Former Racing 92 player Virimi Vakatawa has been called up to the extended Fiji squad ahead of the Nations Championship. The change in allegiance is generating a lot of discussion. Vakatawa, who earned 32 caps for the French national team, was selected by Fiji on Monday, May 4, as they prepare for the inaugural Nations Championship this summer instead of the usual summer tour.
If he plays with the Flying Fijians this summer, it would signify a shift in his sporting nationality. Vakatawa previously represented Fiji at the U19 level before beginning his international career with France from 2015 to 2022. With the French team, he participated in five Six Nations tournaments (2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021) and the 2019 World Cup in Japan. He also played for the French 7s team in 2014 and 2017, including the Rio Olympics in 2016.
This change was made possible by World Rugby Regulation 8 on player eligibility and national team qualification. Amended in 2021, it allows a player to switch national teams once in their career, under specific criteria. The criteria include standard eligibility requirements for a national team, along with a three-year gap since the player’s last appearance for their former team.
Vakatawa, who holds Fijian nationality and last played for France on July 9, 2022, fulfills all the criteria. This situation is notable because Vakatawa had been banned from continuing his career in France in September 2022 due to a progressive heart condition. However, this restriction only applied in France, prompting him to join Bristol Bears in England for the 2023-2024 season.
After receiving medical clearance to return to professional rugby, Vakatawa recently joined the Fijian Drua in Super Rugby, scoring his first try last weekend. If he is included in the squad, he could reunite with the French national team and his former teammates in Lyon in November for the first match in the northern hemisphere and his fourth overall.
:fill(black)/2026/05/05/69f9b43713385978551602.jpg "A great match to play: Antoine Griezmann one step away from one last final.")
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