Byrne: Drua To Benefit Flying Fijians
Swire Shipping Fijian Drua coach Mick Byrne expects his team’s involvement in Super Rugby Pacific to have a positive impact on the Flying Fijians (national team) after the competition’s newest franchise picked up their first win last Friday.
Friday 11 March 2022 | 13:45
Swire Shipping Fijian Drua players with children whose families were evacuated from the Lismore flooding and are sheltered at Lennox Head on March 9, 2022. Photo: Fijian Drua.
Swire Shipping Fijian Drua coach Mick Byrne expects his team’s involvement in Super Rugby Pacific to have a positive impact on the Flying Fijians (national team) after the competition’s newest franchise picked up their first win last Friday.
The Drua handed Melbourne Rebels a 31-26 defeat in their third appearance in this year’s newly expanded Super Rugby championship, and Byrne is confident the ramifications will go far beyond the annual competition.
“I think it’s going to be great,” Byrne told CNA.
“It’s something we talked about back in October last year, about over the next couple of years these guys are going to get some great experience.
“They’re going to become better at understanding the get up and go in Super Rugby: train every day, prepare themselves and they’re going to be match fit and match hardened and I think it’s going to really benefit the national team moving forward.
“But right now these guys deserve everything they’ve got. They’ve worked extremely hard since the first day of training back at Lennox and they’ve got their just deserts.”
Similar sentiment was echoed by Crusaders and Flying Fijians forwards coach Jason Ryan.
His input has seen a huge improvement in Fiji’s forward play.
This was put on show last year when Fiji’s loose forwards embarrassed the All Blacks at the ruck in Dunedin, the All Blacks of course won the encounter 57-23 and the second test 60-13.
Ryan was called on by Flying Fijians head coach Vern Cotter in 2020 and will stay with Fiji until the 2023 World Cup in France.
He said he was stoked about the Drua’s maiden victory at Sunshine Coast Stadium.
“It’s really good, I was really thrilled for the Drua,” Ryan said.
“They’re pretty close to my heart, the old Fiji boys, with being involved with those lads in the national team.
“(I’ve) been keeping a close eye on them and talking to Mick Byrne and Jacko (Glen Jackson- who is the Drua and Flying Fijians assistant coach) with how they’re tracking.
Anything is possible
“I think it’s good flavour. For them to win and beat the Rebels is a great boost for them - a lot of people thought they wouldn’t win a game this year,” he said.
Ryan expects the win will help boost their self-confidence in the competition.
“They’ll get better. The Fijians, once they get fit and get a bit of belief, they can upset anyone.
The Drua are one of two new teams, alongside Moana Pasifika, to join Super Rugby this season as the competition shifts some of its focus towards the Pacific Islands.
Byrne’s side came back from trailing 14-0 to defeat an injury-depleted Rebels side and he was quick to praise his players after the win.
“I think the boys made history, it’s a great feeling in the change room,” said Byrne.
“We worked extremely hard this week on the plan to hang onto the ball and working through it and they did that well.
“We’ve only got two players who have Super experience here so we’ve just got to keep building each week and getting used to turning up each Monday and get going for the next week.”
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