Scarlets player pleads guilty and is fined following court appearance in Fiji

2:36pm, 10 April 2020

Scarlets player Tevita Ratuva was left red-faced in Fiji after incurring the wrath of local authorities, resulting in a court appearance. Ratuva was ordered to pay a $500 fine at the Sigatoka Magistrates Court yesterday.

The towering Scarlets locked appeared before Magistrate Jeremaia Savou charged with one count of failure to comply with the directions of a medical officer. A resident of Mataqe settlement, Ratuva pleaded guilty to the offence.

He was issued a stop departure order and is expected to pay the fine before he returns to court on May 8th.

The six foot six inch forward played off the bench throughout Fiji’s Rugby World Cup campaign in Japan.

The 24-year-old joined the Scarlets after a season in France with Bordeaux-Begles, having previously played for Brisbane in Australia’s National Rugby Championship.

Popularly known as ‘Tex’, Ratuva made his first international appearance against the New Zealand Maori in July and featured in the Pacific Nations Cup matches against Canada, Samoa and Tonga.

Last week fellow Fiji forward Semi Kunatani, who won a sevens gold medal at the Rio Olympics Games, was been named as one of two Fiji rugby players arrested for breaking isolation laws after he returned home from London.

Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama accused the players of putting “the whole of Fiji at risk” and revealed they have both been put in isolation.

“Such irresponsible behaviour is totally unacceptable, and we support the actions of the police in arresting these two players and any further action taken against them. Fiji Rugby will take appropriate disciplinary actions against the professional rugby players including reporting this highly irresponsible behaviour to their clubs and World Rugby.”

Simon Raiwalui, the FRU high performance general manager, did not hold back with his criticism on Facebook saying: “For those of you that have chosen not to respect the mandatory 14 day self-isolation, shame on you and each of you will have your day of reckoning.