Fiji coach targets 2027 World Cup squad consistency

Mick Byrne, the coach of the Flying Fijians rugby team, is focused on getting all players ready for the 2027 Rugby World Cup. He wants those aiming to be part of the squad to participate from the Pacific Nations Cup this year. Byrne is visiting players in Europe and is optimistic about having a nearly full-strength team for upcoming matches against Australia and Scotland. He expressed concern about the limited game time available to test team combinations before the World Cup. The team has a busy schedule planned, with around 25 Test matches leading up to the World Cup. However, Byrne noted that this is still not enough to fully develop the team’s strategies while players also compete for their clubs. He mentioned that the challenge lies in coordinating players from various clubs around the world, unlike teams like Australia and New Zealand, where most players are based locally. Byrne aims to gather all players for the Pacific Nations Cup to build a consistent squad. Byrne stated that he hopes to finalize the team selection by May, following discussions with players over the next few weeks. Overall, he is focused on ensuring that the team is well-prepared and competitive for the upcoming matches and the World Cup.