The Flying Fijians have emerged as a formidable force in rugby, showcasing their ability to compete against some of the world’s top nations throughout their 2025 campaign. Their impressive performances, particularly in the Pacific Nations Cup, have bolstered the team’s confidence and highlighted their potential on the international stage.
Head coach Mick Byrne noted the team’s progress, emphasizing that their competitive spirit was evident during the July window. Despite limited training time, the Flying Fijians delivered a strong showing against Australia and secured a victory against Scotland. Byrne reflected on these moments, stating, “One of the highlights for us this year was our July window where we didn’t get a lot of training time together and we put in a good performance against Australia and unfortunately didn’t get across the line there but then beat Scotland.”
The team’s achievements in the Pacific Nations Cup, along with their resilient performances against top-tier opponents, demonstrate significant growth. Byrne recalled narrow misses against England and France, underscoring how close the team has become to consistently contending with the best. “Simi’s try that was disallowed under the post would have put us in front against England…and then 21 all against France. We were in good shape there,” he remarked.
As they look ahead to the 2025 Nations Cup, Byrne expressed optimism about building on their recent successes. He noted the importance of transforming competitiveness into consistent performances, stating, “Knowing that we can compete with those teams, it’s an exciting opportunity to spend a good six months in preparation for the Nations Cup.”
The Flying Fijians will reconvene for their campaign next year, with Byrne hoping to establish new benchmarks for Fiji rugby on the global stage. This determination to push boundaries and strive for excellence offers a hopeful outlook for the team’s future endeavors.
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