Lot Tuqiri has criticized the “unacceptable” abuse of Super Rugby Pacific of Drua Fiotorio and hopes that such a “ridiculous” turn of the events will never happen again after the team was photographed to travel in the rear of a luggage truck.
The legend born in Fiji and the Australian international dual also pointed to the 'lack of hospitality' of New Zealand after learning that Drua was forced to leave his hotel room in Napier, without any place to rest, several hours before playing hurricanes well accommodated in the Ronda Dosciinas makes a fortnight.
But the largest beef in Tuqiri is how officials, today, could not have organized a better transport that professional rugby was forced to endure on a horror night on February 21.
After landing in New Zealand just before midnight, 16 hours before the start against hurricanes in a place at several hours by car, the Drua squad could not locate the bus reserved by the organizers of Super Rugby to transport them to their hotel.
After discovering the apparent mistake of the bus company, Fijian's attire stacked in the back of a reserved truck to transport the luggage and equipment equipment.
“It's ridiculous,” said Tuqiri.
The Fijian-Australian Lote Tuqiri rugby legend has criticized this image of the Fijian Drua side that is transported in the back of a truck
Tuqiri has Fiji inheritance and played for the Waratahs and Australian Wallabies of NSW during his rugby career
The Drua went down to the highlanders in a thriller, with many fans pointing to his poor duct as a reason for late capitulation
'One would think that the organizers would have ordered it, given the age of the competition. It is not like a new competition.
“It was probably not meaning, but, I mean, it is actually unacceptable.”
Even after finally arriving at a hotel, they had to share with the hurricanes, the players and Drua staff told them that they could not get a late greeting as their hosts enjoyed it, before the start of the 4pm on Saturday.
“You can't expect a team to be treated that way,” said Tuqiri.
'They are not a team of children under 11 or under 12 who have gathered funds (for a junior road trip).
“They are a professional outfit and must be treated accordingly.”
By aggravating the frustration of the DRUA, they lost in the timbre 38-34, since it also let a late advantage slide in the first round at home against the Brumbies act.
'I don't think we have all the favors landed in Wellington. Unfortunately, we did not have a bus, and then, even when we arrived at the hotel in Napier, we did not have a list, Drua Glen Jackson coach lamented. “So there were many things that were against us.”
Then, after a six -day change, the DRUA, tired of the trips, also blew a late advantage against the NSW Waratahs in Sydney on Friday night.
The rugby where fans were also surprised to see the image, asking how it was allowed to happen.
'This is sad. When these teams visit our coasts, we prepare them and welcome them as if they were our own. Why kiwis? A fan asked.
I am surprised and completely sad for this. Isn't auspacific sports fonding this kind of thing and support for Fiji rugby? questioned another.
'What is crazy is that this group of boys will take something like this calmly and overcome it. That in no way means that it should happen to them and people should not take advantage of their good nature, “another published.
Tuqiri, finalist of the 2003 Wallabies World Cup and winner of the Double NRL Premier League with Brisbane and South Sydney, said that losing three consecutive competitions against Super Rugby's heavyweights was difficult.
But the proud Australian of Fiji considers the treatment in New Zealand even more difficult to swallow.
“To be fair, I am really surprised by the lack of hospitality of the Neozylalands,” said Tuqiri.
Tuquiri wants to see a better treatment for Fiji Travelers teams, especially when the nation of the island launches the red carpet to visit the sides
'In the sense that they (Fiji and Nz) are nearby neighbors.
'Obviously, the hotel was reserved and things happened that you cannot control, but I think that kind of things you can (find a solution).
'You can't have guys walking on game day, sitting in the parks, lying in the lobby and this, that and the other.
'It's an unfair field. Entering at 12 at night, the bus is not there … it is simply ridiculous. Surely it can't happen again.
'I am sure that it probably happened before, but since then things have been put in place.
'I don't know the ins and outs, but this should not happen from a professional point of view.
“The competition has now been working for 30 years.”