Fiji Rugby has announced an outstanding set of technical coaches for the Flying Fijians 2020 Tour.
They are world-renowned breakdown specialist Richard Gray who was previously the Springboks Assistant Coach, former All Blacks centre Daryl Gibson who recently coached the Waratahs, Glen Jackson who spent 9 years as an international referee and Crusaders forwards coach Jason Ryan.
Flying Fijians coach Vern Cotter says he has been in regular contact with his coaching group for almost two months.
He added all these coaches come with a lot of international experience and are experts in their respective technical areas.
Cotter says Glen Jackson is good at handling skills and can sensitize and also give players a clear understanding of what referees see and how they act.
He says this will help them a lot because if they can cut down the discipline and the penalties against them, it will make them less vulnerable.
Cotter says Daryl Gibson has international experience as a player and head coach.
He says Gibson has the maturity to help with the backline and they have Jason Ryan who has won three titles with Crusaders and brings all the standards in High Performance probably from the best franchise.
Cotter also added that Richard Gray’s input will also be of high quality since they have worked together in Scotland.
He says Gray is someone who he worked with in Scotland and in Montpellier and specializes in rug-contact.
Gray was the Skills and Contact Coach under Cotter at Montpellier.
He is one of the world’s leading breakdown coaches, having devised his own training equipment, the focus of his business, GSI Performance.
Gray spent three years working with the South Africa 7s team and the Springboks, as well as his native Scotland for two seasons.
His expertise around collision sports extends to more than rugby.
Gray created the Gray Tackle System equipment which is currently being used in the NFL, and he also worked as a consultant for the Miami Dolphins in the NFL.
The format for the Autumn Nations Cup will be two pools of four – Group A will include England, Ireland, Wales and Georgia with Group B comprising of France, Scotland, Italy and Fiji.
The Flying Fijians will kick off their campaign on the second week of the tournament in a blockbuster against fierce rivals France on Sunday 15th November.
Fiji will then meet Italy on 21st November before travelling to Murray field to play Scotland in the final round on the 28th of November.
The Autumn Nations Cup will conclude with a special final round of matches.
Based on the pool rankings coming into the final weekend, each team will face off in a cross over final against their equivalent placing, in the opposite pool.
Cotter is due to announce his squad in the coming weeks with the Flying Fijians tentatively planned to assemble in France around the 25th of October.
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