If rugby players at the provincial level aspire to make the cut for the FIJI Water Flying Fijians squad to the 2027 Rugby World Cup, it may take some time to get there.
This, according to head coach Mick Byrne, when asked by TimesSport if there was a possibility of exploring the prospects of potential players in local competitions such as the Skipper Cup to join the national squad.
“Currently, (with) the level of players in the Skipper Cup, while there’s a lot of talent there, it just can’t meet the Super Rugby standards,” Byrne said.
“And so, that’s a big work on, we’re working with Fiji Rugby.”
“But the big thing is that currently, it’s got nothing to do with rugby talents, just the level of workload, the level of work rate is around 40 to 50 per cent.”
“That’s what is required of a Test match.”
He added their inclusion would mean considering two key factors; the readiness of players and their welfare.
“There’s a couple of things in play here. The first one is players aren’t going to be quite ready.
“And secondly, player welfare. You’ve got to make sure that the players are capable and in a great shape to survive that sort of rigour.”
While he admitted the slim opportunity available for those players, he commended the relationship built between the Fijian Drua and teams in the Skipper Cup to possibly bridge that gap through the club’s men’s head coach Glen Jackson.
“I think the key there is the (Fijian) Drua and the Skipper Cup (teams) have made some good relationships, we’ve discussed it many times,” he said.
“I know Glen Jackson’s made some great commitments to bridge that gap and we’ll see that.
The current squad in the Flying Fijians is made up of players from the Fijian Drua and Europe-based players plying their trade at English and French rugby clubs.
