Fijian Drua appoint Mick Byrne as head coach
Mick Byrne has experience of working as skills coach with New Zealand between 2005 and 2015
©PA
Fijian Drua has announced former New Zealand skills coach Mick Byrne has been appointed as the new head coach ahead of the 2022 season of Super Rugby Pacific.
Byrne has an extended experience in coaching spanning over 23 years having worked as skills coach for the New Zealand, Australia, Japan and Scotland.
During his tenure with the All Blacks, they went on to claim two Rugby World Cups, five Tri-Nations titles, five Rugby Championships and 11 Bledisloe Cups and also played a pivotal role with Japan as they went on to win three Asian Cups and a Pacific Nations Cup.
He also had worked as forwards coach of Super Rugby club Auckland Blues between 2012 and 2014.
"I have followed and admired the way Fijian teams play the game over the course of my coaching career. It's a style of play that puts the joy of rugby at its core, and I'm very excited to help our club showcase this to the world when the new Super Rugby season starts," said Mick Byrne.
"None of us are under any illusions that it will be easy. We understand the challenges ahead of us in this first season, being based away from home. But within that challenge lies the opportunity to grow stronger as a team and a club."
It will be a brand of exciting Fijian rugby that players and fans love, he added.
"It will allow us to be patient with our players, help them find their own way and naturally grow into the game we want to play."
"It will be that brand of exciting Fijian rugby that our players and fans love, but with clinical aspects to it in both attack and defence. It will be hard work in our first two seasons, but the journey will be rewarding and enjoyable."
