‘Play the full 80’

This squad is playing the full 80 minutes of rugby, says Swire Shipping Fijian Drua head coach Mick Byrne.

He commended the FIJI Water Flying Fijians team during the Drua Talk podcast with the Drua’s head of commercial and marketing Shane Hussein.

“You cannot wear this team down, as they not only playing 80 minutes rugby but are a composed side as well,” said Byrne.

He said the win against the Wallabies was awesome as there was a lot of expectations leading into the game.

“The players delivered on game day and it is exciting to see them beating tier one countries.

“They are playing a lot better football now-holding onto the ball.”

He said traditionally the Fiji team had always respected the ball, but now they were started to respect the game as well.

“They now when throwing the ball around, are respecting it, looking after it and get it going again.

“In the game against Australia, we got some good points through kicking but we were also able to build pressure in order to get penalties and create indiscipline in the other team, which was something we didn’t do in the previous World Cups”.

Byrne, who was in the Wallabies coaching team in the 2019 Rugby World Cup alongside current Flying Fijians coach Simon Raiwalui, who was the forwards coach for Australia, said the Waisea Nayacalevu-captained side had stamped its mark in this year’s world cup.

“I think this team is playing a lot more stronger brand of rugby and they can build the game, stay in the game and still use the electric pace out wide.”

Fiji will play Georgia in its next match on October 1 in Bordeaux.