There seems to be at least a bit of dissention in the ranks of Fijian athletics.
First, there was the proclamation of numero uno, the Big Fijian himself, Vijay Singh, eschewing the opportunity to represent his country at the Rio Olympics. Probably just as well, since the pace Singh employs to follow his missed putts would threaten the two-week timetable for the Games.
Next, the Fiji National Rugby League has expressed severe angst over the selection of Semi Radradra to make his debut with the Kangaroos.
Radradra is regarded as one of the best wingers to play Test rugby for Fiji, a country that is home to some of the best wingers in rugby union.
FNRL feels that depriving them of Radradra will hurt Fijian rugby’s attempts to develop native players, whilst skirting the fact that the decision was naturally Radradra’s, made out of considerations that lie outside nationalistic ones.
Radradra was discovered by former World Cup player/coach Inoke Male, but it was subsequently Radradra’s play against Navosa in 2010, where he scored a winning try for Vatukoula in the Fiji provincial union, that caused him to attract the attention of NRL teams.
Apparently, Radradra would rather play rugby in Australia rather than grow dal and yaqona on the family farm.
