubai, let alone others to loan out, writes Paul Radley.

Pio Tuwai of Fiji, left, led his team during their run to the Dubai Sevens title last year but he is now playing in Sri Lanka, which will limit his national team duty ahead of this year’s tournament. Jake Badger / The NationalShow less

DUBAI // The fact Ben Ryan took to social media this week to ask if any invitational sides needed players for next month’s Dubai Sevens speaks volumes about the depth of talent in Fiji.

The Englishman, who is Fiji’s sevens coach, wants to work the system to get some of his fringe players game time in the International Invitational tournament on Sevens weekend.

It is a surprise that he has enough players to fill his own side for their defence of the World Series competition in Dubai, let alone others to loan out.

Even by the usual standards, the talent drain away from Fiji has been startling of late.

“Squad selected for Dubai,” Ryan tweeted on Sunday. “Late change as Sitiveni Waqa leaves for the cash of Sri Lanka. Wish him all the best.”

Pacific island nations gathering crumbs from under the tables of the rich is nothing new.

Samoa, for example, were reportedly warned off strike action ahead of their Test against England this weekend by World Rugby, the newly rebranded governors of the sport, with the threat of expulsion from next year’s World Cup.

The country’s senior players are infuriated by what they deem to be mismanagement and unfair working conditions, and they want their voice heard.

But it comes to something when the world’s No 13-ranked nation, Fiji, are powerless to stop an exodus of its leading players to a country with little international renown in the sport.

Leading Fijians, such as Pio Tuwai – the prop who was startlingly good as Fiji won the Dubai title last year – and Setefano Cakau have taken up contracts in Sri Lanka instead.

Their unavailability for national duty means, among other things, they have jeopardised their chances of representing their nation at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Ryan seems perennially sanguine about the situation and has no desire to worry about something that is apparently impossible to stop. He has sympathy for players who need to pay the bills in whichever way they can.

Fiji often seem to need a state of tumult to produce their best.

But Ryan accepts the current conditions may be reaching a tipping point.

“We have the depth but it’s not bottomless,” said Ryan, who has won the Emirates International Trophy in Dubai as coach of England and of Fiji. “It still takes time, resources and effort for a player to come into the squad and get to the level of fitness and discipline required.”

Even Gordon Tietjens, the New Zealand coach and a long-time rival of Ryan, is sympathetic.

“Fiji have been performing brilliantly recently and their results are even more impressive given the disruptions they have had to their team structure and preparations,” Tietjens said.

“They are incredibly entertaining to watch and we look forward to seeing them in action again as they attempt to defend the trophy they won in Dubai last year.”

It is safe to assume that, if they get a full squad to Dubai, the flying Fijians will be good to watch when the Sevens kicks off on December 3.

Defending their title, though, would be an extraordinary achievement.

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