World Rugby high performance unit general manager Simon Raiwalui says the selection process for the new FIJI Water Flying Fijians head coach was transparent and impartial.
His statement aims to clear the air amidst speculation within the rugby fraternity, particularly on social media.
Raiwalui responded to queries raised by former national 7s selector Sailosi Naiteqe on Facebook, shedding light on the interview process that was conducted.
“In Fiji’s case, the independent interview panel was made up of FRU members, FRU board member, government representative and World Rugby representative,” Raiwalui said.
“Once interviews were completed, the selection that was made based on interviews was presented to the board for approval.”
Addressing concerns about potential biases, Raiwalui reiterated: “There is no hate or personal reasons, it was a process that was followed by the three nations in recruiting the best candidate to fulfil the role,” Raiwalui added.
Responding to inquiries about why Samoa and Tonga opted for local coaches while Fiji follows a different approach, Raiwalui clarified: “As with Samoa and Tonga, it was exactly the same process. There is an independent interview panel, multiple rounds of interviews and selection to go to the board.”
Mick Byrne was earlier named the Flying Fijians head coach, taking over the role from Raiwalui.
