FIJI Water Flying Fijians coach Mick Byrne is looking forward to an exciting match against Ireland as they gear up for their final Test in the 2024 Autumn Nations Series.
With a squad that boasts experienced players and a high level of energy, Byrne is confident in their preparations for the upcoming challenge.
Acknowledging the team’s solid preparation leading up to the Ireland match, Byrne notes the palpable excitement within the squad as they anticipate facing a strong opponent.
“Our preparations have been good. we always prepare ourselves well every week. for this week it been an exciting week for us, as we get to play Ireland,” said Byrne.
“The fact that it’s also our final Test, and it’s been four weeks together with the boys, that creates its own set of energy. and for us we just can’t wait to do our best on the field.”
Byrne stresses the importance of studying and understanding the opposition, in this case, Ireland, in order to formulate an effective game plan.
Recognising the need to analyse the strengths and tactics of their opponents is essential for the team’s growth and success on the field, especially when competing against top-tier teams like Ireland.
“For us our growth comes from being able to look at the opposition (Ireland) and see what they are going to bring and prepare ourselves accordingly.
“To be a Tier one team, and to beat some teams that’s best in the world you need to be able to analyse the opposition, we got a good balance in what Ireland is going to bring and what we need to bring, I think that’s been a big growth for us.”
Reflecting on recent matches against Scotland, Wales, and Spain, Byrne highlights the team’s strong performances, particularly when the experienced players have stepped up.
“I think coming off the Scottish week. we had a lot of inexperienced players there. and when our experience players come in, we really want to see a performance.
“I think that was our relieving factor. when we have our good players on the field they put in the performance.
“Beating Wales in Cardiff for the first time, it gives us that excitement and makes everything worthwhile. but we had to back it up when we played Spain and get a victory there.
“And of course now we are playing Ireland that going to be a tremendous challenge for us, but we have been building momentum the whole week, and we have set ourselves well.”
The Flying Fijians will face Ireland at the Aviva Stadium at 3.10am tomorrow.
