THE Flying Fijians almost said good- bye to skipper Seremaia Bai after the first Test of their Europe tour.
This has seen the Fiji Rugby Union express concern over hindrance faced by national team management in acquiring release of top players from Northern Hemisphere clubs.
Acting chief executive Keni Dakuidreketi yesterday said the Rugby House would pursue the issue further once it received a report from the Flying Fijians management.
"Definitely, it's a concern," he said.
"But I need a full briefing on the issue before we decide what action to take."
Dakuidreketi said FRU wrote to players and their clubs seeking releases for the November Tests.
"We can impose what we want but in the end it's up to the players. If they want to play for their clubs then what can we do," he said.
Flying Fijians technical adviser Mike Brewer yesterday blasted officials of top French club Clermont over the release of captain Sere-maia Bai and wi-ng Napolioni Na-laga.
"Clermont wanted Nalaga and Bai to go back, one after the Scotland game and the other after the Ireland game and to swap around," Brewer told the Irish Times.
"I said to (Clermont coach) Vern Cotter, 'Vern, did you ask Andy Robinson the same question for Jason White?' and he sort of smirked. Of course he wouldn't because he would have known what the answer would have been."
Former All Blacks skipper Brewer also criticised the failure of IRB's latest strategy to properly regulate the issue as it has been highlighted by players that clubs discourage them flying home for the Tests in June even when the season in Europe is over.
The IRB announced last January, clubs had to release players for national duties a week prior to international Tests.
Brewer said French, English and, more recently, Japanese clubs made it extremely difficult for the naturally gifted Fijians to ever make a sustained breakthrough in the 15-man game.
He said it was critical to educate players and agents to ensure a clause in Pacific Islander and Argentinean players' contracts that guarantees them the right to represent their countries in November and June.
"I have gone through it and if Fiji ever gets their best side onto the field, it's going to be a pretty lethal team.
"We got to try and get the mechanism in place that the boys are not under pressure to not play."
The Flying Fijians have a 24-year jinx to break against Ireland on Sunday (Fiji time).
Fiji is yet to taste victory against the Irish since the first encounter at Landsdowne Road in 1985.
