Fiji have included a former France back and ex-England loose forward in a 50-man squad for July’s Nations Championship matches.
Centre Virimi Vakatawa and No 8 Nathan Hughes have been given a chance to revive their international careers after both were named Monday in an extended Fiji squad.
New Zealand-born Vakatawa, 34, played 32 matches and scored 10 tries for Les Bleus between 2015 and 2022 before being banned from playing in France because of a progressive cardiac abnormality.
After a one-year break, the former Racing 92 player got his career back on track in England at Bristol and has since joined Super Rugby club Fijian Drua.
Hughes, who is also 34, was born in Fiji but joined Wasps and qualified for England on residential grounds.
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He made 22 appearances, 10 of them as a starter, under Eddie Jones, with his last cap coming against Scotland in the 2019 Six Nations.
After a spell in Japan, Hughes now plays for Racing 92 in the Top 14.
Given the period since their last international outings, World Rugby’s rules allow him to switch allegiance and wear the Fiji jersey.
“We have meetings looking at all the players, their time in their clubs, how many minutes they’ve been playing, and if there are any injuries that need to be identified,” said acting Fiji head coach Senirusi Seruvakula in a statement.
The squad will be cut to 32 players two weeks before Fiji begin their Nations Championship campaign on July 4 in Cardiff against Wales.
Fiji will then face England a week later in Liverpool, followed by Scotland in Edinburgh on 18 July.
These three matches are considered home games for Fiji, due to a lack of adequate facilities in the country.
– AFP
Photo: Euan Cherry/Getty Images
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