Former FIJI Water Flying Fijians head coach Mick Byrne has moved to address concerns about his health, declaring that he was moved on by the national body and that he is cancer free.
Fiji Rugby had announced on April 1st that they had “mutually agreed to part ways” with the Australian coach.
Byrne says he just wants to clear the air on his situation, he did not resign, and he does not have any ongoing health issues.
He says with FRU Chair John Sanday coming out, he was respectful in what he said but he was just incorrect, as he does not have any ongoing health battles, and FRU knew that.
The former Flying Fijians coach says it has challenged him around future earnings, and he does not want to harp on it too much because it just fuels a bit of that fire, and he wants to continue working.
Byrne says he was removed from his role so that Fiji Rugby could move in a new direction.
He says the announcement caught players by surprise with some ringing him and asking why he is walking away.
The former Drua coach says he had laid down values and standards to the team about putting the team first, and when players overseas, in the Northern Hemisphere, were reading that headline before the leaders had a chance to talk to them, they were texting him, firstly saying, ‘I’m sorry to hear that there’s something wrong with you, but why are you stepping down?’
He says they felt that he was walking away from the program.
Byrne said the mixed messages had left him in an awkward position and that is why he wanted to clear the air.
He says what was disappointing was when he went to the Highlanders game in Ba, there was a great number of people who came up to him and were very sympathetic towards him and basically saying, ‘We’re praying for you coach, we hope everything’s well and we wish you all the best, we know you’re not well.’
Byrne says he felt like a bit of an imposter telling them there was nothing wrong with him.
He says he did not want to sound unappreciative when he was talking to them, but it was difficult because he is trying to let them know that he is actually 100 percent good.
While there had been rumblings around Byrne’s health, the decision shocked many after the widely respected coach, who won two World Cups as part of the All Blacks coaching team before joining the Wallabies, had overseen a strong 2025 campaign.
That included winning the Pacific Nations Cup title by defeating Eddie Jones’s Japan, as well as downing Scotland at home.
Fiji also went within a whisker of beating the Wallabies in their first Test of the year in Newcastle, with a late Harry Wilson try giving Joe Schmidt’s side a late win. The defeat wasn’t without controversy either, with Fiji having a try rubbed out after an earlier Australian error.
And despite having a 67 per cent win record – the equal third highest of any Test coach on World Rugby’s international standings in the top 15 – since taking over from Simon Raiwalui after the 2023 World Cup, Byrne was moved on.
Senirusi Seruvakula, the younger brother of Ratu Viliame Seruvakula, who is a prominent traditional leader and serves as the Chairman of the Great Council of Chiefs (GCC) in Fiji, was named interim head coach.
While the FRU initially remained coy about why Byrne was departing, chairman John Sanday later told local media that the Australian’s health was a factor.
Sanday added that he wished Byrne well on his “ongoing health battles” in an interview with a local media.
That led to many, including coaches around the world, as well as locals reaching out to Byrne to wish him well and find out more.
Locals also sent their thoughts and prayers to him, including at matches.
But Byrne, who has managed prostate cancer for almost a decade, including over the past 12 months, where he has had some minor procedures but has since been cleared, said his health wasn’t why he was moved on by the FRU.
Byrne, who was contracted until December 2027, eventually agreed to an undisclosed settlement with the FRU to walk away.
But the coach reiterated that he had wanted to lead the Flying Fijians to the 2027 World Cup on Australian shores, having been promoted to the national job after overseeing the Fijian Drua’s transition into Super Rugby.
Byrne said he believed Fiji could once again make a run at next year’s World Cup, having beaten the Wallabies in the 2023 tournament in France before narrowly being pipped by England in the quarter-finals.
Source: nine.com.au
