Row over Fijian wing's contract dents Pro D2 playoff preparations

Preparations by Mont-de-Marsan for this weekend’s Top 14/Pro D2 relegation/promotion final at home to Perpignan have been clouded by long-serving Fijian winger Wame Naituvi seeking out an industrial tribunal to request the cancellation of his contract at the club.

The 26-year-old, who has played five years at the Pro D2 outfit, is contracted until the end of the 2022/23 season but reported interest from Top 14 clubs has resulted in him taking action to try and free himself from the agreement by way of an alleged clause in his deal.

Naituvi has made 20 appearances for Mont-de-Marsan this season, but none since an April 24 start at Colomiers. The club were defeated in last Sunday’s Pro D2 final by Bayonne but they have another shot at securing promotion this weekend when they host Perpignan, the team that finished 13th last Sunday night in the Top 14 despite a win over title challengers Montpellier.

According to L’Equipe, the argument over the Naituvi contract dates back to a deal negotiated in 2020. The player’s lawyer Jean-Baptiste Ginies reported: "The two parties agree on the duration, the salary and a release clause… The release clause could be activated in the 2022 off-season against the payment of a certain sum.

“Except that on the day of the signing of the new contract, the terms of the clause in question would have been modified by the club. It was finally active in the 2021 off-season but the player was not notified. When he wanted to activate his clause during the current season, Mont-de-Marsan said that it was no longer possible. We tried to find an agreement in vain.”

Mont-de-Marsan president Jean-Robert Cazeaux was quoted: "This is an ongoing file that I am dealing with. Wame Naituvi is under contract with the club for the 2022/2023 season, that's all. The rest belongs to the file, we will deal with it in due time."

Naituvi, who has scored nine tries this season and 32 tries in total during his 74 Mont-de-Marsan appearances, is looking to engage with clubs reportedly interested in him, such as Top 14 title challengers Racing 92. However, unless a settlement can be reached at the tribunal, it appears that he will have to spend next season at his current club.