SARACENS' captain Simon Raiwalui has rejected a last-minute plea from Fiji to play in the Rugby World Cup.

The 29-year-old, signed on a two-year contract from Newport in the summer, received an SOS from the Fiji Rugby Union on Monday after a back injury ruled lock Ifereimi Rawaqa out of the tournament.

But a statement from the club stated that the lock would not reverse his decision to retire from international rugby.

"Despite mounting pressure over recent weeks Simon has asked the club to confirm that his situation has not changed in that he is still retired from international rugby and thus will not be attending the World Cup.

"He has also stated that he hopes this will bring an end to the matter," the statement said.

Earlier in the season at the club's media day, Raiwalui had explained the reasons behind his decision to bring the curtain down on his international career.

"I've been to one World Cup and I've got a wife and two young boys and I felt I couldn't make the sacrifice from the end of June to the beginning of December. It was a joint decision which we felt was best for our family and we've stuck by it. It's hard choice to make but they are the sort of things you've got to do."

Australian-born Raiwalui, who qualifies to play for the island through a parent, has played 41 times for Fiji, but he will now join Epi Taione and Trevor Leota as other South Sea Islanders who will miss the tournament.