Super Rugby Pacific CEO Jack Mesley has admitted that oversights and breakdowns in communications resulted in the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua having to pile into the back of a luggage truck to get to their hotel on arrival in Auckland after arriving close to midnight ahead of their match against the Hurricanes in round 2 of the Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific.
Mesley says essentially, what happened was several oversights and breakdowns in communications were identified, which created those challenges for the Drua.
He says they have now addressed those issues with the clubs and an external transport provider.
The CEO says it is really disappointing that it happened.
This was not the only incident that hindered their preparation ahead of the match against the Hurricanes.
Upon arrival, the Drua then shared the same hotel in Napier as the Hurricanes but were told they could not get a late check-out ahead of the game because the city was also hosting a major triathlon festival that weekend.
However, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, the Drua later learned the Hurricanes were able to stay at the hotel until just before the kick-off.
Former Flying Fijian and Waratahs winger Nemani Nadolo has voiced his frustrations on social media and is seeking answers as to why the team members had to wait for the bus for hours, and ended up catching a truck that had no proper ventilation.
Nadolo says the players had to wait at the hotel lobby for hours again because they were denied a late check-in by the hotel staff.
He says when other Super Rugby teams visit Fiji, they are treated like royalty with Police escorts and so forth.
Nadolo says the team had lost the game before the match due to the ill treatment given to them.
The Fijian Drua welcome the Chiefs to Churchill Park in Lautoka at 3.35pm this afternoon.
The Rooster Chicken Fijian Drua Women’s team take on the Reds 1.05pm at Churchill Park.
Source: ABC/RNZ
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