Rugby World Cup
Fiji face anxious wait over five players
ESPNscrum Staff
September 1, 2011
Clermont's Napolioni Nalaga prays for victory, Clermont v Toulon, Top 14 semi-final, Stade Geoffrey Guichard, St Etienne, France, May 15, 2010
Fiji will hope Nalaga's prayers come true ahead of their World Cup opener © Getty Images
Enlarge
Related Links
Tournaments/Tours: Rugby World Cup
Teams: Fiji

Fiji's preparations for the World Cup look to be in disarray with the news that five of their 30-man squad are struggling with injuries ahead of their opener against Namibia.

Fiji - who are partnered in their pool by heavyweights South Africa and Wales - have fitness doubts over three wingers in their squad. Saracens winger Michael Tagicakibau is struggling with a hamstring problem while the prolific Napolioni Nalaga sustained a chest injury in training on Wednesday. The former Clermont Auvergne winger would have been one of Fiji's key go-to men in the forthcoming World Cup and fellow speedster Verniki Goneva is also struggling due to a sprained ankle.

Elsewhere in the squad, prop Campese Ma'afu has a head injury while hooker Sunia Koto is struggling with a knock to the shoulder. The news comes as a further blow on a week when the chairman of the Fijian Rugby Union Colonel Mosese Tokoitoga was denied entry to New Zealand due to his ties with Fiji's military.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices