FRU Needs Time in Announcing New Flying Fijians Coach
A source told SUNsports that a group of former Flying Fijian players based in Europe are also pushing for another applicant Franck Boivert, to be considered.
Friday 16 February 2024 | 15:05
The Fiji Rugby Union needs a bit more time before officially announcing the new Flying Fijians head coach.
This was confirmed to SUNsports yesterday by FRU interim chairman Peter Mazey.
This contradicted earlier statements made by general manager of the High Performance Unit B-J Mather that the announcement was to be done this week.
Controversy reared its ugly head in the process when applicant Senirusi Seruvakula received an email that he was not among the short-listed but a few hours later he was told in another email, that there was a misunderstanding and he was to be interviewed.
A source told SUNsports that a group of former Flying Fijian players based in Europe are also pushing for another applicant Franck Boivert, to be considered.
Boivert, is a French national and has been living in Fiji for 27 years. He was a former Fiji Rugby coaching director and is now Nadroga Rugby director of coaching. He is a strong advocate of running rugby.
The other strong candidate is Fijian Drua head coach Mick Byrne, who guided the side to the Super Rugby Pacific playoffs last season despite playing in their second year.
He was the All Blacks skills coach when they won the 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cups. Byrne is highly respected by All Blacks star players like Dan Carter and Sam Cane.
Byrne and Seruvakula had gone through the second round of interview last week.
It is believed that other overseas coaches who also applied include New Zealand’s Daryl Gibson and Frans Ludeke of South Africa.
Fiji Rugby Football Union Trust Board interim chairman, Peter Mazey.
“The final decision hasn’t been made as we’re waiting for references (for the candidates) and other information like contract to be looked at,” Mazey said.
“We are hoping to get the information tomorrow (today) and to go through it.”
Mazey said the interim Trustees are trying to ensure that the process to appoint the new Flying Fijians head coach is done professionally and proper.
“We are not rushing the process to ensure that the right person is selected.
“We were hoping to do it by the end of the week but there won’t be an announcement.”
Mazey told SUNsports that they hope to get the response from the referees of the final candidates for the Flying Fijians head coach position.
“We will be holding a media conference to make the announcement once we finalised everything,” he added.
Feedback: ioane.asioli@fijisun.com.fj
