Fiji rugby coach Vern Cotter has explained why the Vaccinate Fiji jerseys again went AWOL in the loss to the All Blacks
Fiji rugby coach Vern Cotter has explained why the Vaccinate Fiji jerseys again went AWOL in the loss to the All Blacks
18 July 2021
After they were pulled last minute before the first game, a compromise was reached with the players, to add the words It s Your Choice underneath.
However, when they ran out in Hamilton last night, it was with the Fiji Airways sponsor logo on instead.
Cotter picks up the story.
The Fiji rugby team say plans to wear a message on their jerseys promoting Covid-19 vaccinations were scrapped for a second week following a directive from their major sponsor.
The Flying Fijians wore jerseys with Fiji Airways across their chest, instead of a message promoting Covid-19 vaccinations.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Flying Fijians pulled the pin on wearing jerseys with the Vaccinate Fiji message for last weekend s test in Dunedin, because of opposition from some team members.
A compromise was reached during the week, with the jerseys in Hamilton set to read Vaccinate Fiji and the words It s your choice .
However, the players took to the field on Saturday with a Fiji Airways sticker across their chest.
Josefa Makaba
18 July, 2021, 10:00 am
Flying Fijians captain Leone Nakarawa looks for support during the International Test Match against the All Blacks at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand last
night. The All Blacks beat Fiji with a commanding 60-13 win. Picture: FIJI RUGBY TWITTER PAGE
Fijian flyer Sevu Reece scored a hat-trick of tries to help the New Zealand All Blacks win the final match of their two Test series 60-13 last night at the FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton, NZ.
Reece was one of the few players in the ABs who played the entire 80 minutes of the second Test.
Cotter didn’t slip into obscurity. But, for many New Zealanders, he remained off the radar. After being told by NZ Rugby that a lack of international coaching experience - Scott Robertson was given the same message when he missed out to Ian Foster in late 2019 - had counted him, Cotter continued earning his bread in France where he was coaching Clermont. That was until 2014, when he was appointed Scotland’s national coach. He remained there until 2017 before returning to France to take over the Montpellier club side. Next stop, New Zealand. Cotter had a farm waiting near Te Puke in the Bay of Plenty and last year began working as Fiji’s head coach.
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