Fiji may not have sufficent funding to compete in this year's World Cup in New Zealand © Getty Images

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Tournaments/Tours: Rugby World Cup

Teams: Fiji | New Zealand

Fiji could be forced to sit out this year's Rugby World Cup in New Zealand for financial reasons, according to local media reports.

Colonel Mosese Tikoitoga, the head of the Fijian Rugby Union (FRU), has alleged that team manager Pio Bosco Tikoisuva believes that F$5million will be required to properly prepare the national side for the tournament.

While the government has promised to provide $3million in funds, it has thus far only approved the release of $400,000. It has not been established if that money has yet reached the union or when the rest of the promised financial support will be forthcoming.

This worrying news comes less than a week before Fiji, who reached the quarter-finals of the 2007 World Cup in France, are set to unveil a 50-man provisional squad for this year's event. They are scheduled to compete in Pool D alongside reigning champions South Africa, Wales, Samoa and Namibia.

There is also the possibility that if Fiji do manage to raise sufficient funds to travel to New Zealand, some of their players might not be allowed into the country. Fijian citizens with links to Commodore Frank Bainimarama, whose military regime seized control of the country in 2006, are currently not permitted to enter New Zealand and that could spell trouble for a number of Fiji's players. The International Rugby Board (IRB) is asking for leniency for the Fijians but New Zealand Prime Minister John Key insists that he will not be backing down on the issue.

"At the end of the day, we don't take our riding instructions from the IRB," Key told AP. "Our view is that we want to see democracy restored in Fiji. This is the only thing that we've got that holds their feet to the fire."