Former All Black and Racing Metro backline coach Simon Mannix has backtracked on comments he allegedly made that Fijian players were paid to miss the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.

Mannix had claimed that Racing Metro made payments to encourage Sireli Bobo, Jone Qovu, Josh Matavesi and Virimi Vakatawa to be unavailable for the 2011 Pacific Nations Cup, effectively ruling them out of World Cup selection.

But in a statement yesterday, Mannix said that comments made by him during an IRB radio show in January 2012 had been distorted.

Mannix added the comments that were attributed to him should be clarified because they were distorted and do not correspond to reality.


Story by: Aliki Bia
Source: Planet Rugby