Fiji’s Rugby World Cup campaign has been dealt a significant blow as flyhalf Caleb Muntz has been forced to withdraw from the tournament due to a knee injury sustained during a training session on Monday. This unfortunate development was confirmed by head coach Simon Raiwalui, casting a shadow over Fiji’s preparations for the competition.
Caleb Muntz, a 23-year-old New Zealand-born player, made his debut for Fiji earlier this year against Tonga. Despite his relatively recent entry into the national team, Muntz swiftly established himself as a key member of the squad.
Coach Raiwalui expressed his disappointment, stating, “Caleb sustained a knee injury in a non-contact session and is out of the Rugby World Cup. It’s most devastating for us as a group and for Caleb; he has worked so hard for the past two years with the Fijian Drua and for Flying Fijians. We feel for him as a young man that he misses the opportunity so close to the Rugby World Cup.”
Muntz played a pivotal role in Fiji’s preparations, notably contributing 15 points as Fiji secured a memorable victory over England with a score of 30-22 in their final warm-up match last month.
In the wake of this setback, Coach Raiwalui is now faced with the task of evaluating potential replacements. A decision regarding a replacement for Caleb Muntz is expected to be made in the coming days. Notably, Teti Tela is the sole other specialist flyhalf within the squad.
Fiji is placed in Pool C at the Rugby World Cup and is slated to kick off their campaign against Wales in Bordeaux on Sunday. They will also compete against Australia, Georgia, and Portugal in their group.
