FIJI Water Flying Fijians head coach Mick Byrne is focused on bringing physicality to their match against England this Sunday in the Autumn Nations Series.
The last time these two teams met was in the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final, where England secured a narrow 30-24 victory to advance to the semi-final.
Fiji is eager to put on a strong performance and secure a win in all three Test matches of the series.
Coach Byrne emphasises the team’s determination to achieve success on the field. Despite facing tough competition from top-ranked teams, Fiji is ready to rise to the challenge.
“Obviously, you’re expecting a great performance. We want to perform, and we want to win the three Test matches,” said Byrne.
“We know we’re going in against two of the best teams in the world.”
He adds having experienced England’s passionate playing style in a previous match, Fiji is prepared for a tough battle.
“England, in the first game, will be a great match. We have been preparing for a month, we lost to them in 2023 World Cup, so facing them again will be a good chance for us to try and get the win.”
The team is motivated to deliver a standout performance and let their actions speak for themselves on the field.
Byrne instills confidence in the players, emphasising the importance of playing to their strengths and pushing the pace of the game to their advantage.
“For the first game, we just want to be physical. We want to see some real physicality from our boys and play the game at pace. Go out there and play the game the way we know we can play the game.
“Take it to them. Just get on the front foot and go after the game and put in a performance. If we can put in a great performance, the result will take care of itself.”
The team will play England at the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham, London at 5.40am on Sunday.
The team then takes on France on their home turf in Bordeaux on November 15.
