www.ultimaterugby.com/news/fijian-drua-d...for-foul-play/599282

" Fijian Drua players ERONI VASITERI and Apisalome Waqatabu will face a National Rugby Championship (NRC) judicial hearing after they were cited over an incident involving Canberra Vikings player Folau Faingaa during a match at Viking Park on Friday night.

The duo are alleged to have breached law 10.4 (m) 'Contact with the Eye(s)’ or ‘Contact with the Eye Area’ after Vikings hooker Faingaa reeled out of a ruck with an apparent eye injury in the 21st minute of the Round 5 clash.


The judicial hearing will take place at the Australian Rugby Union Headquarters on Thursday 5 October and will be overseen by judicial officer Terry Willis.

Kolpak just means that once they have a work permit, they have freedom of movement between jobs, but doesn't give them any right to a work permit in the first place.

Megatron wrote: Also, where are you finding that about Fijians being regarded as European and having roughly the same rights as Europeans? Because that's simply not true here. The only non EU citizens afforded anything close are those who have residency under Article 10 of Directive 2004/38.

I thought the Kolpak agreement meant Fijians, Saffirs etc. could be counted as EU rather than non-EU players. However I may have made a rookie error in trusting my source (it's wiki)....
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolpak_ruling#Rugby

salmson wrote: Visa requirements differ for business trips and residency. Also, once a Fijian is legally resident in Ireland they are given broadly the same legal rights as any EU citizen (and are regarded as European) due to reciprocal agreements between the EU and Fiji, maybe that's what you were thinking of?

No they don't, if you're visa required then you're visa required, it's just a different type of visa needed (C for short stay, D for long stay).
As Fijians don't require a visa, I imagine the delay is with work permits.
Also, where are you finding that about Fijians being regarded as European and having roughly the same rights as Europeans? Because that's simply not true here. The only non EU citizens afforded anything close are those who have residency under Article 10 of Directive 2004/38.

salmson wrote: Visa requirements differ for business trips and residency. Also, once a Fijian is legally resident in Ireland they are given broadly the same legal rights as any EU citizen (and are regarded as European) due to reciprocal agreements between the EU and Fiji, maybe that's what you were thinking of?

My zero on the above I was just paraphrasing what I had read earlier so I will take your word on it Salmson

Visa requirements differ for business trips and residency. Also, once a Fijian is legally resident in Ireland they are given broadly the same legal rights as any EU citizen (and are regarded as European) due to reciprocal agreements between the EU and Fiji, maybe that's what you were thinking of?

salmson wrote:

ConamaraOB wrote: When is he due to finish up in the NRC, think I recall it being October?

The last squad update had him down as "Visa issues" which would suggest he'll be over as soon as that's sorted. If he completes the season over there, the NRC final isn't until November 11, in which case Cardiff away on November 24 (or maybe even Zebre the following week) would be the earliest we'd see him.

I thought someone earlier said there is no requirement for Visas between Fiji and Ireland under some legislation after they were speaking to Duwai, maybe I interpreted it incorrectly. Although in the announcement of his signing it did day he will be joining us in the coming weeks.

ConamaraOB wrote: When is he due to finish up in the NRC, think I recall it being October?

The last squad update had him down as "Visa issues" which would suggest he'll be over as soon as that's sorted. If he completes the season over there, the NRC final isn't until November 11, in which case Cardiff away on November 24 (or maybe even Zebre the following week) would be the earliest we'd see him.

When is he due to finish up in the NRC, think I recall it being October?

clanman wrote: i see our new man was tearing it up for the Fiju provincial team against a good Perth side this weekend, some of the offloads and shoe-lace pickups were sublime

Saw highlights of that game- could do worse than trying to get their whole squad in! Very entertaining team.

i see our new man was tearing it up for the Fiju provincial team against a good Perth side this weekend, some of the offloads and shoe-lace pickups were sublime

Current forecast is for a reprise of what came down during the Glasgow match.

Hope it's not raining this Saturday

www.the42.ie/connacht-academy-add-austra...row-3515297-Jul2017/

Two training injuries (Healy, Brennan) and one matchday from last week.

www.connachtrugby.ie/squad-update-ahead-...iff%20Squad%20Update

Worst news is Sean O'Brien had shoulder surgery and is out til Christmas/New Year.

I see Harley Fox had pictures of himself on social media leaving Brisbane on the way to Galway over the weekend.