The Flying Fijians have emerged as a formidable force in rugby, showcasing their ability to challenge some of the world’s elite teams during their promising 2025 campaign. Their competitive performances against Tier 1 nations, coupled with a successful run in the Pacific Nations Cup, have significantly boosted the team’s confidence.
Head coach Mick Byrne expressed optimism about the team’s progress and aims to carry this momentum into the upcoming 2025 Nations Cup season. Reflecting on their experiences, he noted, “One of the highlights for us this year was our July window where we didn’t get a lot of training time together, yet we managed a strong performance against Australia, unfortunately falling short, before achieving victory against Scotland.”
Byrne emphasized that winning the Pacific Nations Cup and their strong finish to the year underscored the team’s growth. He recalled moments from matches, highlighting, “Simi’s try that was disallowed under the post would have put us in front against England… and then we were level at 21 all against France. We were in good shape there.”
With Fiji increasingly matching up against the world’s strongest teams, Byrne acknowledges the challenge ahead: transforming their competitiveness into consistent performances. He stated, “Knowing that we can compete with those teams, it’s an exciting opportunity to spend a good six months in preparation for Nations Cup.”
As the Flying Fijians prepare for their 2025 campaign, Byrne is hopeful that they will set higher benchmarks for Fiji on the international rugby stage, aiming for a future that reflects their potential and growth within the sport.