12 January, 2026, 4:59 am Central - 22°C Rain

I do not want to out-coach the Fijian style of rugby - Byrne

I do not want to out-coach the Fijian style of rugby - Byrne

By Mosese Raqio
20/06/2025
Fiji Water Flying Fijians coach Mick Byrne Photo: RNZ

As the Fiji Water Flying Fijians get ready for their July test matches against the Wallabies and Scotland, coach Mick Byrne has made it clear that he does not want to out-coach the style of rugby that the Flying Fijians play, but he is just going to try and help the players on making some decisions when they get excited with ball-in-hand, which is a huge challenge for him.

While speaking on fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan, Byrne says the style of rugby Fiji plays is their strength and sometimes, it is their weakness as well.

He says their ability to improvise how to play off turnover ball or a line break, as well as the excitement that comes to the players when those situations occur, goes right back to the village game.

Byrne says it all comes down to gathering the players together from 15 or 16 different environments and only having three training days, and it is hard to instill a style of rugby that is disciplined in the way they play.

He adds that is one of their challenges and something they need to work on.

Byne says he felt that their discipline around their defence last year improved.

He says they hardly gave any offside penalty when they played in the tests, apart from two offside penalties they conceded against Ireland.

Meanwhile, the Flying Fijians squad will assemble next Thursday, before flying out to Newcastle on Friday.

They will take on the Wallabies at 3pm on Saturday 6th July, in Newcastle.

They will then take on Scotland at 3pm on Saturday 12th July, at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva.

FNRL
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