RWC 2023 | Nayacalevu apologises

FIJI Water Flying Fijians captain Waisea Nayacalevu has apologised for a “banter” gone wrong
during a media conference following the defeat to Portugal on Monday.
Fiji went down 23-24 to the Os Lobos at the Stade de Toulouse in Toulouse but qualified for the
Rugby World Cup quarter-finals with the losing bonus point.
Towards the end of the press conference after the game, Nayacalevu uttered inappropriate words in the iTaukei language which went viral on social media.
In a statement issued by the Fiji Rugby Union, Nayacalevu sought forgiveness from fans and viewers for the improper language.
The 37-Test veteran said the comment was not directed to any particular fan but to a Fijian journalist who is his ‘tauvu’ — a relationship that is characterised by banter, joking, and jesting.
“I would like to sincerely apologise for the incident. I’ll be honest with one and all. That phrase
was directed towards my Fijian friend, ‘My Tau’, who is part of the Fijian media delegation covering the Rugby World Cup,” Nayacalevu said.
“I was under the impression that the mic was disabled thus uttered it unintentionally for which I express my deep and utmost regret.
“As the captain of Flying Fijians, my actions are intolerable to the values of the game. I take responsibility and seek forgiveness for the slip.”