Fiji Water Flying Fijians coach Mick Byrne has expressed his satisfaction with the performance of the forwards in the scrum during the recent semi-final match against the USA in the Pacific Nations Cup. Byrne noted that his strong rapport with the players has significantly enhanced their communication, both on and off the field.
He acknowledged that many players are still in the early phases of their professional careers, but he believes they are making steady progress and gaining invaluable experience with each match. “I think they are still in their early stages in their professional careers. They had a good learning and a new experience,” Byrne said.
Byrne specifically highlighted their scrummaging performance in the semi-final against the USA, stating that the team has shown notable improvement in this area since last year’s Rugby World Cup, where they excelled, and they were also recognized as the top scrum unit in this year’s Super Rugby competition.
“We’re doing a lot of work, and the boys are understanding their tasks. The biggest factor for scrums is effort; all eight players must contribute. I thought we performed well despite a few slip-ups,” he remarked. He added, “I see scrums improving all the time, and I realized that last year we had the best scrum at the World Cup and this year the Drua scrum was the best in Super Rugby. People are starting to see that we can scrum effectively, and that is pleasing.”
Additionally, Byrne commended the team’s self-motivated spirit, noting their capacity to take initiative and strive for better performance. The Flying Fijians are set to defend their PNC title this Saturday at 10:05 PM against Japan at Hanazono Rugby Stadium in Higashiosaka, Japan.