New signing Nayacalevu still missing for Ospreys

Centre Waisea Nayacalevu has won 40 Fiji caps and led his country to victory against Wales in November 2024 in Cardiff

Ospreys head coach Mark Jones says Fiji captain Waisea Nayacalevu is dealing with a personal matter after not yet playing for his new side.

Nayacalevu, 34, signed for Ospreys in February from Sale on a deal until the end of the season as cover for injured Wales centre Owen Watkin.

Ospreys have played two United Rugby Championship (URC) matches against Glasgow and Connacht since Nayacalevu's arrival but the centre has not featured in either victory.

Following the 43-40 win against Connacht on Saturday which lifted Ospreys into seventh in the URC table, Jones said: "He [Nayacalevu] has got a personal matter at the moment where we are allowing him to spend time with his family.

"We feel that is important and we are giving him the time to get that right.

"Once that is bottomed out we will see where he is at and where we can go next with him."

Will the star signing play for Ospreys?

Nayacalevu joined Sale from Toulon for the start of the 2024-25 season as a replacement for Manu Tuilagi and played seven games for the English side during this campaign.

He had agreed a one-year deal with the Sharks with the option of a further 12 months but left Sale for Ospreys.

Nayacalevu spent a decade at Stade Francais where he scored 82 tries in 200 appearances.

He switched to Toulon two years ago and is in line for a return to French club rugby next season.

Nayacalevu scored a try in Fiji's famous win at Twickenham before the 2023 World Cup, a tournament in which he captained his country.

Injury concerns

Ospreys could do with some midfield cover after centre Keiran Williams was injured against Connacht, although Phil Cokanasiga has recovered from long-term injury and came on as a replacement in Swansea.

The victory against Connacht came at a casualty cost with centre Williams, flanker Justin Tipuric, lock James Fender, scrum-half Reuben Morgan-Williams and props Tom Botha and Garyn Phillips forced off because of injury. Flanker Harri Deaves missed the game after picking up an injury in training.

Wales squad members Jac Morgan, Dewi Lake and Gareth Thomas missed the Connacht win after their Six Nations commitments, but British and Irish Lions lock Adam Beard played 80 minutes in his first game back in four months after recovering from injury.

"We have picked up some injuries but the boys are tough," said Jones.

"We have very good replacements and a good squad of guys who will come in where others have left off."

Ospreys face Scarlets twice in eight days as they travel to Llanelli for the URC match next Saturday, before hosting a European Challenge Cup last-16 match in Swansea on Sunday, 6 April.

"We always look forward to the derbies, they are great," said Jones.

"The good thing about these occasions is there are a lot on it with first the league and the week after European competition honours up for grabs."

'Crazy' Connacht game

Jones was left to reflect on the 12-try thriller against Connacht.

"It was a crazy game," said Jones.

"We let it get out of control ourselves, we were part of the problem, but the good thing is we had enough solutions to get the job done.

"I would rather focus on what we did well than dwell too much on what we didn't. It's pretty obvious what we didn't do well and it was on the defensive side.

"It's a good learning for us because there are a lot of tough tests to come, a lot of good attacking teams to come, so we are going to need to make sure we are back to what we have been previous to this game.

"We will be better for this performance. It was good in parts, but we are going to need to be better with the challenges that are coming because we got out of jail a little bit."

Jones saw his side jump up six places with the victory to seventh and into the URC play-off places.

"The table doesn't lie," said Jones.

"It tells you how competitive the league is, it tells you how good the players in the league are.

"We have been chipping away at our results over the last 8-10 weeks and hopefully the boys are in a position now where we have got something we can get our teeth stuck into and try and stay up there if we can and keep climbing.

"We are right in there and we are going to go toe to toe with the other teams for as long as we can.

"We'll just have to see how far that will take us."