It was less than a week ago that Ardie Savea – arguably the world’s best player – described the Fiji Drua as “scary”.
The All Blacks star had just seen his Hurricanes side, who are sitting comfortably in the top half of the Super Rugby standings, humbled by a Drua outfit in just their second season in the competition.
It came just weeks after the Drua went close to knocking over the Brumbies in Canberra and two months after they beat the Crusaders at home.
But the man bringing the second-year Super Rugby outfit together, Mick ‘The Kick’ Byrne, believes the side is merely scratching the surface.
“It literally is the start of their journey,” Byrne told The Roar ahead of their clash against the Force on Friday night.
Selestino Ravutaumada of Fijian Drua scores a try during the round six Super Rugby Pacific match between Fijian Drua and Melbourne Rebels at HFC Bank Stadium, on April 1, 2023, in Suva, Fiji. (Photo by Pita Simpson/Getty Images)
In some ways Byrne is at the start of his coaching journey, too.
After two decades of being an assistant coach, where he spent a decade and won two World Cups with the All Blacks before joining the Wallabies under Michael Cheika, the former AFL star has finally been given an opportunity to be the head coach of a side.
The 2m tall former ruckman just had to go to Fiji to get a head coaching gig, leaving behind his family and the decades of intellectual property picked up along the way.
“I live in Lautoka, which is a little village or a town just near the airport and I’ve got my little local dairy or convenience store and those guys get to know me and things like that. They’re very supportive of the team and even after we’ve been beaten, they’re very grateful for the work we’re doing. There’s a lot of support around that’s for sure.”
No, it’s not exactly Ted Lasso. But it’s not the first time he’s been told about the comparison.
“My brother’s told me to watch it,” Byrne said.
“He said something similar to me when I was talking to him about what I’m doing here. He goes, ‘Have you seen Ted Lasso?’ I said, ‘No I haven’t.’ He goes, ‘You should watch it, you’ll enjoy it.’
“Now you’ve told me I’ve probably got to do that in the offseason and binge on Ted Lasso.”
Mick Byrne had to go to Fiji to become a head coach. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images
Nonetheless, Byrne’s journey to Fiji is proving to be a match made in heaven.
There’s never been a shortage of talent in the Island Nation but harnessing it and ensuring the technical components of the game, particularly at the set-piece, are properly given time and energy has been their Achilles heel. That and opportunity.
“The biggest thing is that two years ago our players were just playing amateur footy here on the island,” Byrne said.
“We’ve got a number of players that have come from overseas, but the majority of our players have come from the island, and I think that’s the impressive thing is how these guys two years ago, half our squad had never played a professional game, and now we’re into our second year, they’ve locked themselves into good habits around their diet, their training, recovery, preparation, looking at videos, and they’re excellent.”
Indeed, Byrne’s never seen players progress so quickly.
But he acknowledges the base was so low, it’s no great surprise either.
“I haven’t seen any team improve as much as this team,” he said.
“But the caveat on that is the fact that we started from such a low base. The improvement’s been enormous because we hadn’t done anything in the past.
“I was at the All Blacks for 11 years and there were Fijian boys all the way through Super Rugby, not just in the All Black team, and some of the things they were able to do naturally was extraordinary.
Fijian Drua head coach Mick Byrne says his side just needed development. (Photo by Peter Meecham/Getty Images)
“Coming into do a high ball catch and suddenly they’re jumping higher than everyone else and you haven’t even taught them how to get off the ground yet.
“Because of the lifestyle here, when I look at the kids, everyone walks everywhere, everyone runs everywhere, everyone’s playing until the dark and you go down to every park and there’s kids running around and even when it gets dark, they’re still out there running around, so it’s a natural lifestyle here.
“It’s going to hold them up well because the lifestyle here is healthy and it’s outdoors and there’s a lot of energy created around, so that’ll just get harnessed into a rugby program. It’s going to be pretty exciting.”
When Byrne took over many raised their eyebrows.
A former AFL player, a skills coach for one of the best teams on the planet in any sport, the reservations came thick and fast.
The Drua’s ill-discipline and their struggles in 2022 saw some question whether the punt on Byrne was the right one.
Yet, the contrast between the Drua’s rise and Moana Pasifika has been stark.
While Pasifika have barely had the luxury of playing at home, they are winless in 2023.
Fijian Drua celebrate after a try during their win over the Crusadersat Churchill Park, on March 11, 2023, in Lautoka. (Photo by Pita Simpson/Getty Images)
The Drua meanwhile have been hugely competitive.
Adding to their impressive rise, they are doing it on a fraction of the salary compared to their Super Rugby rivals in Australia and New Zealand.
While Byrne continually heaps praise on his assistants Glen Jackson, Brad Harris and Greg Fleming, the Australian says he’s felt at home with the Drua because at the core of what they needed was development.
“I could see here that I could get into a program where I was the head coach and that way I could make sure that we drove that development through the place,” he said.
“We played against Fiji in the All Blacks team and the boys were always saying they hit hard and they got hurt and there were times in the game where you just couldn’t defend them because they were doing stuff that no one else can really do.
“So, for me, it wasn’t about trying to help a team become better rugby players, it was just helping a team become technically better, better at the catch-pass, clear running lines, tackle technique, lifting, jumping, throwing, our scrum hits and our coaching group they all think like that. They’re all thinking about development, they’re all thinking about helping our players get better.
“I was able to marry becoming a head coach but coming into a development program was something that I felt more comfortable with as a head coach.”
Two wins from their remaining four matches will likely ensure the Drua reach their maiden finals campaign.
After more travel to Perth and Sydney, the Drua will play consecutive matches at home to round out the regular season.
Their clash against the Reds on June 3 in particular shapes as a season-defining clash.
“You’ve seen cuts of clips about it when we get a good win. If we were to make a finals, we know that there’s a lot of water to go yet, but to make the finals here would be exceptional for the people of Fiji, the fans here, they’re so passionate,” Byrne said.
“When they buy their tickets, and they’re digging deep in comparison to what Australian fans and New Zealand fans do. These guys dig really deep to buy tickets and bring families to the game of rugby. We need to make the finals. They’re spending big parts of their family money to come and watch us play, we need to turn up and perform for them.
“It’d be great if we’re able to get a couple of wins between now and the end of the year and make the finals. That would be something special over here for sure.”
Win or lose though, the sounds emanating from the Island Nation won’t stop. Fiji at long last have a team.
“There’s a big upside to this for Fiji Rugby as well,” he said.
“A lot of the kids on the island here now are Drua supporters, so they’re all wearing their Drua kit around and Drua means something to them now.
“Last year we were in Lennox Head and I know the villages and everybody supported us, but our players are here now and they’re out and about. We’ve got home games, but moving forward now there’s a lot more passion around our pathways for Fiji rugby players to stay on island and try and make the Drua team and then make the national team via the Drua team.”
Nor is lost on the playing group either.
“After a win there’s some real pride, you can sort of sense the pride in them in the room for what they’ve achieved but they are humble,” Byrne said.
“There’s a lot of gratitude around the team about the opportunity they have and you sense that as well after a victory that some players are just sitting there feeling great for the life they have.”
