Players were clearly promised of bonus if they reached 2023 RWC quarter final – Radradra

Former Flying Fijians centre Semi Radradra says a clear promise was made by the Fiji Rugby Union to the players while they were still training in Taveuni in preparation for the 2023 Rugby World Cup that players will get bonus payouts if they manage to qualify for the quarter final, however, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka had assured the players in July last year that there was a bonus in place for them and it will not come from the government but from a very friendly nation which they will receive at the end of the tournament.

In an interview with fijivillage News, Fiji Rugby Interim Chair, Peter Mazey confirms that they had to get an overdraft to pay the bonus based on the players’ demands, and makes it clear that the promise on the bonuses was made by the government.

Rabuka stated in July last year that the team may be eligible for a bonus depending on their finish at the RWC.

At the time, the Prime Minister urged the players to not be distracted or discouraged by the financial issues facing Rugby House and said that is for the government to deal with and the players to do their best and the government will do the rest.

During a live interview with Lesi Vanuavou, Radradra says after the team had qualified for the quarter final, the FRU changed their promise on the week of the quarter final.

He says FRU sent an email saying that if the team wins their quarter final match, then they will receive their bonus pay and if they don’t, they won’t get any bonus.

He adds it was as if FRU had no belief in the team to win their quarter final match or that they did not believe that we would have reached the quarter final judging from the email that they sent.

Radradra says it was at that point that the former captain Waisea Nayacalevu and the other senior players in the team had to stand up for the players where they came up with the idea that they would boycott the quarter final match against England if they did not get their full pay on the time frame given.

He says the preparation they had for the Rugby World Cup last year, they were confident of reaching the final, but most of the players’ mentality was affected after FRU failed to fulfill their promise.